CRUM
In another thread I had a difference of opinion regarding the use of barricades at the Tour de France, Being a hardcore retro grouch when it comes to racing, I felt that barricading the course off from the fans would take some of the flavor and tradition out of the Tour.
One of the summer traditions here in Maine for the last 25 years is a criterium held during the Yarmouth Clam Festival. This race draws a large number of the regional big dogs. The crit is held in town on streets not blocked from vehicular traffic. Safety for the pack is provided by marshalls on the course who flag traffic over as the pack approaches. This last Sunday the system failed. On a particularily busy road, one driver became confused at the flagging process and pulled out from the side and head on into the lead pack. Thankfully no one was killed, but many went to the hospital, with several riders sustaining serious injuries.
Having gone to this race many times in the past, I always thought that not providing a car-free course was asking for trouble. And after 25 years, it finally happened. My TDF feelings aside, I think the least the promoters and town could have done was provide a safer venue. It's one thing to fence off pedestrian access, but IMO, negligent and wrong to allow cars and a fast race like a crit to be out there at the same time.
Both the Tour and this incident have caused me to re-evaluate my emotional need to put tradition before safety. On the one hand, sanitizing a race too much can deplete the pleasure derived from racing it and/or viewing it. But, when something colossal like a headon between a car and a fast moving pack of racers happens, maybe tradition should be shown the door. What do you think?
One of the summer traditions here in Maine for the last 25 years is a criterium held during the Yarmouth Clam Festival. This race draws a large number of the regional big dogs. The crit is held in town on streets not blocked from vehicular traffic. Safety for the pack is provided by marshalls on the course who flag traffic over as the pack approaches. This last Sunday the system failed. On a particularily busy road, one driver became confused at the flagging process and pulled out from the side and head on into the lead pack. Thankfully no one was killed, but many went to the hospital, with several riders sustaining serious injuries.
Having gone to this race many times in the past, I always thought that not providing a car-free course was asking for trouble. And after 25 years, it finally happened. My TDF feelings aside, I think the least the promoters and town could have done was provide a safer venue. It's one thing to fence off pedestrian access, but IMO, negligent and wrong to allow cars and a fast race like a crit to be out there at the same time.
Both the Tour and this incident have caused me to re-evaluate my emotional need to put tradition before safety. On the one hand, sanitizing a race too much can deplete the pleasure derived from racing it and/or viewing it. But, when something colossal like a headon between a car and a fast moving pack of racers happens, maybe tradition should be shown the door. What do you think?