AIBU to think this event should never have happened.

[DaisiesAreOurSilver]

www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/mare-newborn-foal-die-because-15637103

Big cycle race of 100 miles in our area yesterday. Road closures from 5.30 am till 12.30 pm. Some streets were totally cut off for the whole time.

Residents were just told they should have parked outside the area the night before. For some that would mean a walk of a mile, given how many roads were closed. One family escorted through because they had a flight to catch but had to wait 25 minutes for an escort.

Carers were unable to visit the housebound clients, meals on wheels couldn't get through and the stewards didn't give a stuff. For some people it wasn't a question of finding a way around there were areas that were totally cut off for the duration.

But worst of all the stewards wouldn't let a emergency vet through and a mare and her foal died. The foal would have been worth a lot of money as was the mare. I hope the owner sues for every penny she can.

Residents are very angry and cannot understand why permission was granted for this to happen. If they try it again vigilantes have said they'll force the roads open if they try to close them. Feelings running very high.

www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/velo-birmingham-horse-foal-die-16265532

The miracle of email - never lose a letter.

(In case people want to complain and are told "no one complained last time .....)

The MP did reply too - so it was acknowledged at the highest level.
......................................................................................................

From: VeloHostage
Sent: 26 September 2017
To: Councillor XX XX , Councillor YY YY , Councillor ZZ ZZ , GILL, Preet
Subject: 2018 Velo Birmingham

Dear councillors,

I note this event is due to be repeated next year.

Now we are all aware of the scale of disruption it will cause, could I ask if you could ensure that Birmingham City Council acts in a fit and proper way by consulting affected residents.

May I also humbly suggest that the route be varied to allow the residents who enjoyed the event this year a year off, and allow some other lucky residents the chance to spend 9 hours unable to leave their homes.

many thanks in advance

To those saying people were given notice - that is irrelevant to the woman who lost her horses, she couldn't pick a different time for the mare to go into labour.

And people who need home care can't choose to go without or, in a lot of cases, go elsewhere for the day.

Fair enough, have the race, but the organisers need to accept that life has to go in the area it is happening.

Meanwhile, 1500 people a year are killed in road accidents just in Britain by your obsession with driving your damn cars .

The planet is burning due to your bloody cars.

Motorists terrorise the rest of us constantly.

People cannot cross the road safely for cars.

Children cannot play in the street in case they are maimed or killed by cars.

Millions are killed in the incessant wars caused by motorists demanding cheap petrol.

Tell me again that it's cyclists who are inconsiderate and entitled.

Is there a petition yet to change the route to a non residential area?

@BlackForestCake - cyclists are inconsiderate and entitled. Your whatsboutery won’t change that.

It’s not whataboutery at all. It’s saying people have lost all sense of perspective here. Not being able to use your car whenever you want to is an inconvenience we have to learn to live with, bearing in mind the massive toll on human and animal health that cars have.

Is there a petition yet to change the route to a non residential area?

You can't really do that with a route of that length. Bear in mind all side roads off the route are cut off.

Given the strength of feeling after the 2017 Velo and the total lack of any adjustments for 2019, I'd be worried that 2020 could bring a really nasty public order incident. And given the scope of the event - over many counties - the level of policing might not be up to it.

I presume that like football clubs, the Velo organisers paid for the extra policing ? After all, I guess the stewards weren't paid.

BlackForestCake

That is completely and utterly irrelevant to this particular issue. Anyway, how do you think most of these cyclists got to the race in the first place. It's not those who cycle sensibly to work or the shops who are the issue, it's those who drive to beauty spots to whizz around terrifying walkers or who expect everyone to endure a full day of inconvenience so they can enjoy themselves. It's hardly a motorists v cyclists issue when most cyclists drive too!

Interestingly for those of you seeing this race as some kind of victory against car use, a lot of the cyclists drove to the centre of Birmingham for the start (with bikes attached making their cars even less environmentally friendly or you could pay about £70 for a van (also not exactly environmentally friendly) to take your bike there, appears even a lot of these cyclists need cars! Every cyclist I know who competes in these sort of things happily ferries their three kids round in an suv.

Not being able to use your car whenever you want to is an inconvenience we have to learn to live with

I don't and have never driven but even one person denied access to care because of a vanity project like this is one too many.

I for one hope the residents impacted take to the streets/roads to make sure 2020 doesn’t take place.

That poor mare would have been in incredible pain. I actually lack the words to describe how I feel about this, her poor owners had to watch her die like that because some bloody jobsworth couldn't use his initiative.

I cannot stand cyclists- I have ridden horses for a living for nearly 20 years and they are bloody dangerous. There are a handful who will let you know they are there, but the majority fly up silently behind them past. Horses cannot see directly behind them and they can't hear them either. I would love to put the worst offenders on a seriously fit horse, while leading another, then fly past them.
My job is dangerous enough without twats refusing to slow down and pass wide and slow.
Not sure why my life is worth less than a few additional seconds on your training time.

You could always run some wire across the road. About bike handle level...

Actually this has given me a great money making idea. There’s quite a nice local park, im going to organise a dog walk. I’m going to slip a few councillors a back hander /promise tourism. Stick park closed signs on each entrance (don’t worry I’ll stick a leaflet in with some junk mail 6 months before the event so you will know all about it) together with a power mad steward . Refuse entry to local residents who don’t pay the average £100 entrance fee. Just to be sure I’ll operate an unadvertised cordon around the local shops and houses.

Please don’t complain though you had notice it’s only one day, we need to encourage people to walk more to save the planet (parking will be provided or we can arrange private taxi at an over inflated fee to get you and your dog there).

Anyone up for it?? No one will mind me co-opting a publicly funded space to the exclusion of the people who use and pay for it so I can partake in my hobby and make shit loads of cash will they? I promise to pick up the resulting litter and signage some point in the next year

Not being able to use your car whenever you want to is an inconvenience we have to learn to live with,

Vets being unable to get to their patients are not "an inconvenience we have to learn to live with".

Vulnerable people unable to receive care are not "an inconvenience we have to learn to live with,"

It's not just 'not being able to use your car' though is it?

People couldn't access public transport either.

We had a similar event here a few years ago and they were denied access to the roads after two years.

We have many running and cycling events that run happily year after year, including around a biggish hospital with no incidents, so it can be done.

I'm confused as to what all the rabid anti-car posters are proposing people do instead? They cant be suggesting people use buses as the buses run on the roads too and were cancelled.

I live in an area that gets cut off by the London marathon and various other events. We always have a leaflet through about what will be closed when.
It's terrible that you weren't given the same consideration, especially as you couldn't just get on the tube like we can when roads are closed and buses not running.

I agree the issue is jobsworthiness about the exceptions. But plenty of people seem to be extremely angry about being "trapped" and I just think it's OTT. We have road closures pretty often for the marathon and other stuff. It simply isn't the enormous deal people are making out. And we need to recognise that fact because we are going to have to learn to live with a bit more inconvenience if we want to prevent catastrophic climate change

Shrug it off, is what I am suggesting you do. Take heart in the fact it's one day when cars were prevented from adding so much to your local air pollution and let it go.

It simply isn't the enormous deal people are making out.

I'm not sure how you can say that when a number of posters here have said that it was a massive deal for them. I completely agree that we need to be using cars less, it's a really important thing to me. This is a completely different issue.

But plenty of people seem to be extremely angry about being "trapped" and I just think it's OTT.

Maybe you should spend 8 hours stuck in a wheelchair reading posts about how you should have given your car up and walked around the barriers instead ? Then come back and suggest it's "OTT" ?

(Of course for a wheelchair user it's not "8 hours", it's "all day every day").