SquidPuppet

So if they do understand, physical violence is the best solution? And if they don't understand, violence is also the answer?

nashvillebill

I lived in France in the 80's and the TDF actually went through the town I was living at. I even caught a glimpse of the riders....pretty disappointing from a spectator standpoint. Standing around waiting forever, then suddenly the pack appeared, and a few seconds later they were gone.

I saw several other various motorcycle and car events in France, and it did seem rather bizarre that they would let spectators loose on the race course. Especially car events, several times there were spectators injured from their own stupidity at getting too close to the action. Who in their right mind would want to deliberately put their body within an inch of a car travelling at high speeds? Yet it's a common practice in Europe.

top506

I think he's a Heinlein reader.

Top

USAZorro

Froome already has a built-in time bonus from all the special training techniques they use at Team Sky.

Yeah - there are a handful of idiot fans doing stuff they shouldn't, but spectators crowding in on the climbs is a part of the sport that won't be going away. But like iab implied, it's like a case of bug swatting man.

1989Pre 

When I began watching professional cycling on tv, I was amazed to see that acting like a drunken buffoon at a sporting event is not an exclusively American phenomenon.
As a matter-of-fact, what some of the fans do in Europe to the cyclists is far worse than anything in the States. Would we allow hordes of people onto a baseball field, purposely trying to distract and disrupt? No, and for good reason.
I hope U.C.I. finally decides to prohibit fans on the race course.

BillyD

Let it go, guys, no big deal.

KonAaron Snake 

Using humiliation as a compliment to violence often yields the best results with the genetically and/or common sense challenged.

Maybe a "The more you know" tag with whatever the French equivalent of Real Housewives (of the Riviera?) is would help.

Fritz Lieber actually...and CM Kornbluth.

fietsbob

Yea, The WRC Rally Car races take out a Dumb spectator standing close to the road, in a corner, regularly..

SquidPuppet

For an 'Elite Professional' Froome seems to be employing a rather primitive set of problem solving skills. Similar to the Neanderthal techniques one would witness on the Jerry Spring Show. Maybe he should have drug the fan for a few meters to really teach him a lesson.

KonAaron Snake 

I'd prefer the stocks with a scarlet DD (dumb drunk).

SquidPuppet

I'm not sure what to let go. I'm precisely on topic and polite.

SquidPuppet

Well it's good to see that we've moved past burning at the stake.

fietsbob

The Commentators so much as said even climbing Froome carried enough Momentum to push him over

His climbing speed is My Flat Land speed , but I am 2x as Old too.

KonAaron Snake 

I reserve that punishment for the truly deserving - salmon riders and bike thieves

Oh - and Michael Bay.

iab

Sorry. A seven-year-old girl has bigger guns than everyone in the pro peloton. That is a startled look of a ****** bag who didn'y expect to be called on his ****** baggery.

iab

2000 miles of public roads?

iab

How do you stop a running person without violence when the word stop doesn't work?

SquidPuppet

What I don't understand is why a World Class Cyclist on a $15,000.00 bike can't outrun an overweight person on foot.

FullGas

racers should never have to alter their speed, cadence, or line to avoid a spectator. why is that difficult to understand?

today, another mindless mope on stood ON the course at the inside of blind corner and got flattened by a rider.

hope he got a nice set of souvenir bruises for his thoughtlessness.

moral is: chumps get thumps.

fietsbob

His Columbian Flag was about to get in CF's front wheel.

Lazyass

Aside from the fact that Froome had someone in front of him, therefore could not have accelerated to outrun the bird man running next to him with a flag about to go into the front wheel, do you assume riders are going 35mph all the time?

Maybe Froome could have handed him a flower and flashed a peace sign.

SquidPuppet

I understand that and agree 100%

No.

crank_addict

Froome and all riders are completely zoned in on their job with very high adrenaline, body stressed. I would never consider fining any one of those athletes, whether for pushing or getting a serious double punch into some rabid fan who hinders or put others in harms way.

Careful too if you're just a spectator up close. I've been to a few larger sporting venues to trade shows in Europe. Appalling behavior even at trade shows! I'm pointing out to Germany and Italy. To them its totally acceptable to be pushed and smothered by rabid fans into others. These days I no longer have any interest in attending. Same goes for any country south of the US border.

FullGas

imagine some drunk slob stumbling onto the field during a high-stakes NFL game and causing a TE to have to alter his course for a pass reception...

what kind of treatment do you think the 'spectator' would get from the player...?

guessing he might get his spleen de-activated for that kind of stunt.

iab

So now you are blaming the riders for not avoiding some ****** bag who endangers them? And again, how do you stop a running person without violence if words don't work?