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news
Horse rider hit by undertaking cyclist during triathlon (source Facebook).JPGCycling UK: Windsor Triathlon participants filmed overtaking horse at speed were “completely irresponsible”
Cycling UK says that participants in Windsor Triathlon filmed passing a horse closely at speed during the cycling leg of Sunday’s event were “completely irresponsible” and has told road.cc that it is working with the British Horse Society to draw up new advice on how people on horses and bikes can safely share space, both on and off the road.
> How to pass horse riders safely on your bike
The updated advice was already being worked on ahead of video of the incident emerging on Sunday on Facebook, where it has been viewed more than 4 million times, and in the wake of that footage Cycling UK says there is a “clear incentive” to issue it in the coming weeks.
> Police probing triathlon cyclist's undertake of horse rider
Duncan Dollimore, Cycling UK’s head of campaigns, said: “This video shows a number of cyclists passing the horse and rider, on both sides, far too close and way too fast.
“Their behaviour, whether through ignorance or thoughtlessness, was completely irresponsible, and endangered the horse, the rider and themselves.
“Given all of Cycling UK’s efforts to increase awareness of the dangers of overtaking cyclists too close, it’s frustrating that these people did not pause to think about the consequences of their own actions on other vulnerable road users.
“Clearly more needs to be done to raise awareness, which is why Cycling UK and the British Horse Society are working closely on an education campaign for people whether they’re riding bikes or horses,” he continued.
“We’re looking to launch this advice in the summer months, and it will demonstrate with a little bit of thought and consideration, just how easy it is to avoid incidents like this.”
The horse rider concerned has been in contact with Human Race, the organisers of the event, as well as with police.
Human Race has said that if the riders – one of whom struck the horse and rider as he undertook them – can be identified, it will exclude them from any future events it organises.
Its investigation of the incident is being handled in partnership with British Triathlon, the sport’s governing body in the UK.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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32 comments
I can't help noticing that its CUK which is condemning this behaviour, not British Cycling. I bet I know which organisation these racers belonged to.
Probably British Triathlon. Not sure what your point is?
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/knowledge/skills/article/izn20150106-H...
Just beyond your grasp apparently.
You obviously didn't grasp the point I was making either.
I get that you want to have a side swipe at British Cycling. There have been many things recently that digging them out on is valid. This isn't one of them.
These guys were triathletes in an event run under the auspices of British Triathlon. Not under the auspices of British Cycling. The link I gave is the advice the BC has on its website, developed with an equestrian organisatrion.
I don't think that it is a coincidence that yesterdays routine EM to its membership that this advice was re-highlighted.
There will be inconsiderate people in all organistions. Maybe more in some than others, but I think you have pushed an agenda without anything to back it up.
Seems however the same rules apply with horses as cyclists... hit two horses with a car and there's nothing to fear!
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-40134629
Clip a horse on a bike, and expect to be dragged through the nine circles of hell by the great British media. Makes me sick.
Yes, but if it had been two cyclists instead of horses, he wouldn't even have had to do the Driver Alertness Course, and would probably have been declared innocent by the cheif constable at the scene.
Totally lost control of the car and smashed into vulnerable road users. Had they been on drink or drugs, they'd have gone to jail, but for some reason, it's no big deal to the courts if they are sober.
Just more proof that blatantly dangerous drivers are not punished.
So, 50 yards max from a 30 zone and he's already going too fast to control the car...and then he either :
a) wasn't even looking where he was going .
or b) thinks 'grassy verge and hedge?...horses with riders?...grassy verge and hedge?...fuck it, I'll go for the horses!
Did the cops even see the video before letting him off?!
... or even the perfectly clear road off to his right, which he was more or less headed for!
If you look at his speed vs white van man who follows afterwards, it was obvious he was massively faster. I don't know the area, but it looks like a 30 limit.
I don't get how the punishment for careless driving is based on consequence, yet drink driving, phone use, speeding etc are based on the offence. Seems inconsistent.
Absolutely this.
Seems to me that consequence or offence committed are used as required in order to dish out the smallest punishment possible. Is this because the CPS are looking to secure convictions, or is it a case that no one can be bothered?
The guy in the 4x4 is clearly out of control. Rather than inattention, it looks like he tried to turn in with excssive speed, the front end didn't play so he corrected and slowed, but this left him in collision course with the horses. This was driving without due care or attention at a minimum, dangerous driving if you wanted to make a point. I think that few juries wouldn't convict on that video evidence.
.
Not quite the same circumtances. Driver going (far) too fast loses control and hits horses. Cyclists racing each other make concious decision to close pass/undertake horse. Both reprehensible and deserving of punishment but not 100% the same situation
I think the point that was trying to be made by PRSboy is that if a cyclist or horse gets hit by a motor vehicle then the drivers seem to get off very lightly. When the same is done by a cyclist (or by a horse and rider I presume) the following retribution demanded and obtained does not seem equal.
I took the post as saying that horses and riders are in the same boat when being held accountable where as motor vehicle drivers are not.
Double post
Double post
Isn't it a triple post? (And the next one's a quadruple...
)
Double post
I live near two other Royal Parks and another area used for races. It took until 2-3 years ago for all the race organisers, including the one who organised this event, to put adequate signs that an event would be occurring with the date. By adequate signs this means at every singke entrance stating an event was going to happen. Since last year some event organisers have actually started leafleting homes stating a few weeks before hand that an event would be happening.
So while you are all sceptical of the horse rider not knowing about the event I actually believe her.
Also lots of people only by living near stables do you realise how ignorant a minority of road users are about approaching horses on the road. I shouldn't have to block other people on my bike or in my car for trying to unsafely over take a horse. Then again I suppose they haven't had to have roads closed due to bolting horses.
Yet another overreaction to this minor incident that saw the horse rider get a tiny bit of beuising (according to them and no pictures which given their outcry and BS about not seeing any signs when they were up everywhere I'm wondering if there was any ;injury' at all.
I wonder if the AA or RAC would do something similar everytime a motorist did something that caused a bit of concern/very very minor injury, not on your nelly they wouldn't.
Keep making this into a mountain despite the fact it really isn't and is as rare as rocking horse shit.
Not really. Those twats knew (or thought they knew) what they were doing. They and others similar to them do not need advice.
Meanwhile CyclingUK would be better off staying quiet instead of feeding the media firestorm. Any comments from them will not been seen as any sort of responsibility, but instead an admission of guilt of some sort.
If CyclingUK wants to raise its profile by getting involved, then that is just cynical.
Overall, a storm in a teacup when we consider the cyclists actually getting killed by motorists.
But the horse isn't paying road tax...
Apart from the use of "completely" and the order of merit in the subsequent paragraph (the persons who were most at risk were the riders; might not to politic to say it because it was their own failt but if anyone was going to come off badly as a result it was the riders) I thought this was actually a reasonable response in the circumstances (i.e., general hysteria/moral outrage out of all proportion to damage done).
Isn't the nub of the problem the bit about it being "way too fast". It was a competitive event where the objective was to finish as fast as possible, so competitors (vs partiicpants) were trying to go "way too fast". Cf sportives, that aren't allowed market themselves as "races". Can anyone shed any light on whether there is some dispensation that triathlons are allowed that sportives don't get and why - maybe its just money?
Well this is an interesting question. The Cycle Racing on the Highway Regulations and its subsequent amendments cover two disciplines:
Triathlons are not covered (neither are sportives) so, in theory, they are illegal
Well, that's my reading of this anyway http://lvrc.org.uk/documents/road_traffic_act_1960.pdf
Triathlons are also not a bunch race - they are spread out by first having had a swim - and there's usually waves to split the field down further. They're not allowed to draft and they also have to obey the highway code.
Clearly they're not illegal.
There are very specific rules around racing on the highway. I'd imagine that triathlons fall under the same remit as time trials. In that the Highway code must be obeyed and that you are racing against the clock only (not with any other cyclists around you - hence no drafting).
Sportives have to distinguish themselves as being non-competitive as riders are riding in groups, but are still expected to follow the rules of the road.
If they wanted to be a race, then there would need to be great traffic control to ensure safe passage. This is manageable in a road race as fields are small, and by and large remain largely together. The only way to achieve this with a sportive is through a prolonged full road closure - which costs muchly.
Personally speaking I think Triathlons such as this are skating on thin ice as riders are competing against their fellow man/woman in real time. To me the drafting is a mute point. This real time racing will encourage pack mentality which could be seen in the video above.
Try the Road Traffic ACt 1988 - "races or trials of speed of any class or description"
31 Regulation of cycle racing on public ways
(1)A person who promotes or takes part in a race or trial of speed on a public way between cycles is guilty of an offence, unless the race or trial—
(a)is authorised, and
(b)is conducted in accordance with any conditions imposed,
by or under regulations under this section.
(2)The Secretary of State may by regulations authorise, or provide for authorising, for the purposes of subsection (1) above, the holding on a public way other than a bridleway—
(a)of races or trials of speed of any class or description, or
(b)of a particular race or trial of speed,
in such cases as may be prescribed and subject to such conditions as may be imposed by or under the regulations.
Just as well there are no double standards, eh?
http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/news/38-riders-222-horses-killed-britains...
I wonder how many of those 38 riders and 222 horses were killed by cyclists?
At a guess, an integer between -1 and 1.
where's the double standard?
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