Cycle Event Marshals
Discussion
There are almost weekly cycle 'events' on the roads in my neck of the woods, which appear to be getting ever bigger & ever more bad natured towards local road users & pedestrians.
The pedestrian crossing may as well not have traffic lights, as all the competitors just jump red lights & its only a matter of time before someone will get hurt....
This Sunday morning, they had a marshal at a mini roundabout with a red flag. As soon as a group of riders came along, wanting to turn, the marshal stepped into the road, & stopped the traffic with his red flag. I was under the impression that only police or highways officers were allowed to direct traffic.
Questions for PH:
1. Is cycle racing actually permitted on public roads?
2. Is the marshalling in this case illegal?
The pedestrian crossing may as well not have traffic lights, as all the competitors just jump red lights & its only a matter of time before someone will get hurt....
This Sunday morning, they had a marshal at a mini roundabout with a red flag. As soon as a group of riders came along, wanting to turn, the marshal stepped into the road, & stopped the traffic with his red flag. I was under the impression that only police or highways officers were allowed to direct traffic.
Questions for PH:
1. Is cycle racing actually permitted on public roads?
2. Is the marshalling in this case illegal?
TooMany2cvs said:
Probably. But are you going to ignore his little flag while shouting "It's my right of way, loser!"?
Wouldn't really be a problem if they were all just a bit less militant about it. The marshal bloke was pretty obnoxious - similar to a GP receptionist or librarian.....JPJPJP said:
Yes to 1, no to 2
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/accreditedmarsha...
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
Interesting links. I was not aware re marshalling. Perhaps they need to pass a politeness test.https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/accreditedmarsha...
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploa...
Biker 1 said:
Wouldn't really be a problem if they were all just a bit less militant about it. The marshal bloke was pretty obnoxious - similar to a GP receptionist or librarian.....
Sounds pretty standard for the cycling marshalls I’ve interacted with (and I say that as a cyclist)The power goes to their heads
JPJPJP said:
Biker 1 said:
Wouldn't really be a problem if they were all just a bit less militant about it. The marshal bloke was pretty obnoxious - similar to a GP receptionist or librarian.....
Sounds pretty standard for the cycling marshalls I’ve interacted with (and I say that as a cyclist)The power goes to their heads
From the document linked:
"Section 31 Road Traffic Act 1988 and Section 66 Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984,
authorises a chief officer to allow any person to place an appropriately authorised sign on a
road in order to give directions to traffic.
To support this activity, the Department for Transport has designed and approved a specific
sign for use by cycle race marshals which is similar to the traditional School Crossing Patrol
‘lollipop’."
It seems that the red flag used is not "an appropriately authorised sign".
"Section 31 Road Traffic Act 1988 and Section 66 Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984,
authorises a chief officer to allow any person to place an appropriately authorised sign on a
road in order to give directions to traffic.
To support this activity, the Department for Transport has designed and approved a specific
sign for use by cycle race marshals which is similar to the traditional School Crossing Patrol
‘lollipop’."
It seems that the red flag used is not "an appropriately authorised sign".
JPJPJP said:
Biker 1 said:
Wouldn't really be a problem if they were all just a bit less militant about it. The marshal bloke was pretty obnoxious - similar to a GP receptionist or librarian.....
Sounds pretty standard for the cycling marshalls I’ve interacted with (and I say that as a cyclist)The power goes to their heads
I'd suggest that unless you got to him within his first 15 minutes of traffic control then you're lucky he didn't kick your car.
I don't know what interaction you've had with librarians but I've always found them wonderfully helpful, remarkably patient and only interested in what one is after. And that started when I was 14 or 15.
The only thing worse than traffic direction is blocking off a road from pedestrians. The police tape, the big sign saying road blocked, the line of police and the empty road on the other side just doesn't seem to register. They'd probably just got out of their cars.
If I decide to go out to the supermarket and do some shopping why would I need to give way to a load of lycra louts trying to take over the roads? If I am on a main road and they come up to a give way its there responsibility to stop, not mine, no matter how colourful someones little flag is.
mickmcpaddy said:
If I decide to go out to the supermarket and do some shopping why would I need to give way to a load of lycra louts trying to take over the roads? If I am on a main road and they come up to a give way its there responsibility to stop, not mine, no matter how colourful someones little flag is.
Except it's not in all cases. Get over yourself.Cycling events can either be run under the rules of BC (road races with groups of riders) or CTT (time trials individual riders against the clock).
CTT guidance for marshals states "A marshals sole duty is to indicate the route for a rider to follow. It is illegal for you to direct or attempt to control other traffic"
Generally if you had a crossing or similar where a rider should give way to pedestrians you would put a marshal there just to ensure the rules of the road are obeyed and so that you can disqualify any rider who fails to stop.
Perhaps I'm lucky but most of the marshals we use in Liverpool District are pretty cheerful despite them often standing on roundabouts often in the cold and wet.
CTT guidance for marshals states "A marshals sole duty is to indicate the route for a rider to follow. It is illegal for you to direct or attempt to control other traffic"
Generally if you had a crossing or similar where a rider should give way to pedestrians you would put a marshal there just to ensure the rules of the road are obeyed and so that you can disqualify any rider who fails to stop.
Perhaps I'm lucky but most of the marshals we use in Liverpool District are pretty cheerful despite them often standing on roundabouts often in the cold and wet.
BMWBen said:
mickmcpaddy said:
If I decide to go out to the supermarket and do some shopping why would I need to give way to a load of lycra louts trying to take over the roads? If I am on a main road and they come up to a give way its there responsibility to stop, not mine, no matter how colourful someones little flag is.
Except it's not in all cases. Get over yourself.mickmcpaddy said:
If I decide to go out to the supermarket and do some shopping why would I need to give way to a load of lycra louts trying to take over the roads? If I am on a main road and they come up to a give way its there responsibility to stop, not mine, no matter how colourful someones little flag is.
The rules linked to above show that you can be required to stop by a duly authorised cycle race marshall A normal cycle race peloton is 60 people
If you decide to ignore the marshall and drive on, there will be a penalty and those 60 cyclists will, rightly, be expecting that you will have stopped and you could be the cause of a lot of bother
For the sake of 90 seconds as they pass
You may even miss a treat: if it is a ladies race, some of them fill out those Lycra shorts very nicely indeed
Kuji said:
BMWBen said:
mickmcpaddy said:
If I decide to go out to the supermarket and do some shopping why would I need to give way to a load of lycra louts trying to take over the roads? If I am on a main road and they come up to a give way its there responsibility to stop, not mine, no matter how colourful someones little flag is.
Except it's not in all cases. Get over yourself.BMWBen said:
mickmcpaddy said:
If I decide to go out to the supermarket and do some shopping why would I need to give way to a load of lycra louts trying to take over the roads? If I am on a main road and they come up to a give way its there responsibility to stop, not mine, no matter how colourful someones little flag is.
Except it's not in all cases. Get over yourself.mickmcpaddy said:
BMWBen said:
mickmcpaddy said:
If I decide to go out to the supermarket and do some shopping why would I need to give way to a load of lycra louts trying to take over the roads? If I am on a main road and they come up to a give way its there responsibility to stop, not mine, no matter how colourful someones little flag is.
Except it's not in all cases. Get over yourself.And they're not "doing as they please" any more than you are. They're going about their business using the road in a lawful way. If you decide you don't like that and decide to take things into your own hands, you're the one being anti-social. It's the very definition of it.
P.S. Why the I/They tribalism, we're all humans, citizens and taxpayers after all. "They" are also car drivers in the vast majority of cases. As well as parents, friends...
Edited by BMWBen on Sunday 18th February 22:16
mickmcpaddy said:
BMWBen said:
mickmcpaddy said:
If I decide to go out to the supermarket and do some shopping why would I need to give way to a load of lycra louts trying to take over the roads? If I am on a main road and they come up to a give way its there responsibility to stop, not mine, no matter how colourful someones little flag is.
Except it's not in all cases. Get over yourself.Jews
Muslims
Cyclists
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff