Couple complains about “demented idiots” on bikes
Posted by editor on August 14, 2012 · 10 Comments
Last Saturday we worked somewhat after our usual closing time as we were chatting with couples from Victoria and Calgary until around 5:15 pm. A few minutes later we locked up and left the museum. We noticed that the alley way next to us and opposite had been taped off, so we assumed something was going to happen later that evening.
We proceeded west up First Street as far as the Connaught Avenue cross-walk outside the Frisby Ridge restaurant. The road was completely empty so we proceeded to cross. Half way over we encountered a bunch of demented idiots on bicycles hurtling round the corner from Campbell Avenue and east down First Street, mostly on the wrong side of the road. We were very nearly mown down by them. At the same moment, a young lady on a bicycle was pedaling west along First Street, arriving at the cross-walk just as we did. She kindly did stop for us, jumping off her bike and looking nervous. She should look nervous, as if it had not been for us acting as a shield, she would almost certainly have been mown down by the oncoming hoard of morons. I voiced my concerns to a person dressed in orange garb at the junction of Campbell Avenue, pointing out that cyclists, like any other wheeled road user, are supposed to stop at cross-walks when they are occupied by pedestrians, not simply shout at them to get out of the way. She agreed to pass the message on to the riders concerned.
We later discovered that this was some kind of cycle race, presumably sanctioned by someone at City Hall.
1) I would question the legality of holding races on public streets.
2) It is highly irresponsible to hold such events in the downtown core, particularly in streets lined with open retail stores, restaurants etc, many of which had members of the public therein.
3) What was the insurance position? It is to be hoped that both the organisers and the City had massive third-party insurance in place, as in the event of a major accident, there would be large claims to be made upon someone. Personally, I feel that ALL cyclists should be forced to carry third-party indemnity.
4) Why was it, as usual in this City it appears, that no prior notification of the event was provided to occupants of the businesses along the route, so that they could at least warn their customers that it was happening? Our visitors from Victoria and Alberta may easily have been injured as a result.
In this instance, had there been a pile-up of cyclists, or swerving to avoid such a pile up, some could easily have crashed off the road and through a plate glass window of one of the stores. Where would the organisers and the City stand in the event of a participant being killed in such a way?
The person at City Hall who authorised this needs their head examining. Would they kindly not authorise anything of the kind again.
David Evans
Nickelodeon Museum
As a participant in the evening’s events I would like to explain what you witnessed on Saturday night.
“Criterium’” is a Dutch word, and this type of bike race is almost a century old. Criteriums are bike races on a short, closed loop, in downtown cores. Cyclists in thousands of cities across the globe host these events. I have raced in criteriums (often called crits) in Montreal, Toronto, Halifax, Quebec, Edmonton, and Hamilton. They are spectator friendly, in many instances large races have hundreds of fans watching from the sidelines. Businesses often stay open late to take advantage of the crowds that come to enjoy the downtowns of the cities that are hosting.
The one in Revelstoke attracted participants from across BC and Alberta and was part of a three day cycling festival that brought in many tourists to our lovely community. Maybe some even visited your establishment. The event was advertised heavily with posters, articles in local media, and a plethora of on-line posts. There were also a lot of marshalls on the course to help with safety.
The only pedestrian I know of who has been hurt during a criterium was in the 1970s in Montreal. A teammate of mine hit a drunk man who had wandered onto the course. He had not looked both ways before walking out onto the road. Luckily most people carry out this preventative measure when negotiating city streets.
Thank you for your feedback. This is the first year of the event and I am certain organizers will listen to your suggestion of ensuring businesses know what is going on.
On a closing note, many Revelstokians don’t realize what a cycling mecca Revelstoke has become. On any given day in the summer you can find upwards of 100 cyclists on the Frisby, MacPherson, Martha Creek and Keystone Standard Basin trails. They come from all over, some as individuals but many in organized tour groups. They come for 2 to 5 days and spend lots of money here. What a great tourist industry to add to skiing, sledding, and national park visitors. We need to celebrate and support local events like the Revy Bike Fest criterium that you saw, not ask for their cessation.
Respectfully,
Sarah Newton
Well, Sarah, you didn’t answer any of my questions. What was the insurance situation? The organisers would most probably face an expensive court case had anyone been injured. Undoubtedly so, I can assure you, had they hit me. The so-called Marshalls said nothing at all to us about anything going on. The road was completely clear when we started crossing it. Do you encourage people to cross the road during a race? If not, how about adequate policing so that people are aware that they should not? What provisions are to be made regarding crossing it? We had no alternative as our vehicle was parked on the north part of Campbell Avenue, and there is no way to get to it without crossing the road.There were no spectators whatever in First Street – it was completely empty at around 5.30 p.m., both of spectators and policing persons.
I am aware of the consideable grants made to various organisations to build cycle tracks and trails as you mention. That is where the cycles should be, not on the public roads. No, we do not need to support events such as that. It was pure luck that no serious accident occurred.
City streets is exactly where Criteriums should be. Yes perhaps next year there should be more Marshall’s to make sure everyone is aware, and to make sure people do not enter the street when it is unsafe to do so.
So you consider that the freedom to race at breakneck speed and ignoring all traffic regulations is more important than the safety of children, seniors, participants and the public in general? Really?
I enjoyed bike fest and would like to see it back next year. I believe that bicycles belong on the roads.
“A criterium, or crit, is a bike race held on a short course (usually less than 1 mile), often run on closed-off city center streets.”
I have a feeling the streets were not closed -off as they should have been for the safety of all. Common sense is greatly lacking by many in this beautiful town of ours. Cyclists unlike motor vehicle operators do not carry any kind of insurance so I guess we are s–t out of luck if we get hit and maimed by them.
I consider the bike race to be an important part of what makes this town so special. Yes they should have patrolled it better, made sure everyone knew about it better, and made sure it was safer for the public. If we used your logic though we wouldn’t have much going on, as an example no parades because floats do not comply with the motor vehicle act, and people ride on them without seat belts, and atv’s ride on the streets during parades, and people throw throw candy from moving vehicles, someone could get hit in the eye. See the point Dave. Luckily you nor anyone else was hurt, and next year I know they will be better organized and safer.
Well, fortunately, parades do not travel at high speed and the RCMP are involved!
If the race is to be staged, safety is paramount. To do it safely would involve sandbag walls around 2 ft high and tape at the curb side all around the course. This would minimise the chances of the public straying on to the course. It would not, of course, preclude kids from climbing on the sandbags, so marshalls should be placed about every 30 feet around the course. The marshalls should go on a train ing course – the girl we observed at the Campbell Avenue/First Street junction was looking toward the oncoming cyclists, whereas she should have been checking to make sure the course was clear where they were about to turn into First Street. This is the way such races are carried out in Continental Europe. City Hall – this is what you should require of organisers in the future. Remember that the City as well as the organisers can be sued for negligence in the safety department.
You are right Rob – it was pure luck that nobody was hurt.
Why are all the fun activities always on First Street West? There’s more room for bike races on First Street East and less spectators to mow over!
I have watched bike road races in Saskatoon. The race course was clearly marked with barriers, race officials and a small police presence. There was no way that other cyclists or pedestrians could not be aware of the race course or become entangled with the racers. It was also, if I remember correctly, held fairly early in the morning on a Sunday when street and shop traffic were light, and , and it attracted good crowds. It seems that in their enthusiasm for this race, the organisers did not consider all of the safety precautions necessary.
I am fine with properly organised road races, with bike trails and with the increase of people cycling for work or pleasure. What I am increasingly unhappy with is the numbers of cyclists who ride along the sidewalk, sometimes very fast, and often in congested pedestrian areas such as outside the Post Office and the passage leading to Coopers. It seems that many cyclists either don’t know or don’t care that cycling on the sidewalk is illegal, and they certainly don’t care about the safety and convenience of pedestrians. It is not as though this city has busy roads, I have seen people cycling on sidewalks when the road as far as one can see has not a single vehicle on it. The latest thing is texting while cycling, no hands on the handle bars, head down, oblivious to whoever else may be on the sidewalk.