Spectators at Races

[gilbertador]

Unfortunately we do see incidents where spectators get in the way of our favorite races leaving a very unsatisfying conclusion in many cases:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dBvJkqv0DM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zA34hyAvjg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHAR_4Mwgzc

How can we stop these? There is obviously large potential for injury for spectators and the cyclists which can impact the race result.
Are Barriers the right answer? More police?

In Langeveldts case i think the cyclists should be banned from jumping onto the footpath, whilst posters here no that riders will jump onto the footpath fans watching racing like flanders may be first time viewers and have no idea, if the road is closed for a race would you expect a rider to jump onto the pavement behind you at 35 mph?? For the safety of the occasional viewer i think the UCI should ban people from jumping up onto curbs etc by imposing fines for those caught doing it to dissuade them. I feel sorry for the fan yesterday, he clearly had no where to go with riders pushing into the pavement and then a moron riding the other side of him at 35 mph left him nowhere to go.
It is road racing not pavement jumping at the end of the day!
The prat in the Guarini case was obviously totally at fault, in a big crowd there should be more gendarmes just to make sure thing dont get out of hand with spectators aiming to get action shots

 

[Captain_Obvious]

What the hell are you talking about blaming the rider? It wasn't a footpath by the way, rather a cyclepath. And on that road, there was little other way to get in front. No one is to blame. **** happens. Deal with it.

On the idiots that running alongside riders or crowds that stand too close to the peleton. Some has to be done about that.

 

[nathanbloke]

Langeveldt took a risk, riding behind the spectators, and he paid the price. The spectator should feel agrieved, I bet it hurt, catching his foot in the front wheel.

 

[slartiblartfast]

There are a lot more barriers on Alpe d"Huez these days so I don't think we will see a repeat of the 1999 incident this close to the finish - could still happen at Dutch corner! As for Langeveld he did take a risk leaving the roadway to make up ground in the peloton and paid the price.

 

[CobbleStoner]

the UCI does not need to ban anything, un-needed regulation is never the answer. orange plastic tape is the answer. the race organizer just has to do a better job on the course of keeping people back or cutting off access to an entry point for the peloton on spots like this.
common sense is that you stand still when a pack of cyclists/running bulls/moped gang unexpectedly mob you. that guy was standing next to a tree, just stay there, the problem arose when he thought he was quick enough to jump to the other side

 

[hrotha]

the UCI does not need to ban anything, un-needed regulation is never the answer. orange plastic tape is the answer.

You've never seen riders going under the plastic tape? I have.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Langeveld is definitely to be blamed here. He was not on the road, but behind the trees. The spectator has a wrong reflex, but he was standing at the side of the road.

 

[cineteq]

How can we stop these? There is obviously large potential for injury for spectators and the cyclists which can impact the race result.

Riders need to use their head more, namely common sense.

 

[gilbertador]

What the hell are you talking about blaming the rider? It wasn't a footpath by the way, rather a cyclepath. And on that road, there was little other way to get in front. No one is to blame. **** happens. Deal with it.

On the idiots that running alongside riders or crowds that stand too close to the peleton. Some has to be done about that.

Ok so what would we all be saying now if a 5 year old childs parents had decided to take him along to one of the countries premier sporting events, say the tour of flanders for the first time and whilst innocently standing on the pavement he got scared and tried to run away from the bikes only to be pumelled by a total tool jumping onto the pavement at 35mph, use your brain its obsurd that riders are allowed to do this and put spectators at risk

 

[movingtarget]

Langeveldt took a risk, riding behind the spectators, and he paid the price. The spectator should feel agrieved, I bet it hurt, catching his foot in the front wheel.

I don't blame the spectator and it was a move that Langeveld did not have to make. Doing those things and hopping over traffic islands often turns bad for the rider and to save what ? Still I am surprised that the police let people stand on traffic islands and in the road to watch the race. The crowds are so large that they are almost impossible to control just like the the roadrunners in the mountains during the Tour. Some people are just not as safety conscious including some of the riders.

 

[mr. tibbs]

[...]

Quoted for the user name.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Quoted for the user name.

 

[Marva32]

Ok so what would we all be saying now if a 5 year old childs parents had decided to take him along to one of the countries premier sporting events, say the tour of flanders for the first time and whilst innocently standing on the pavement he got scared and tried to run away from the bikes only to be pumelled by a total tool jumping onto the pavement at 35mph, use your brain its obsurd that riders are allowed to do this and put spectators at risk

You can find a way to blame anyone and come to a reason for any sort of rule change if you think hard enough.

The riders know the risks they take when they are part of a race. crashes with spectators have taken place since time immemorial, and are common knowledge. The race organizers in the big races are doing what they can by putting up more barriers. There is no way to way to put barriers along the whole course.

Just by being there, you are assuming a sort of risk. I'm not sure where you live, but here in the States, if you check the ticket to a baseball game, it says on there that you are assuming the risk of being hit by a ball sitting in the stands. There are just certain times when you are at risk.

 

[Polyarmour]

I would never have stood there.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Interview with the spectator hit by Langeveld

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/de...oers&utm_content=article&utm_campaign=seeding

I think he is saying that its the first and last time he is going to watch a race and that he will not be going to work for a week.

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

Indeed. And it also says Langeveld actually was not allowed to be there.

 

[LaFlorecita]

http://www.nieuwsblad.be/article/de...oers&utm_content=article&utm_campaign=seeding

I think he is saying that its the first and last time he is going to watch a race and that he will not be going to work for a week.

Lol that kid in the Tour also watched for the first time. People nowadays use experience instead of common sense?

 

[Buffalo Soldier]

What is common sense for experienced specators, is not as obvious for others.

 

[movingtarget]

Quoted for the user name.

I actually hit a moving target one day ! A teenage girl ran straight across the road and collided with my front wheel. I did not even have time to hit the brakes. I had new wheels on went over the handlebars and landed on my back. I remember looking at the sky and being covered in some sticky substance which turned out to be a drink the girl was holding when she collided with me..........I think this was was the beginning of my back problems.

Two biggest dangers that I found were car doors and dumb pedestrians. Dogs come a distant third. I am actually surprised that there are not more accidents in races. When you think of the distance they cover, it only takes one person to drive onto the course or walk across the road at the wrong time and it's disaster. The Europeans must do a good job at keeping people informed in papers and TV about when the bike race will be on etc....of course in Belgium everyone knows anyway !

 

[LongSprint]

Indeed. And it also says Langeveld actually was not allowed to be there.

Langeveld maybe shouldn't have been there but a member of the public using the bike path could have been. The spectator was stupid to step backwards onto the path without looking.