7 DHs from adjacent houses cycling all weekend (again)!

[ballisticcyclistic]

I’m sitting here with ice on my ankle because yesterday I twisted it during a ridiculous situation where I had to take 4 special wheels to the garage for DH’s car and he’d loaded these in my car at 5am. I couldn’t park in the garage forecourt as no space, so I had to park up the road. Then I couldn’t lift the bloody things out of the back of my car, so I just pulled two out and tried to roll them along, but the road was on an incline and the wheels took on a will of their own, like wagon wheels rolling off, One was veering into the road so I had to chase it like a lunatic and I caught the edge of my wedge sandals and twisted my ankle which is still very swollen. So that was yesterday afternoon.

DH complained to the garage that it was unacceptable that nobody they’d helped me, but he has since apologised so I’ll just put behind me, but there are repercussions now for this weekend.

We live on a street where we actually get on with lots of neighbours (rare for London) but this is mainly led by the DHs who are all cycling fanatics. This weekend they are all off to the midlands for some famous ride I’ve never heard of. There are seven of them going.

Now normally I’d be glad of the peace, but today I have -

• Landscape gardeners coming around 8am
• The flooring man coming at 9am
• I need to leave at 9.30am to get DS (14) to his tutor, 20 min drive away, so I won’t be back until 12
• DD (11) needs to be at a party for 1.30pm which a good 40 min drive, but could be more like 2 hours because they’ve closed Hammersmith Bridge and Putney and Chiswick Bridges are rammed. Also, I can’t walk to the tube and this DD has a broken toe as well
• One DS in the midst of GCSEs and will need support / someone to practise French with / test him etc. He is working very hard, but sometimes just needs calming down or distraction. Other DS also has end of year exams starting on Mon and he needs a fair bit if input due to dyslexia.
• 2 new kittens who I have to watch in case they get out due to gardeners leaving doors open
• Plumbers coming at some point in the afternoon

AIBU to be a bit miffed? Of course, I know DH can’t cancel the ride now, but I feel aggravated and it’s only 7am!

Doesn’t sound like your weekend was going to be practical before your injury anyway-
And no I don’t think he should cancel a weekend that was planned because of everything going on.

Apparently the vet had a police escort so the story isn't quite factual.

I wonder how they didn't get there in time then.

Because a steward wouldn't let them through.

redredrobins

The road closures would have been known about well in advance and its down to the organisers to ensure emergence services can still access places. Noone is saying the cyclists fun is more important, road closures are there for health and safety reasons, stop pedestrians crossing over and endangeing themselves and cyclists etc.

@Zofloramummy Ambulances were going through - the closed road route went right passed our local ambulance station and we were in the crowd when one drove through on lights and sirens. The cyclists have to move to the left and the ambulance drove on the right side of the road.

The police were also escorting the odd car through near the end of the cyclists coming through where we were and the stewards were super helpful moving cones, the police and stewards were signalling to cyclists to keep to one side of the road. All very helpful and respectful.

We had a few people trapped in cul-de-sacs near us who I felt sorry for, but the big yellow signs here have been up for two weeks on the main roads. So you'd have to be driving without looking for quite some time to have missed them.

I did wonder if I saw your DH, OP. We missed the elite cyclists at the start but watched for 2 hours and clapped the last cyclist through.

Maybe the steward didn’t think a vet was an emergency.

cyclingmad

You may understand why I feel strongly about a private company causing major disruption to residents and making money by closing roads for cycle events if I tell you I live in Sussex.

Velo South was cancelled in 2018 and the proposed event in 2020 will not happen!

We plan our weekends in the summer to avoid road closures due to cycling, running, fayres, festivals, etc. I log them as they appear on FB so that we can avoid the traffic chaos that ensues. We live in a tourist area so these attractions fill hotel beds, but it is not so easy for the locals.

redredrobins

Its is one day out of 365 days its hardly a daily occurrence and people are well notified in advance so can plan around it.

I think they have made a decision that a veterinary emergency isn’t as important. That really wrong. I’m glad ambulances weren’t rerouted but that shows that exceptions could be made and they chose not to.

cyclemad

100 miles of closed roads in Sussex a very rural county, with a very limited road structure, means Sussex is closed.
Why should a private company and cyclists be allowed to control other peoples lives.

Shame on that steward.

Why should a private company and cyclists be allowed to control other peoples lives.

Why should cyclists be allowed to control people's lives, full stop, ever.

Load of self-obsessed pricks.

redredrobins

Its one day! and the local economy would have benefited from the cyclists staying locally etc.

If its organised correctly whats the problem. The council obviously saw the tangible benefits otherwise they are always the first to say no.

If you have been given enough notice of the road closures is it really so hard to plan around it.

I agree Jemima.
Horses dying is bad enough, next time it could be a child, because yes they let ambulances through, but it slows them down, seconds count in an emergency.

cyclemad

We were not given plenty of notice, leaflets weren't delivered, councils didn't confer with residents, they tried to keep it secret as long as possible to stop residents and parish councils objecting!
One day or not, companies should not be permitted to buy the use of the roads we need to live our lives, just so cyclists can have a day out.

@cyclingmad I live in one of the affected roads from today. We received no notification until last weekend when notices were left on our cars. Allegedly letters were sent in December and March. Nobody I know in my neighbourhood had received these letters.

Luckily we didn't need to leave the house today. If we had needed to we would have been trapped due to all the road closures. It was very badly planned.

and as for the County Councillors we are still wondering about backhanders!

OMG he shouldn't be going anywhere! What a dick.

Angel
I bet the notices on your car were telling you not to park on the road this weekend, at risk of being towed, that's what they were doing in Sussex.

@redredrobins yes it said vehicles would be towed away. They didn't actually tow any away though.

One day or not, companies should not be permitted to buy the use of the roads we need to live our lives,

The roads don't belong to just car users you know, so if they want to close them for 1 day in a entire year for cyclists, again what's the big deal you live your lives 364 other days of the year god forbid one day is taken away from car drivers.

By your statement then the London Marathon should be stopped too and al other events that close roads, no events to ever take place where roads have to be closed.

And all so Sebastian Coe and his cronies can make a fortune. Ordinary people don't matter.

cyclemad

Walkers, local cyclists,buses and cars all banned from roads, not just cars.
London can reroute around the marathon, there is plenty of public transport in London, this not the case in Sussex.
You clearly live in a city and have no idea about rural life.