darrenm Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 (edited) Sunday 24th September 2017 Anyone doing it? Anyone affected by it? Here's the road closures: Edited September 22, 2017 by darrenm added date 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddywhack Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 It's made it a bit difficult for my sister and nephew to get to junior parkrun in Cannon Hill, so you might be seeing them at Bromsgrove @darrenm. I'm going to go and watch it for a bit though as it's passing right by me in Quinton/Halesowen. I'll be watching them flying down Mucklow Hill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
limpid Posted September 22, 2017 Administrator Share Posted September 22, 2017 I'll be watching in Bewdley (weather dependant). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 9 minutes ago, Paddywhack said: It's made it a bit difficult for my sister and nephew to get to junior parkrun in Cannon Hill, so you might be seeing them at Bromsgrove @darrenm. I'm going to go and watch it for a bit though as it's passing right by me in Quinton/Halesowen. I'll be watching them flying down Mucklow Hill. I won't see them cos I'll be riding in the velo my deputies will run it smoothly in my absence though. I'm starting in the 08:30 wave so quite late on. If you're there about 9 shout 'I'm Paddywhack' to every cyclist going past and I'll wave if it's me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seat68 Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 (edited) Out of duty willing to forego the day with my grandson at Chester zoo and stand muttering "**** cyclists". It would only be right. That aside have a great one if you are participating. Edited September 22, 2017 by Seat68 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 I'm rider 11087 if anyone wants to track me https://live.sporthive.com/event/2259/Live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 Just now, Seat68 said: Out of duty willing to forego the day with my grandson at Chester zoo and stand muttering "**** cyclists". It would only be right. Selfish clearings in the woods 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddywhack Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 2 minutes ago, darrenm said: I won't see them cos I'll be riding in the velo my deputies will run it smoothly in my absence though. I'm starting in the 08:30 wave so quite late on. If you're there about 9 shout 'I'm Paddywhack' to every cyclist going past and I'll wave if it's me. Ah fair enough, good luck! I'm genuinely thinking about making a sign now....do you think you'd spot an A4 sign? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 22, 2017 Author Share Posted September 22, 2017 Just now, Paddywhack said: Ah fair enough, good luck! I'm genuinely thinking about making a sign now....do you think you'd spot an A4 sign? Definitely. Unless it's in the middle of a very fast section where I'll be going past at 50 MPH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted September 22, 2017 Share Posted September 22, 2017 8 hours ago, darrenm said: Definitely. Unless it's in the middle of a very fast section where I'll be going past at 50 MPH Down Mucklow Hill where Paddywack said you'll be flying, steep downhill. Im really happy that Brum is putting on events like this, but you do have to question how it has been run. The road off mine is closed until 11, I could only leave my house by going the wrong way down a one way street and yet I've had no post through telling me about it. My old man can't drive down his road from 9 am until 6pm which is ridiculously long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share Posted September 23, 2017 11 hours ago, mikeyp102 said: Down Mucklow Hill where Paddywack said you'll be flying, steep downhill. Im really happy that Brum is putting on events like this, but you do have to question how it has been run. The road off mine is closed until 11, I could only leave my house by going the wrong way down a one way street and yet I've had no post through telling me about it. My old man can't drive down his road from 9 am until 6pm which is ridiculously long time. Unfortunately that's how long it has to be to account for waves and different rider abilities Some people starting at 7am will be finished by 11. And others starting at 9 won't be finished until 4. Can he park the car around the corner or something for tomorrow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
veloman Posted September 23, 2017 Share Posted September 23, 2017 Good luck Darren. This was described on 'Midlands Today' last night as a race but it's more of a Sportive isn't it ? Don't know very much of the course but the climb of Six Ashes other side of W'ton used to be used in road races. You can big ring that one though. Are you raising money for charity - I'm not sure how this event works ? Weather looks good though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 23, 2017 Author Share Posted September 23, 2017 2 hours ago, veloman said: Good luck Darren. This was described on 'Midlands Today' last night as a race but it's more of a Sportive isn't it ? Don't know very much of the course but the climb of Six Ashes other side of W'ton used to be used in road races. You can big ring that one though. Are you raising money for charity - I'm not sure how this event works ? Weather looks good though. Cheers mate. Just a closed road sportive. No racing. I'm afraid I've run out of good will for my charity stuff now so I'm just doing it for the experience. Weather looks great. Really glad of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted September 24, 2017 Share Posted September 24, 2017 Hope it went well darren Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hippo Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 I did this yesterday - what a fantastic day - the response from the general public was incredible - take a bow people of Lye, Bewdley, Belbroughton who turned out in droves to cheer us on How did it go Darren ? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddywhack Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 Well done guys, what a feat. I stood watching for a bit and really wished I was taking part...even though I haven't ridden a bike in years. I woke up late, so I missed the cyclists go through Quinton/ Halesowen @darrenm so I tracked you when I was in Harborne, around 2pm-3:30pm, but you were between Droitwich and Clent around that time I think. I joined lots of people cheering the cyclists on, but sadly I think I saw more people annoyed at the road closures more than anything else. I saw one steward on a road closure in Harborne getting harassed by several people. One woman was threatening to run him over if he didn't move and she took his photo to report him. Fair play to the guy, he stood there and took it well and I assume this was going on for hours because when we walked past him later he had several people threatening to punch him. One guy called the police on him, haha! I understand it was frustrating because in some areas there really was no alternative routes without driving miles out of town to come all the way back in, but what did they want? For the steward to say "Okay then, go ahead" and let them plough through a few hundred cyclists? An old couple probably in their 80s were sat in their car at one junction and they called me and Mrs P over to see if we knew any way for them to get to the Q.E hospital. They'd been driving around for over an hour and couldn't find a way through. I had absolutely no idea and felt awful that I couldn't really help them. It made me wonder how the emergency services were dealing with it all. I saw another old bloke on a mobility scooter trying to cross the road, but obviously didn't stand a chance. A bloke in the crowd asked some stewards if they could help him across, but they said there wasn't really anything they could do. Maybe that's just a very small sample compared to what was going on around the rest of the course, so I hope all that havoc doesn't prevent the event from returning. Perhaps there needs to be a bit more thinking behind the road closures, although I don't see how that's possible, really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 24 minutes ago, Paddywhack said: Well done guys, what a feat. I stood watching for a bit and really wished I was taking part...even though I haven't ridden a bike in years. I woke up late, so I missed the cyclists go through Quinton/ Halesowen @darrenm so I tracked you when I was in Harborne, around 2pm-3:30pm, but you were between Droitwich and Clent around that time I think. I joined lots of people cheering the cyclists on, but sadly I think I saw more people annoyed at the road closures more than anything else. I saw one steward on a road closure in Harborne getting harassed by several people. One woman was threatening to run him over if he didn't move and she took his photo to report him. Fair play to the guy, he stood there and took it well and I assume this was going on for hours because when we walked past him later he had several people threatening to punch him. One guy called the police on him, haha! I understand it was frustrating because in some areas there really was no alternative routes without driving miles out of town to come all the way back in, but what did they want? For the steward to say "Okay then, go ahead" and let them plough through a few hundred cyclists? An old couple probably in their 80s were sat in their car at one junction and they called me and Mrs P over to see if we knew any way for them to get to the Q.E hospital. They'd been driving around for over an hour and couldn't find a way through. I had absolutely no idea and felt awful that I couldn't really help them. It made me wonder how the emergency services were dealing with it all. I saw another old bloke on a mobility scooter trying to cross the road, but obviously didn't stand a chance. A bloke in the crowd asked some stewards if they could help him across, but they said there wasn't really anything they could do. Maybe that's just a very small sample compared to what was going on around the rest of the course, so I hope all that havoc doesn't prevent the event from returning. Perhaps there needs to be a bit more thinking behind the road closures, although I don't see how that's possible, really. I suppose it's fairly divisive really. It's brilliant for the cyclists and anyone along the route who happen to like this sort of thing, but your examples aren't something I want to see being caused because of me. From my point of view, I didn't see a single bad thing happen. Nobody trying to get across but couldn't, no protests, no issues. Just that we had to slow down to go over some straw on the road where someone had put some oil on the road. It would be great if it's massively oversubscribed next year (which I'm sure it will be), for them to charge more so there's just enough numbers and use all extra money to do things like temporary crossings over roads for bikes. Only needs 2 or 3 to make a huge difference. And it doesn't need to be 100 miles either - 60 is fine. It seems that most issues were down to people not being able to get places rather than roads being closed. With closures people can just park around the corner but with routes from 1 place to another being severely restricted it causes chaos. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bickster Posted September 25, 2017 Moderator Share Posted September 25, 2017 Right between Darren and Trotsky my timeline on FB today has been full of sweaty bastards on bikes, has it stopped? Is Facebook safe again? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrenm Posted September 25, 2017 Author Share Posted September 25, 2017 :-) soz Gareth, can't help it. Some good technology though. They're obviously scanning their HQ images in batches and finding the numbers and barcodes then uploading to Facebook. You'll probably be safe tomorrow I reckon. I don't think I'm due many more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeyp102 Posted September 25, 2017 Share Posted September 25, 2017 (edited) Were there many accidents? I heard a rumour that someone in Blakedown threw tacks on the road as he was that unhappy that the road was closed. That's really scummy and could've caused serious injury so I really hope it's not true. I saw a bit of it as it came threw Halesowen. Seemed to be going well. Some people were idiots, despite numerous signs saying road closed, they were driving right up to the barriers and then moaning the road was closed until they had to turn round. Hopefully if it's done again, they plan alternative routes better. Edited September 25, 2017 by mikeyp102 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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