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.

Good for you. ⭐️

Once again for the hard of thinking; I said the wire thing was a joke

Whilst it may not be something you would actually do, the reason many people don't find this funny is because it does happen quite frequently. In addition to the links I posted above, there was this incident in Exeter www.itv.com/news/westcountry/story/2013-09-23/jogger-injured-by-cord-tied-across-footpath/ Police think in that case both runners and cyclists were the target. A woman was seriously injured as a result.

When you're on the receiving end of this kind of hatred day in, day out, when all you're trying to do is get from A to B cheaply, reliably and using a form of transport with minimal environmental impact, the joke does wear a bit thin.

@Belenus in all seriousness I do think that’s shocking. And I apologize for my glibness about it.

@ballisticcyclistic I didn't talk about "mob". I posted a link as evidence that this type of cycling sub-culture exists. Many many more where that came from.

People coalesce around their interests and hobbies, whether it's trainspotting, cycling or West End musicals, and develop shared behaviours, customs and in-jokes as a result thereof. In the age of the internet it's even easier to do so

Are you denying the existence of this particular cycling (or any sub-cultures) or just indulging in whataboutery on the form of "green wellies and Barbours"?

Could you please explain what that even means?

I already have. It was an attempt at humour, you didn't get it. Fair enough but that's twice you've asked and twice I've answered. I won't answer again. @ballisticcyclistic

Maybe read the opening post again. Nowhere did I criticise cyclists. I have since because I can't believe some of the responses from lycra fans. I posted because I was upset about a horse and upset because housebound people were left without care. If it's unhinged to care about that then I plead guilty.

You can froth as much as you like. I still think it was a horrible thing to happen and it shouldn't have happened. Maybe you think different. If you do it isn't me who's unhinged.

@IvanaPee - thank you. That's very gracious of you, and lovely to read on a thread that has got very heated.

grim, I was responding to the OP’s comment that

“ The lycra mob seem to be speaking up for themselves very loudly.”

I was just pointing out that you could apply stereotypes to all sorts of people who, as you say, coalesce around hobbies. I’m not sure the “Lycra mob” are any more arrogant or think they’re any more entitled than the “green wellies mob”. The insinuation on this thread that they are all arrogant w*nkers from London who otherwise drive Ferraris and work in the city and don’t give a hoot about animals, is about as vacuous a statement as saying that “the green wellie mob” all support fox-hunting or similar bloodsports. Or “the football mob” are all yobs. In reality, these stereotypes are unhelpful. Wearing lycra does not change your basic personality, anymore than a pair of wellies or riding breeches does.

@CloudyForest did you read my post? About Marshalls trying to prevent a nurse from attending an end of life call? Or the Marshalls who wouldn't move a road block for an ambulance? Are they acceptable casualties for an event?

Also Daisies - I can totally understand and relate to why the story if this particular horse has upset you so much. I’m a great animal lover; always been a vegetarian and I actually can’t bear to think of animal suffering in any shape or form and have been known to get quite militant. Especially when it comes to cats!

However, it is also clear to me that not one of the cyclists on that event wouid have wanted this to happen. Road closures happen all the time for many reasons. If you think about it, this kind of thing must happen a lot more than people realise, This case was simply the one reported in the media and jumped on as a justification of anti- cyclist vitriol, but how many similar instances go unreported? That is the issue for me.

Daisy you are sounding increasingly unhinged.

Yes dh was driven into intentionally by a 60 something company director Audi driver reported police took statements and visited the man at home but it wasn’t taken further as no 3rd party witness.

The pro-cycling commenters on this thread have shown that they’re willing to override everyone else to get what they want, and they wonder why no one likes them?

I'm a (very) amateur cyclist (yes i do wear lycra leggings with padding as its more comfy!) and I do several 'sportives' over the course of the year. Organised by people like Evans, they have 3 or 4 routes signposted and hundreds of participants.

Although I (and my cycling buddies) are always considerate of other road users, I'm constantly horrified by the way some other cyclists ride -eg whipping past us slower people on the wrong side of the road on a blind bend; not bothering to stop for red lights on roadworks or pedestrian crossings! . If a motorist has been held up by me, or has given me a wide berth then I ALWAYS acknowledge them! But I'm in the minority and its just pig-ignorant of cyclists not to be considerate of other road users.

My sister rode the Palace to Palace ride a few years ago to raise money for Prostaid - it was an overnight ride from Windsor to Buckingham Palace and at several points through London, drawing pins and nails were thrown onto the road to disrupt the cyclists. People also shoved the cyclists off their bikes as they went past - one lady ended up with a broken wrist and shoulder!

Many hobby cyclists also limit their car use. My DH does every journey under 5 miles on a bike as he’s convinced it’s just as quick. My DS commutes into central London every day on his bike. My BiL cycles to his teaching job in Birmingham. And I can think of loads of friends who do at least a couple of commutes a week by bike.

One of the reasons my DH loves closed road events is that most of his cycling is done against the background of fear for his life from reckless drivers.

There’s are really nasty tone to some of the posts on here: it’s quite horrible to be threatening cyclists with violence. And yes you can argue that you are joking but this sort of thing is insidious and permeates to the stupid. A bit like making rape jokes and saying, “Oh but of course I think rape is terrible”. It all contributes to making hatred acceptable.

Wow. Pro-cyclists have hit a new low.

No, Tinkly, it’s NOTHING like rape. It’s not even in the same stratosphere. Jesus! And people wonder why some find cyclists and their supporters so obnoxious!

No, Tinkly, it’s NOTHING like rape. It’s not even in the same stratosphere

If people say they think cyclists should be run over, it's pretty serious. Rape is a horrible thing, but being run over and maimed is horrible too. I prefer to avoid being raped and squashed by a car, thanks. Wishing serious harm on people is wishing serious harm regardless of the type of harm.

People need to understand that a vehicle is a potent weapon and we need to get away from "causing death by dangerous driving". No, it was manslaughter, possibly even murder, so as serious as rape. I agree the the pp that it makes hatred acceptable.

But anyway it looks like this thread has moved away from the original theme a bit.

Cyclists are just people who ride bikes just like car drivers not some coordinated evil group intent on murdering horses. Such weird attitudes “willing to override everyone to get what they want” Wtaf?!?

They are people who just ride bikes.

But there’s a very specific breed of man who seem to be attracted to it. That’s where it gets it’s reputation from.

To be fair there wouldn’t be this very obvious annoyance towards cyclists if they weren’t being fucking annoying would there?

Everyone would be like oh I love cyclists! They’re great, never stop me getting past, never cycle on pavements, never skip red lights. Great bunch of people. Shame about the middle-aged balls through Lycra, but still! Love them.

In our local woodland, where my DH takes his scouts on bike rides, someone put a wire across the path at neck height between two trees. So excuse me Ivana if I find joking about my DH or my 12 year old son being decapitated, as bad a thing as joking about rape.

.www.wigantoday.net/news/cyclist-injured-by-trap-1-201375

Well exactly tinkly. There are knobs in every discernible group hating on that group and lumping everyone in together because of the behaviour of a minority is a nasty and rather dangerous route to take and doesn’t end well. If a car driver did something knobbish would you start a thread about all car drivers? Or horse riders? Or mothers? Or French people?

Joking about violence isn't funny.
I have no issues with people using a bike to get from a to b. I did this a lot when younger and some family members still do.
Mamils are different and bring different issues with them. Pretending there aren't some issues with them as a group at times isn't going to make either the issues or the animosity go away.
Looking at the issues and trying to resolve them with compromise is the most sensible way forward.
A few more blobby10 s and less aggression from both some cyclists and some motorists and it would all be easier.

Nobody should be aggressive on the roads no matter what they are driving or cycling- indefensible

MsTSwift totally agree, you can do a lot more harm with a car than a bike though sadly.

@DontTreadOnMe
Cyclists are enough of a menace on the roads without having them closed off for a little jolly

Well that statement is a load of bollocks.
Would you like to tell me how many people a year die because of cyclists (not the number of cyclists dying) Vs the number of people dying because of cars?

you what isn't happening though is large stretches of rural roads being shut and emergency vets and carers being unable to access those they need to help so that amateur car racing drivers can practice time trials.
This would not be okay if it was cars, it isn't okay because it is bikes either.