Fietsryers se veiligheid tel nie,dis geld wat tel

[Guest Michelle]

Shouldn't the cones have been placed towards the barrier gradually?

[Jason]

Crux, The cones were only moved off the road after the elites crashed... ... The photo's Spidey posted, where you can see the elites coming in... the cones were in the road... and after the crash they moved them all off.

I would think something like this.

Have your barriers, pack the cones in gradually and guide the riders into the barriers... well not into the barriers but you know what I mean. Maybe also have a 10 - 15m gap between the cones. Not 53cm's. Cause dodging and weaving between cones at 60kph... is a recipe for disaster. You can also throw a few thorn bushes in behind the cones, so the okes that wanna play and ride into them can do so at their own will. Please note I am a certified MSPaint Professional .

[Cruxpearl]

Michelle, Nothing that could've been done, would have been of any use when the guys crash...

Someone has to be blamed, and it cannot be the cyclists.

[scotty]

I still think there would have been problems. Riders on the right heading for the cones would have been forced to move left into the path of those going straight.

 

Glad i did Benoni World Champs instead.

[Guest Michelle]

How about getting guys to stand on hay bales waving flags & blowing whistles like in the Tour?

[Gumpole]

I think Jason and Michelle have worked it out .. Jason apparently you are too bright to be an elite cyclist or race official.

 

I think if you take Jasons diagram but make the angle of the cones a lot 'flatter' you have a safe race ending.

 

p.s. sometimes the CDEF groups finish in big bondels too so that could have been my ass (at 40km/h instead of 60!)

[cyclemania]

Seems I was already ahead of myself!!!!

You see' date=' Kona, if there was no Cones, and the guys then crashed into the barriers, cause the barriers are placed on the white line, there would have been complaints about the safety of the barriers without any warning like cones for example... [/quote'] It seems that after the Elite crash, and the ensuing accusations of Stupidity for placing the cones in the road, and at the demands of some of the Elite Team Managers, the supposed cause of the accidents, the red cones of course was then removed to the side of the road.... With predictable effect

http://www.tcsn.co.za/downloads/BakAcc02.jpg

 

the VB 40-49 Finish and Jackie van Eeden & co is heading for certain disaster!!!

 

Not being an official on the day but riding the event I cannot comment with regards to the cones. Seeing this picture is sad. The first few pics the guys had problems with cones in the road. Then is was removed and then riders rode in to the barriers. I agree that safety comes first but some of these riders are taking their own lives it their hands. The ride dangerous and don't bother showing the riders behind them what is lying in the road and and and.......

 

Instead of guys pointing fingers they should work with CSA and organisers to make the races more safe.

[shammy_rash]

This is what the UCI has to say about the finish area:

A zone of at least 100 metres before and 50 metres after the finish line will be protected with barriers.
It will be accessible only to organisational staff, the riders, paramedics, team managers and
accredited press. The organiser must strictly control access to this zone.
The finish line shall comprise a line of 4 cm in width, painted in black on a white strip 72 cm wide
thus leaving 34 cm of white on each side of the black line. For mountain bike races the white strip
must be 20 cm, thus leaving 8 cm on each side of the black line.

Finish Section
The organiser shall place permanent panels indicating: kilometre zero (the real start), the fiftieth
kilometre and then the last 25, 20, 10, 5, 4, 3 and 2 km points.
The last kilometre shall be marked by a red triangle. Apart from the finish banner, no banner may
be put up after the red triangle.
The organiser shall, before the finish line, provide a detour which all vehicles (including motorbikes)
must follow other than those of the event management, the commissaires, the official doctor and
the team manager of the winner, provided that the latter has a clear lead of at least one minute
over the rest of the field.
In road, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross events, a banner labelled "FINISH" must be fixed
above the finishing line and perpendicular to the road or course. Should the banner have disappeared
or been damaged, the finish line shall be indicated by a black and white chequered flag.
Such a flag shall also be used for any finish or for the passing of any intermediate point for a classification
as well as at the top of mountain passes during road races.

[slowpoke]

Jason and Michelle have made the point perfectly and clearly. The cones or WHATEVER was used should have reduced the with of the "riding space" GRADUALLY. basic logic would dictate this - no doctorate in rocket science required.

[snah2]

Why place the barriers in the road at all and not off the road surface?The barriers are there to keep the crouds (haha) out.

 

The cones are not necessary  and only a hindrance/danger.

 

 

[Jason]

The thing is... if you place the cones 1m in from the side of the road then obviously you gonna have a few cyclist take that chance and try ride in that 1m zone... The sh*t comes when you realize that the cones are 53cm's apart, going at 60kph+... that's when cones start flying and get flung across the road and riders come down... The front riders can see the cones but the chaps behind him are focusing on his back wheel and when you see that cone it's already to late.

I don't think it's the riders job to point out obstacles at the finish, well especially not for the pro riders where it's balls to the wall stuff and racing for prize money (I have never seen Boonen point out to Hushovd/McEwen that there's a spectator with a waving hand in the way. Think that's where Hushovd cut his arm this year). I think the finish should already be laid out before the start of the race so that the team managers etc can tell the riders that these are the hazards and dangers at the finish...so watch out when you come in for that final sprint.

[shammy_rash]

At the end of the day, no matter what the organisors would have done, the gutter still would have forced the riders to the right, even if the beacons or tape or any other form of barrier had been placed gradually in, the riders still would have cycled to the edge - which in turn would have caused a crash anyway. 

Point is we cyclists know that the end is coming and we also know that the finish area is always lined with barriers or markers. Perhaps admitting to rider error or lack of rider courtesy (signals) could be part of the cause. The other being more visible warnings shoulld have been ued to taper the cyclists towards the end, as it seems we cyclists still need to be guided in our own game   

[cyclemania]

I agree shammy rash. I also heard  that the elite crash was caused by a rider who rode on the outside of the cones and then tried to cut back into the main rode.

[Jason]

Perhaps admitting to rider error or lack of rider courtesy (signals) could be part of the cause.

shammy_rash, I agree with you but the rider courtesy?!? Like I said... You don't have the Boonen's doing it... why must the Malcolm Lange's, Rheeders and Jay Thompson's do it?

 
At that point in the race it's flat out... 1st place = lots of prize money... The finish should be set up before the start of the race and the managers should make the riders aware of any dangers... so if the sh*t hits the fan then blame the manager...  Sorry Cruxie!

[MichH]

The only comment I have on this is that you need some form of warning about a metal barrier running parallel to your direction of travel. In the later photo, it seems apparent that the visual aspect of the barrier would be minimal. Jason and Michelle's comments on narrowing make sense, but cones seem to be the wrong material.

 

Let's hope those in hospital heal fast and are out on the road again soon.

[KlapperKnop]

Interesting to see a "registered rider" such as Shammy_Rash not blaming the organisers. I view that the crash is not something anybody wants; both organisers and cyclist ... but find it rather disappointing when people here on the hub shows (at times) arrogant behaviour/comments and jumps down hubber's throats .... Mutual respect goes a long way!!

 

The organisers and people making this event happen dedicate sometime their personal time ... do we ever think that they were not even aware of safety rules / aspects around racing? We sometimes take these for granted.