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.

Fowled. This is bollocks though isn't it? Thousands of animals suffer and die every day for the meat industry. Children suffer and die because of road accidents, climate change and poor air quality, and people in all areas sit back and do nothing. This selective empathy gets on my wick.

Large animal vet here. We used to have similar with road closures for a car rally in our area. But we were always issues with passes that would let us through the road closures with an escort if needed. Hopefully lessons will be learned here for future events. As others have said vets wouldn’t have same rights to bypass road closures as medics unless human life was in danger because of the animal concerned

TinklyLittleLaugh If I am in a car and have other cars wanting to overtake me on a rural road, I either pull into a layby, or slow down and pull over as much as I can. That is common for people to do that in rural twisty roads. Except cyclists don't do this. They make it harder for you to overtake. So no it is not like other road users at all.

So a whole area of people just sat back and let it happen. I'm sorry but nothing would have stopped the people in my area from leaning their houses or letting an innocent animal due.

Maybe because most people didn’t find out it had happened until after it had actually happened?

The horses dying that is.

And what do you expect people to do to stop an event of this scale? This event covered the West Midlands and Warwickshire, so Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry were 3 of the big key towns affected. The councils have already had their brown envelopes handed to them and were going to push ahead regardless of any complaints or action people tried to take.

No one is defending the vet being no delayed in getting to the horse or celebrating the horse dying.

Yes some posters are defending the vet being delayed, because cyclists must take priority, that's the whole thrust of their argument. However, I didn't say anyone was celebrating the horse and foal dying. Not giving a fuck, yes definitely, they don't give a fuck. But you're the one using the word "celebrating" for some reason Ariadne.

Not sure we're reading the same thread [confised]

not [confised]

I also live in town, the road I live on is often blocked for events emergency vehicle's with often only one or two vehicles turning up on to an empty road and the said cars driving round the normally one-way streets the wrong way confusing pedestrians .
And the comment saying it is a one day event are completely wrong .....it's maybe a cycle race this time and next time it's due to a rally stage and after that a cultural parade etc etc
I'm on call for my job (theatre nurse assisting with emergency cesarean sections and life threatening cases) with a 15 minute response window to be on site and I was told no exceptions as there is a car park 8 minutes walk away! Told them in no uncertain terms that I wasn't moving but at 8 am next morning I had the police sent to my door saying that I had to get up and move it

We have a wonderful mixed use path that goes through our neighborhood. It is perfect for a stroll or for teaching a child to ride a bicycle. It is completely separated from traffic and has beautiful views. It is absolutely ruined by the speedsters who expect you to jump out of their way. I have cycled on paths like this. I never go fast. I am always prepared to come to a full stop and often do because quickly passing someone strolling along or a toddler erratically riding is just rude.

Pedestrians are supposed to have priority, not be expected to jump out of the way.

True. The slowest always takes priority in my book.

No post I read justified the death of the horse on the basis cyclists take priority. The grasp of nuance on Mumsnet is often poor. The death of the horse was very sad and should have been prevented.

Agreed you cannot cycle competitively on a cycle path. Out for a trundle not a problem, anybody cycling for fitness or wanting to push speed needs to be on the road, not dodging dogs and pensioners on the tracks, it’s not safe for anybody.

If we must choose btwn being crushed by an oncoming car who is passing a cyclist and coming into our lane or hitting the cyclist; ???

That's a ridiculous position to be put in by someone who wants to ride two wheels.

Hang about, so you are hypothesising about an accident that could only be caused by a driver choosing to carry out a dangerous overtaking manouvre, but you reckon it's the cyclist at fault?

I'm both a cyclist and a driver, and I live in an area with plenty of rural twisty roads. I have never been 'forced' to overtake dangerously, and have received nothing but courtesy from cyclists when I pass safely (giving them the same space as a I would a tractor or horse).

This is about mismanagement by the counci, not the individual race participants. Sad to see that so many posters have used it as an opportunity to slate cyclists. I do both, and I know full well that it is cars that cause more harm.

Laughing at cycle path.

All the paths round me are bridlepaths and towpaths plus a lot of disused railway lines converted to permissive routes.

This is bollocks though isn't it? Thousands of animals suffer and die every day for the meat industry. Children suffer and die because of road accidents, climate change and poor air quality, and people in all areas sit back and do nothing. This selective empathy gets on my wick

This. But drivers are the most important thing. I remember reading a book once called "The Bluffers Guide to Germany" and one of the things it said was that the Germans keep their kids at home so their cars can play in the roads. Nowadays I think it applies far more to the UK - little in the way of decent cycle infrastructure and driving kids half a mile to school because it's too dangerous to walk or cycle.

In Germany they do have far better cycling infrastructure and kids walk or cycle to school from about 7 years old.

If I am in a car and have other cars wanting to overtake me on a rural road, I either pull into a layby, or slow down and pull over as much as I can. That is common for people to do that in rural twisty roads. Except cyclists don't do this. They make it harder for you to overtake. So no it is not like other road users at all

Why would you pull over in a car unless you are driving really slowly? And why drive really slowly? I find people very rarely pull over to let faster vehicles by - whether on 4 wheels or 2. I do agree that cyclists should let cars by when they can, and the groups I cycle with do. But when I am in a car I rarely find that a cyclist does me the same courtesy.

And why drive really slowly

My partner drives slowly in unfamiliar areas because;
(i) sometimes we want to look at the scenery
(ii) sometimes we are not sure where we are or where we need to turn
(iii) 'really slowly' sometimes means about the speed limit which is not what everyone else is doing
(iv) it's a potentially dangerous road and those confident of speeding- going faster are likely locals who have places to get to and know how to get there
(v) we don't want to be statistics.

He always pulls over, as did my Dad, who was always a slow driver.

My partner drives slowly in unfamiliar areas because;
(i) sometimes we want to look at the scenery great reason to hold people up

great reason to hold people up

That's why they pull over...
The rest of the reasons are perfectly legitimate anyway, and only someone who has never driven in the countryside wouldn't understand that. It's often not really to do with speed but confidence on and familiarity with the particular roads.

(i) sometimes we want to look at the scenery great reason to hold people up

Except we fucking don't. Can you read? He always pulls over.

We have one locally too. They now have to leave access, after a woman went into labour and they wouldn't allow them out so they ended up having to call an ambulance as it was all that was allowed through! There's still many closed roads, but it at least doesn't close a full estate off now as it used to!

Can you read? He always pulls over. that’s what they all say

that’s what they all say

That's about the lamest and most stupid and mindless response ever. Of course, (even though I initially said he always pulls over - because he does - and you missed this - because you can't read) - you have to resort to 'she's lying'.