"Unfortunately you can't control every idiot on the road": Road race
organiser frustrated as cyclists almost hit by "inconsiderate" Uber driver

Portsdown Classic organiser hails "huge success" with event staff doing a
"fantastic job at keeping the riders safe", one professional driver
apparently ignoring their instructions...

by DAN ALEXANDER
UPDATED TUE, FEB 13, 2024 10:11

Concerning footage filmed at Sunday's Portsdown Classic road race in
Hampshire showed the moment an impatient taxi driver apparently ignored
marshals and drove onto the course, almost causing a collision with riders.

The footage filmed by Charlie Bailey and shared on his Instagram story
(link is external) showed an incident on the route during yesterday's
National B-level race near Waterlooville, an event held, as is standard in
the UK, on open roads with rolling road closures enforced by motorcycle
outriders and event staff.

Posts from competitors and spectators on social media suggest the event was
well run, no mean feat given the widely documented challenges facing race
organisers in the UK, this incident apparently the result of one road
user's impatience.

Explaining the situation to road.cc, the race's organiser Seb Ottley
praised the event's staff for a "fantastic job keeping the riders safe",
the incident the result of one "inconsiderate driver".

"It was an unfortunate event, the Motorbike National Escort Group and
Accredited Marshals do a fantastic job at keeping the riders safe however
unfortunately you can't control every idiot on the road," he told road.cc.
"Luckily no one was injured or hurt by the inconsiderate driver and all
riders got round safe and the race was a huge success."

Another source present also told road.cc the driver, seen in a car
displaying taxi licence plates and Uber livery, "ignored the
[motorcycle-riding] outrider" before "a car in the convoy stopped and made
it clear that the race was approaching". Despite this, moments later the
driver was filmed pulling out onto the course, metres away from riders, the
sound of disc brakes heard as a collision was fortunately avoided.

"No criticism of the organisers this was a really well-run event," the
spectator said. "Yes, the junction could have had a marshal, but if we need
a marshal at every road then no road racing will take place in this
country. In the end members of the public stood in the road."

road.cc also contacted Uber for this story, but had not heard back at the
time of publishing. Footage of the incident re-shared on social media by
another spectator Tim Nisbet, whose son Cormac was competing, received a
seemingly automated reply from Uber's 'Support' account stating: "We take
this very seriously! Please fill out the form by submitting the details of
your concern. You can still submit your concern without an Uber account.
We'll be in touch to help as soon as possible."

[Full story at the link below]

<https://road.cc/content/news/uber-driver-almost-hits-cyclists-british-road-race-306705>

--
Spike

Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> wrote:
>
> "Unfortunately you can't control every idiot on the road": Road race
> organiser frustrated as cyclists almost hit by "inconsiderate" Uber driver
>

<snipped for brevity>

Racing on the public highway is a criminal offence. If you were to do it in
a car or on a motorcycle, you’d probably be banned.

Yet cycle races are far from uncommon. Lycra clad thugs racing around, a
danger not only to other vehicles, but pedestrians. Why can’t they use
race tracks or even places like Silverstone?

Brian <noinv@lid.org> wrote:
> Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> wrote:
>>
>> "Unfortunately you can't control every idiot on the road": Road race
>> organiser frustrated as cyclists almost hit by "inconsiderate" Uber driver

> <snipped for brevity>

> Racing on the public highway is a criminal offence. If you were to do it in
> a car or on a motorcycle, you’d probably be banned.

> Yet cycle races are far from uncommon. Lycra clad thugs racing around, a
> danger not only to other vehicles, but pedestrians. Why can’t they use
> race tracks or even places like Silverstone?

Probably cost.

Cyclists are known to be chintzy. They can own bicycles costing £15000,
plus all the expensive personal equipment such as £200 sunglasses, yet
won’t pony up £50 to enter a cycle race on a taxpayer-supplied public road.
Silverstone would have to cover all its costs from the entrants, fans, and
sponsors, which would mean much higher entrance fees.

--
Spike

On 28/02/2024 09:58 pm, Brian wrote:

> Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> wrote:
>>
>> "Unfortunately you can't control every idiot on the road": Road race
>> organiser frustrated as cyclists almost hit by "inconsiderate" Uber driver
>
> <snipped for brevity>
>
> Racing on the public highway is a criminal offence. If you were to do it in
> a car or on a motorcycle, you’d probably be banned.
>
> Yet cycle races are far from uncommon. Lycra clad thugs racing around, a
> danger not only to other vehicles, but pedestrians. Why can’t they use
> race tracks or even places like Silverstone?

Ooh... that would... cost... money!

JNugent <jnugent97@mail.com> wrote:
> On 28/02/2024 09:58 pm, Brian wrote:
>
>> Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> "Unfortunately you can't control every idiot on the road": Road race
>>> organiser frustrated as cyclists almost hit by "inconsiderate" Uber driver
>>
>> <snipped for brevity>
>>
>> Racing on the public highway is a criminal offence. If you were to do it in
>> a car or on a motorcycle, you’d probably be banned.
>>
>> Yet cycle races are far from uncommon. Lycra clad thugs racing around, a
>> danger not only to other vehicles, but pedestrians. Why can’t they use
>> race tracks or even places like Silverstone?
>
> Ooh... that would... cost... money!
>

Those who want to race cars must pay to use tracks.

Even those who want to drive a car on the road must pay.

Cyclists get a free ride, quite literally, moan they want better
facilities, use ones set aside for others, abuse one they are permitted to
use, ……

On 29/02/2024 09:09, Brian wrote:
> JNugent <jnugent97@mail.com> wrote:
>> On 28/02/2024 09:58 pm, Brian wrote:
>>
>>> Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> "Unfortunately you can't control every idiot on the road": Road race
>>>> organiser frustrated as cyclists almost hit by "inconsiderate" Uber driver
>>>
>>> <snipped for brevity>
>>>
>>> Racing on the public highway is a criminal offence. If you were to do it in
>>> a car or on a motorcycle, you’d probably be banned.
>>>
>>> Yet cycle races are far from uncommon. Lycra clad thugs racing around, a
>>> danger not only to other vehicles, but pedestrians. Why can’t they use
>>> race tracks or even places like Silverstone?
>>
>> Ooh... that would... cost... money!
>>
>
> Those who want to race cars must pay to use tracks.

They may pay to use roads, without being banned:

https://www.northweststages.co.uk/rally/rally-overview/

On 29/02/2024 05:11 pm, Nick Finnigan wrote:

> On 29/02/2024 09:09, Brian wrote:
>> JNugent <jnugent97@mail.com> wrote:
>>> On 28/02/2024 09:58 pm, Brian wrote:
>>>> Spike <aero.spike@mail.com> wrote:
>
>>>>> "Unfortunately you can't control every idiot on the road": Road race
>>>>> organiser frustrated as cyclists almost hit by "inconsiderate" Uber
>>>>> driver
>
>>>> <snipped for brevity>
>
>>>> Racing on the public highway is a criminal offence. If you were to
>>>> do it in a car or on a motorcycle, you’d probably be banned.
>
>>>> Yet cycle races are far from uncommon.  Lycra clad thugs racing
>>>> around, a danger not only to other vehicles, but pedestrians.
>>>> Why can’t they use race tracks or even places like Silverstone?
>
>>> Ooh... that would... cost... money!
>
>> Those who want to race cars must pay to use tracks.
>
>  They may pay to use roads, without being banned:
>
> https://www.northweststages.co.uk/rally/rally-overview/

We've heard of the Birmingham Grand Prix as well.

But not everyone approves of roads being closed to their users for
private purposes.

Let motor racing take place at Silverstone or Brand's Hatch.

And chav-cycle races too (at a commensurate price).