Re: Tour of Britain

in message <[email hidden]>, Simon Bennett

(') said:

My pics are up here: http://81.2.82.89/tob

Warning: some of them are blurred -- an experiment in artiness. I have
learned from the experience. Sorry.

Blurred photos are not always bad. This is one of my favourites for a
long time: <URL:http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/tmp/bruce.jpg> (Bruce
McLeary on his way to third in the SXC stage at Drumlanrig)

I'll do a photo-gallery of my ToB photos shortly.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
; ... of course nothing said here will be taken notice of by
; the W3C. The official place to be ignored is on www-style or
; www-html. -- George Lund

On a slightly different note, has anyone got any comments on the speed
of the British Cycling car that proceeded the race?

As I mentioned, I was marshalling the last corner prior to the finish
straight, and virtually every time the car came round he was screeching
on 2 wheels.

I noticed that the car stopped regularly at the start/finish and picked
up different passengers...men, women and children. My take on this is
that they were V.I.P's being given thrill rides. On numerous occasions
the occupants of the car were hanging on for dear life into the corner,
laughing their heads off.

As a marshall I found this annoying. The car was way in front of the
peleton, meaning I had to close the pedestrian crossing very early for
the car, and leave it closed up to 30-40 seconds before the peleton
arrived.

On the aspect of safety, I would say the car was the most dangerous
thing on the course that day, the driver could have easily lost control
and piled into the crowd. I think this was a very poor show from the
BCF and may well be putting my thoughts into writing to let them know.

Any comments?

--
Mark
______________________________________
Nerves of Steel, Heart of Gold, Knob of Butter

MSA said:

On a slightly different note, has anyone got any comments on the speed
of the British Cycling car that proceeded the race?

As I mentioned, I was marshalling the last corner prior to the finish
straight, and virtually every time the car came round he was screeching
on 2 wheels.

I noticed that the car stopped regularly at the start/finish and picked
up different passengers...men, women and children. My take on this is
that they were V.I.P's being given thrill rides. On numerous occasions
the occupants of the car were hanging on for dear life into the corner,
laughing their heads off.

As a marshall I found this annoying. The car was way in front of the
peleton, meaning I had to close the pedestrian crossing very early for
the car, and leave it closed up to 30-40 seconds before the peleton
arrived.

On the aspect of safety, I would say the car was the most dangerous
thing on the course that day, the driver could have easily lost control
and piled into the crowd. I think this was a very poor show from the
BCF and may well be putting my thoughts into writing to let them know.

Any comments?

Outrageous. There is no cause to have a referees car on such a circuit
whne it would be easy to have a commissaire on each corner.

One of my memories of seeing the end of the Pru Tour in London was the
Z team car coming round one of the corners and the rear door flying
open. A very scared looking mechanic had to hustle it closed again..

...d

Quoted message said:

As I mentioned, I was marshalling the last corner prior to the finish
straight, and virtually every time the car came round he was screeching on
2 wheels.

The driver was quite mad, but not as mad as the Tour of Britain cars that
followed the peleton. Not sure what their role was, but they certainly
liked to get up close to the audience.

MSA said:

On a slightly different note, has anyone got any comments on the speed
of the British Cycling car that proceeded the race?

As I mentioned, I was marshalling the last corner prior to the finish
straight, and virtually every time the car came round he was screeching
on 2 wheels.

On the aspect of safety, I would say the car was the most dangerous
thing on the course that day, the driver could have easily lost control
and piled into the crowd. I think this was a very poor show from the
BCF and may well be putting my thoughts into writing to let them know.

Any comments?

We were on the corner at the end of the Embankment, and I must agree.

What went through my mind was how much of the racing the occupants
actually saw - it must have been all of minus zilch.
And quite why the driver had to race into the corner playing Schumacher,
i just don't know.
Showing off?

Write your letter. It is justified.

John B

MSA said:

On the aspect of safety, I would say the car was the most dangerous thing
on the course that day, the driver could have easily lost control and
piled into the crowd. I think this was a very poor show from the BCF and
may well be putting my thoughts into writing to let them know.

Any comments?

I agree.
I noted passengers in the two control cars following the race
(blue Vauxhall Vectras). The passengers did seem to change, and were
obviously along for the ride.

Hate to say it - its a bike race. Give them a bike and let them have a
shot round the circuit before the race proper?

I agree about the lead car - in the latter stages it was well ahead, and
going well fast. No reason for that.

MSA said:

On a slightly different note, has anyone got any comments on the speed of
the British Cycling car that proceeded the race?

The best vehicle was of course the Rapha broom wagon (parked beside
course) DITYIHART ?
Genuine old Citroen van, complete with witches broom on the roof. But I
got a bit deafened by the horn every time the riders came by.

MSA said:

Any comments?

I agree. Get scribbling.

David Martin said:

Outrageous. There is no cause to have a referees car on such a circuit
whne it would be easy to have a commissaire on each corner.

One of my memories of seeing the end of the Pru Tour in London was the Z
team car coming round one of the corners and the rear door flying open. A
very scared looking mechanic had to hustle it closed again..

..d

The doctor's car was an open-topped Vauxhall Tigra (they are sponsors).
I guess it was used to follow the road stages.
During the last stage, it wasn't on the circuit,
but when a call was made on the radio it appeared sharpish.
Doctor leapt out, with medical pack and radio.
The car was used to transport the injured rider back to the start, and the
doctor walked. Good on him.