To think I should be allowed to access my road 24/7?

[poopypants]

Cycle event. Road closures. I mean why is this s thing? People have lives. What if my holiday return flight booked a year ago before cycle events were published flew me in on this day! What if my pet needed the vet? What if I was pregnant and needed to get to an antenatal appointment ? What if I had a shift job that required me to leave home or I finished smack in the middle of the event? Hospital appointment? Dialysis appointment? Chemotherapy session? It's endless. People have lives that require them to be able to come and go. How is it ok to hold people hostage?

you should be giving them merry hell for not providing what they undertook to provide when you first contacted them

We tried, AuntieStella; believe me we tried, but the same people who ignored the phone, texts and emails around the event didn't seem keen to talk to anyone afterwards either - and councillors (some of whom were later found to have a financial interest) simply didn't want to know

Which is exactly why we disrupted the following year's event, which had been sneaked in with no local notice at all ...

Is it just cycling events that cause such vitriol on MN or is it OK for something like the London Marathon to happen?

What some posters don't seem to want to understand is the idea that because people want to take part in a fun event, that they are more important than thousands of local residents. The organisers of these events should have to consult with residents before councils give permission. But of course, they won't do this because too many locals will object and the event will not happen.
A company run by Sebastian Coe tried to run a velo in sussex in 2018 which was going to cause huge disruption to over 50,000 residents.
This was not a charity event, but Coe's company would have made a huge profit. The weather was the reason given for cancellation but it is more likely the thousands of residents who had organised a protest to impede the ride.
They are now advertising velo south 2020, although the council have not agreed to allow it to go ahead.
So, it is arrogant organisers and cyclists who think they can do as they like and not give a damn about ordinary people who are expected to just suck it up and give in.

Right back at you Ursula

I see this from the other side... Both OH and myself have/do work Road closures at lots of these events.. Drivers are horrible.. We aren't treated as people.. The abuse we receive is just unbelievable.. To the extent people will actually drive cars at us (and hit us.. Not just as a threat)... Some companies are better than others.. And some events are better run than others.. some stewards are just locals who have no experience at all other than to be told stand there and do not let anyone through.. Others will be actual qualified staff..

At the end of the day at a carnival or parade there are hundreds of people and children (or even cyclists at those events) who think the road is safe as its closed... Should the staff really let you ram your car through and endanger all of them because your too rude/lazy/ignorant to follow the diversion... Park and use your legs... Or apply to the council/event for a pass so you will be let through as and when it's safe to do so...
And whilst the mare and foal incident is horrible this isn't the norm.. There are often emergency exceptions made if there really is no other suitable diversion.

I agree math.

I also have the (probably controversial in some circles) opinion that too many fitness events have been taken over by charity fundraising.
It's almost impossible to get places for some events without having to go through a charity. If you choose to do a big cycle ride/run/triathlon/hiking challenge, there's always the 'so which charity are you doing it for?' None, I just like doing my sport of choice and wanted something to train for. No I don't want to harass my friends and family for charitable donations. They are more than capable of selecting their own charitable causes.
I just want to enjoy a mass participation event and work on my own goals (preferably in events that are free from people in tutus walking within the first 15 minutes having taken a place in a quicker time bracket).

I know that sounds grumpy but I feel everything is increasingly some sort of charity money grab.

bigbluebus we get the same here .Because we are rural you get the organised bike rides where you get the people who sit on the side timing the cyclists etc .But sometimes they will ride two or three abreast on a country road not the main road and you just can't get past because they think it their god given right to take up most of the road .

mathanxiety it is sad they need to rely on donations I totally agree. Unfortunately nothing I can do can change that apart from try to help.
I have seen the huge impact the loss of my friend has had on his wife and 8yr old son and if I can try to help fund research to prevent others go through the same I will. Cancer is cruel and can take people from us and we can’t do anything about it. The only hope is that someone comes up with new treatments or eventually a cure. For the sake of a few hours inconvenience I don’t think it’s too much to ask.

Redpostbox i could have written your .That is word for word excatly what happens where i live.

I’m with you OP. Its totally selfish.

The people on the bikes should be allowed/made to pedal around a race track for a few hours to get it all out of their system.

I was watching a family member take part in a triathlon today. It was brilliant. If I could arrange childcare I would train for one myself. There was no way it could have happened safely without road closures. There were over 12000 participants. How do you propose getting 12000 cyclists safely racing with people randomly reversing cars off their driveways and pootling down to the shops?!

I don’t understand why people get so annoyed at others trying to keep fit and enjoy a hobby or raise money? It can’t impact your life for more than a few hours. I live near where the great north run is done every year and a few hours every year doesn’t affect me at all. I think it’s a good thing to show kids etc what can be achieved. It’s good for physical and mental health.

Move ??

I completely agree with you OP.

I have 2 children with SN and one has mobility issues. We are in the process of getting a blue badge but these things take time. I would hate to be in this situation because I'm sure we wouldn't qualify for special access since we don't have a blue badge yet but we would really suffer for it.

I don’t understand why people get so annoyed at others trying to keep fit and enjoy a hobby or raise money? It can’t impact your life for more than a few hours.

And I don't understand why people think their hobby is more important than other people's need to go about their daily life.

Cohle for a few hours once a year in the situation I’m talking about. To raise money for charity that others do benefit from that don’t take part in these events.

Cohle for a few hours once a year in the situation I’m talking about. To raise money for charity that others do benefit from that don’t take part in these events.

There are other ways to fundraise for charity that don't put the disabled and ill through such pain for the benefit of other people's jollies, surely?

It’s not other people’s jollies though?
Ok well we’ll agree to disagree because we’re obviously looking at it from different perspectives.

It's perfectly possible to donate to charity just because you want to. I often wonder how much people participating in these fundraising events have spend on equipment and travel.

It’s not other people’s jollies though?

These people are participating in an event for fun to the detriment of the locally disabled and ill. I think it is discriminatory to tell the disabled that they need to stay shut in their homes because people choose to fundraise in such a way. There are other ways to fundraise.

I think the organizers should be held liable if they fail to plan adequately. There's several events in my general area and all but one were well planned without any major incidents, beyond traffic jams but they're pretty much inevitable.

One of them decided to block a main road hours longer than planned which obviously pissed everyone off and was actually a major inconvenience as I couldn't catch a bus or anything.

And not everyone can afford a hotel for the night or has people willing to put them up.

Not to mention that on my last trip I had 2 20kg suitcases, 2 10kg ones, 2 bag packs and a 4 year old... It's only so far I could walk!

Cohle I do donate to charity, monthly to a number of causes. However, I do think it’s a good thing to do things to keep healthy and fit whilst raising money for charity.

ginger I would never want to put anyone out especially the disabled. Why should they stay shut in their homes though. Surely they can still leave their actual homes even if not in a car?

I would never want to put anyone out especially the disabled. Why should they stay shut in their homes though. Surely they can still leave their actual homes even if not in a car

That is a ridiculous and practically offensive statement. There is a reason why there are blue badges and a motability scheme for cars. No one that cares for the disabled should have to explain the lengths that they go to for transport.

ginger what I meant is I’d hate to think they were stuck inside but if they had a wheelchair or similar they could still get out the house but that is totally dependent on the situation I understand that.