Marshaling Argument

Section head text.

Let’s assume that we bike racers are faultless. We do nothing wrong in the bogus ‘turf war’ between cyclists, dog owners, cars, and runners. And the real menace are Freds hammering away at peak hours. Can we nevertheless do a better job at the races? Should we be more courteous when marshaling? Should signage be more prominent? I know we’re all concerned for our fellow racers’ safety, but if we all simultaneously scream at people who innocently wander onto the course, we’re sure to get a negative reaction.

274 Comments

Anonymous

Electric fence and microtags released into the drinking water. Cyclists will have their tags disabled during racing but everyone else will suffer shocking consequences for entering the roadway.

Anonymous

it’s odd that FBF in theory has the easiest course of the local races, but is always the hardest race.

Anonymous

the only time i think it’s really bad is during the hours before 7pm when there are pedicabs, horses, cars, runners in the bike lane, ny road runner club, and us cyclists who are supposed to survive in the middle.

Fred

Why does everyone always blame everything on me? I have to do my intensity riding in CP at 6:30pm so that I also have time to run and swim.

flinstoned

say what?! fred what?! your little 26-27 m.p.h. masturbatory fantasies of being real cyclists continue by the good graces of a silent majority tolerating your pathetic testosterone discharges. if you want no freds, go to where real racing takes place, and get shelled off the back in less time that it takes you to say ‘on your left’ during ‘peak hours’

trying to make the world a better place

Recently, I have taken it upon myself to dress down any cyclist (who looks soft enough so that I don’t have to worry about them kicking my skinny ass) who yells f-ed up things at Ped’s as long as its not too egregious. Surprisingly, they often don’t even realise they didn’t have the light… or whatever..

Anonymous

This is about marshaling and staging of races. If there were huge signs at the start/finish, we’d have to do less yelling, i bet.

Anonymous

because this site is merely a rehashing of the same argument everyday. Originality is not NYVelocity’s bag.

BWT Just Kidding

Even if we had fences or barricades around the race course, people would climb over them and cross into the race course. It is human nature to ignore anything besides our own selfish need to do whatever we want at that moment. We need marshals but we also need marshals armed with batons who have the authority to club any offender at will.

Anonymous

Theres no way to monitor the entire park, its too big. The real issue is that when NYRR puts on a race, they shut the bitch down, fences, the works. We don’t. Plus, the rest of the city hates us and isn’t going to listen to some random crackhead with a pinney and flag.

Anonymous

Just outside the top 20. Why don’t the promoters list them that deep. At least I can give myself the credit on this board. I hope this doesn’t annoy the 18th poster, he seems to have gotten up on the worng side of the bed. being first (or 21st) is something to be celebrated, whether it is posting, racing, or just beating yourself (I enjoy my PR’s the most).

Anonymous

there will always be self righteous pedestrians who put you and themselves at risk during a race. seems the best we can do is limit fast training rides during peak hrs. the rest is out of our control.

Anonymous

It would pain in the ass but more cones might help. like every 10 ft. That’s 3273 cones by my calculation. Also during races in Prospect there are signs that say “Caution – high speed bicycle race in progress”. Well, that’s debatable but it sounds ominous.

860

Like it or not, us racers have to get along with others. Last weekend I heard many in the pack curse at unsuspecting casual riders that obviously didn’t know better. If that is how you deal with your own relationships, anger management is an option.

We would get a much more willing response from recreational riders if we said “For YOUR SAFETY please move to the left side” but since few of us are such loud testosterone-heads, they create a bad name for the majority of us.

Anonymous

why does the NYRR club have so much more $ than the CRCA? sponsors? just that many more members? should we start a CRCA endowment? there’s enough finance guys in the club who could manage it.

685

NYRR 5,000 runners x $20/race = $100,000 per race

CRCA 300 cyclists x $10/race = $3,000 per race

that is over 30 times more resource muscle

Anonymous

“Also during races in Prospect there are signs that say Caution – high speed bicycle race in progress. Well, that’s debatable but it sounds ominous.”

Anonymous

Theres no fucking way you can get into the park on a weekend during a race and not see a sign or a marshall saying theres a race. The casual cyclist chooses to ride in the road, continues to do so when a pace vehicle passes them, and then finally gets out of the way after 100 riders yell at them. Its their responsibility to read the signs.

Anonymous

if you said for your safety please move to the left, do you know what response you’d get? “fuck you, I’ll go wherever I want!” If you think niceness works at all in this city, and we are the only testosterone heads, you’re way off.

860

you are answering your own question:

if both sides are not nice – friction
if our side is not nice – friction
if our side is nice – good result often, some f-u but only from F’s

so don’t think that screaming: get the F off the road at somebodies grandma is going to allow you to race in CP

Anonymous

ask nicely and its clear you have no authority. peds/freds instinctively respond to that weakness by ignoring you

blow that whistle with authority, and order them off the road / to leash that dog, and do so politely but firmly and repeatedly, and they listen. almost every time.

cannot say #2 is better longer term. but my job as marshal is to prevent the worst and protect both sides. being “nicer” is not always in their best interests.

860

you can be nice and firm at same time but cursing is NOT helping at all.
Next time I hear a racer that says “F-off the road” I’ll get their number and they’ll be DQ’d – USAC rule: no cursing in a race.

LMS

As a regular cycling spectator, I don’t really recall seeing that many signs or marshals at races (then again, I’m also a dog owner so perhaps my dog and I are too busy obliviously frolicking in the road to notice). And even the races that have had TONS of marshals and barricades seem to be somehow infiltrated (remember the taxi at the Harlem race? I took that video).

Having said that, NYRR is bigger than both CRCA and USA Cycling (I think), so their resources run much deeper. Perhaps CRCA should require each of its members to marshal at least one event per season in order to increase the total number of marshals at each race – NYRR does this now for members who want guaranteed entry into the marathon. I’m a NYRR member and was pretty put-off by this new rule when I read about it, but getting into the marathon via the lottery is almost impossible so it’s a good motivator.

Anonymous

lms, thanks – good to have a slightly different point of view than just us racers.

crca does require marshalling though – 2 per season for existing members, 3 per season for newbies

and how did that cab get on the course!?

646

The fact is, a lot of marshals at CRCA races don’t do jack other than blow the whistle when they hear the whistle up the course. The rent-a-marshals probably do less. They get very little instruction as well – I think they need to be more courteous and more firm at the same time. It’s possible. Trucks get on the course late in races because our marshals don’t have the presence of mind to stop them, and don’t know how or whether they are allowed to keep them out of the park during the club’s permitted event.

860

go easy on the roids man, they’re messing with your mind, if you think keeping you in line is snitching, maybe you should pick up another sport, we don’t need animals in cycling but others will take you..

Anonymous

This Sunday I saw a marshal on the cell phone, another picking up a gal and the third had no clue where the finish was and all of the above were not even whistling

Anonymous

Seems like its mostly the cat 3s and 4s that yell, at all, while racing. People are gonna get on the course, get in the way, till the end of time. It happens in the tour. shit happens. race.

holja line!

i thought we were talking about marshals. guys yelling during the race are obv chuckleheads

Anonymous

No I did not see the masters 30+ TT results because: A) Its Masters. B) Its a TT. C) Its a Masters TT.

Anonymous

Whats a “C” race. I’m sorry if you’re 30+, and im guessing thats someone whos in their early 30s, and you can’t manage to do an Elite TT, I could care less.

Anonymous

Masters TT winner Peter Cannell is friends with the Westwood guys and trains with them. He also won the Master’s Nationals road race last year.

Anonymous

If a kid ran out cause no warning that peloton was coming and you’d crash you’d be bitching re marshals or C’s , we need to fix this not bitch bitch and go off on a tangent I am telling you the marshal was jerking off no the cell phone while the break was riding through

Anonymous

CP is too big a course with too many other users to be ideal. why don’t we run some races on the lower loop and then some as a crit around harlem hill loop/cutoff. those could be marshalled effectively much more easily and with less people. then on the days we race the full loop we could put more marshalls on because less would have been needed for the shorter races?

Anonymous

Had serious surgery this spring and won the Masters TT 30plus. Last year was the 30plus RR champ. If you think these guys are not legit you are on crack. 30plus group for Nationals is basically a whos who of Cat1s and 2s that no longer race for big teams. Cannell is on par with Roger A and would completely dominate races around here. Some you are so clueless…

Article Reader

This one sided TRIPE shows how crappy journalism is the staple of this rag! I say, as cyclists, we boycott the mag and its parent company.

Further, get a petition initiated and send it to NEW YOR MAG!

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

Anonymous

Lance interview in cyclingnews.com today.
He comes off as brash and negative as ever. Disses Heras, ASO, Cunego, and many others.
In a side bar on Part 2, he is asked what kind of music he keeps on his ipod.
His answer?
Black Crowes, of course.
It seems he and Chris Robinson share more than a taste in music.

Anonymous

If these guys doing masters are legit, then do the elite tt, not the masters.

I’m well aware fast guys that use to be real fast race masters for fun, theres also a lot of jackoffs who do it too.

Anonymous

doesnt conde nast own ny magazine? Wouldnt you be boycotting sarah chubb, nationally ranked cyclist?

Mr Logic

My guess, by your determination to prove the validity of Masters racing, that you, too, are a jackoff.

Anonymous

move to NJ and not have to worry about the pedestrian idiots. miles apon miles of backroads that have little car traffic. the only thing that is an issue is the occasional pothole.

Rich

I agree that we should be more courteous when marshaling.We should definately be more alert as well.Yeah screaming at people that are using the park will give us bad press,occasionaly there is the moron but its better to be polite even to the moron.

Anonymous

check out this quote:

…let’s say we’d have brought in Oracle [as sponsors instead of Astana], and [the team included] Johan Bruyneel and Lance Armstrong and the CSE management team, with Contador and Levi Leipheimer and all those guys. Astana would still be in the Tour de France, but Oracle would be out. This 2008 decision was not an anti-Alexandre Vinokourov-based decision. It was an anti-Bruyneel-Armstrong decision.

Skilled Biker

In order to understand the biking community a little better

1. Racers who have excellent bike handling skills and are polite to other users. They usually say to a jogger or dog walker, “left side” or “right side”, slow at red lights and keep a measured speed when the park is extremely busy. Thsi is usually on weekends in the summer.

2. Time Trialists who insist on SPEEDING through red lights, at cross walks and have ear phones on while training. These types have little or no bike handling skills and are usually in the park when it is packed to capacity or in the early morningThese types have little or no bike handling skills and are usually in the park when it is packed to capacity or in the early morning between 0600 and 0800hrs.

3. Leisure cyclists who do not race and have minimal bike handling skills or good skills. Some of these folk go the wrong way, wear ear phones and generally don’t have a clue about their immediate environment. They are however travelling a slower speed.

4. New Racers who have minimal bike handling skills, expensive bikes and no time to practive BIKE RIDING ETIQUETTE. Such riders tend to scream out of nervousness, ride through red lights oblivious to any other users in the vicinity.

In my humble opinion, having ridden a racing bike for over 22 years and ridden in Central Park for 15, ALL users have a responsibility In my humble opinion, having ridden a racing bike for over 22 years and ridden in Central Park for 15, ALL users have a responsibility to be ALERT, OBSERVE others and generally maintain a safe line of movement.

Over the years I have witnessed several accidents, some fatal in the park.

Indeed I have narrowly missed carshing due to the stupidity and oblivious attitude of joggers, walkers and bikers doing a 360 in the middle of the park roadway. Luckily my bike handling skills have been honed over years of riding and racing. I assume that everyone around me is DRUNK and therefore ALERTNESS is maintained!

To all users of the park, wearing ear phones, whether on a bike or jogging is SILLY!

Anonymous

i wear headphones in the park. never an issue.

which cyclist busted out a 360 in the middle of the road? full props for that.

Bowler

You guys are all FREDS and have no life. Bike racing is for babies. Try bowling, no dog walkers, no pedestrians, no howling or whinging cyclists!

Led Zep Fanatic and bike rider

Led Zep’s “Dazed and Confused” at 30 mph in teh park on a saturday at 10am is fab!

Lesiure Walker and sometime dog walker

I agree that there are several types but TTers are the WORST, all full of muscels and carbon and TT helmets, with head down and minds of mush

Anonymous

I enjoy long explinations of the obvious. I was not aware there is a cycling community in this city. Where do they hang out?

Anonymous

Question 2: What, in the humble opinion of this highly skilled and long time experienced samaurai of cyclists, is JUST SILLY?

Anonymous

Prob the most competitive feild besides Pro1. These guys are killers and all 1s and 2s. If Cannell lived around here he would be top dog with Roger. The best Cat1s in the area hands down is Roger. Look at his wins this year both in the Pro1 and Masters 30plus (Battenkill, Unionvale, Palmer and Sturbridge I think, and top 5s in Baloon. There are very few local 1s and 2s that can hang with these top masters in the regional races.

Anonymous

CRCA should not let folks buy their way out of marshaling. Everyone should do their time. The marshal for hire guys just aren’t motivated to bark at people (rightly, perhaps).

Another solution might be to start the C group half an hour early. Once the race is completed, guys could get half a marshaling point for helping out as the park gets busier. Plus, it would motivate you to get out of the Cs because the races would start at an ungodly hour (but when the park is suitably empty for their skill level).

Print up a nice little pamphlet that explains how a bike race works (moto leads pack, pack follows, etc.) Educate regular park users that we’re not actually try to scare them shitless. Print up 200,000 copies and hand them out to regular users.

Give each marshal three fabric signs and posts (easy to carry, no auto required). Have them set up the signs 100 meters in either direction from where they are standing. The signage should read something like “BIKE RACE IN PROGRESS — MOVE LEFT WHEN PASSED BY MOTORCYCLE”. Bike Race in Progress means nothing.

With marshals out, and big signs, 100% of all users will get the message … 1) bike race in progress, 2) move left when passed by motorcycle. What pisses other park users off is not moving to the left. Rather, it is being shouted at as they pass at high speeds, and simply not knowing when the pack is going to pounce.

Each racer should wear sleigh bells. The collective effect will be deafening.

Anonymous

Look at Rogers wins last year. keep looking. nowhere to be found last year. Amazing how you can just turn that on when you feel like it.

Anonymous

Look at Rogers wins last year. keep looking. nowhere to be found last year. Amazing how you can just turn that on when you feel like it.

Anonymous

Too much obviously (about $12K for postcards). The point is, a lot of the other park users don’t really even understand what the hell is going on. They just get buzzed by motorcycles and packs of 100 people. Printing stuff is stupid, obviously, but educating people is a good idea.

Anonymous

What doesn’t work is having marshals trying to tell moving park users (runners, cyclists) what to do.

Not on WWV

He won almost every cross race he entered and was mentioned in Velonews cross section on top local guy to watch for at Mercer cup. He crashed and was out late in the season. To doubt his riding is pretty sad.

CRCA rider

CRCA races start basically at first light right through the season. 30 min earlier start isnt an option.

Educating marshalls better is an option. Signs are overkill – they just need to whistle, talk to passing riders, and yell when pack comes by and riders are in road.

Park congestion isnt THAT bad during races. Few incidents overall. This isnt an emergency, in my view. But could be improved on, yes.

Anonymous

While there haven’t been any major incidents lately, I would argue that this is a combination of lots of luck, and to a lesser extend the hard work of marshals. After 7AM, you’re just asking for a major accident.

How could anything be overkill when you are talking about the safety of riders, pedestrians, and runners? Not to mention racing in Manhattan. The day the pack mauls a commissioners wife doing her tri training, will be the last day for park racing.

I say HUGE signs (orange tarp, paint, stencils, $15 at hardware store). Better overkill than just ‘kill’.

Anonymous

well, that would be great except nitro does nothing without oxygen, and if there was oxygen in your blood stream, well, you’d be dead.

Anonymous

Is there really a 16mph speed limit for bikes in CP? Dude I met today got a ticket for speeding in the park. The parks guy actually showed him “a book” with the 16mph clause.

Anonymous

This website is a danger to the future of cycling in NYC. Can’t Alex O. try to make his fortune is some other way.

Anonymous

There can’t be a separate speed limit for bikes in the park. Perhaps in the bike lane. But if you’re in the road, its the speed limit posted on the signs, Which I believe is 25. Cars don’t seem to follow the signs though, so why should we?

Anonymous

Oh, yes there can. The park is zoned to be logic free, dude. Don’t try and apply rational thought. If tri guy with the sleeveless jersey and armwarmers hasn’t taught you that, then you’re not paying attention.

r_mutt

how hard is it to see a swarm of 50 bicycles headed towards you preceded by a motorcycle and numerous freds blowing whistles?

let’s face it- most people are oblivious to everything.

Anonymous

but closing the park to car traffic at 6pm instead of 7pm, at least during the summer, would alleviate a lot of problems.

Anonymous

How hard is it?

Hopefully, you’re focusing on the road in front of you, not looking back at the 50 people about to run you over.

And then people start blowing whistles and shit like a parade.

And a motorbike passes you.

You’ve just rented a bike, you’re from Amsterdam, you’re kid is in the baby seat farting.

Anonymous

Its apparently very hard. Peoples lives are very busy, so busy that they are the only ones in their own little world that matters. How dare we invade that?

Grumpyphil

I ride PP daily. There are certain things one can assume:
1)There are assH*les everywhere
2) They will find you
3) They will be wearing earbuds
4) They are armed(with stupidity)and extremely dangerous
5)Be alert and harden your elbows
There are alternatives of course but that would require education which, as we all know, is impossible

campocat

This is a show in England – Never could understand America’s love affair with them, they hate American’s
Go to YouTube Monkey dust – the cyclists.
It seems quite funny at first until you look at their
other shows and thier portrayal of minorities.. They took offense at my pointing that out, simply that
trashing bike racers in this way might, no will, make them a target… They gave me an ultimatum; either like the show or I cannot comment. Very civilized the Brits’.

Anonymous

we wear helmet lights, whistles, bells, and ride like we are sharing with no rights to be there in the first place. stay extreme left or right keeping middle dotted line open for single file fast riding. During racing, marshals should have pamplets/flyers educating the masses about the history of club racing, times, full schedule, etc…standing there with nothing to do won’t educate.
pee-ass out!!!

Tri Guy OG

I don’t give a f*ck about peds, dogs, cats or other “cyclists” in the Park. I’m training for IMLP to be followed this fall by the hardest race in the world. Ironman Kona. I’m intense. If any of you douchebags get in my way I will slice you in half with my razor-sharp gold plated Cerelo P3. I’m serious, I’ll be riding very fast, around 19mph, full aero, so watch the f*ck out!!!

Tri Guy OG

I don’t give a f*ck about peds, dogs, cats or other “cyclists” in the Park. I’m training for IMLP to be followed this fall by the hardest race in the world. Ironman Kona. I’m intense. If any of you douchebags get in my way I will slice you in half with my razor-sharp gold plated Cerelo P3. I’m serious, I’ll be riding very fast, around 19mph, full aero, so watch the f*ck out!!!

Anonymous

we wear helmet lights, whistles, bells, and ride like we are sharing with no rights to be there in the first place. stay extreme left or right keeping middle dotted line open for single file fast riding. During racing, marshals should have pamplets/flyers educating the masses about the history of club racing, times, full schedule, etc…standing there with nothing to do won’t educate.
pee-ass out!!!

campocat

This is a show in England – Never could understand America’s love affair with them, they hate American’s
Go to YouTube Monkey dust – the cyclists.
It seems quite funny at first until you look at their
other shows and thier portrayal of minorities.. They took offense at my pointing that out, simply that
trashing bike racers in this way might, no will, make them a target… They gave me an ultimatum; either like the show or I cannot comment. Very civilized the Brits’.

Grumpyphil

I ride PP daily. There are certain things one can assume:
1)There are assH*les everywhere
2) They will find you
3) They will be wearing earbuds
4) They are armed(with stupidity)and extremely dangerous
5)Be alert and harden your elbows
There are alternatives of course but that would require education which, as we all know, is impossible

Anonymous

Its apparently very hard. Peoples lives are very busy, so busy that they are the only ones in their own little world that matters. How dare we invade that?

Anonymous

How hard is it?

Hopefully, you’re focusing on the road in front of you, not looking back at the 50 people about to run you over.

And then people start blowing whistles and shit like a parade.

And a motorbike passes you.

You’ve just rented a bike, you’re from Amsterdam, you’re kid is in the baby seat farting.

Anonymous

but closing the park to car traffic at 6pm instead of 7pm, at least during the summer, would alleviate a lot of problems.

r_mutt

how hard is it to see a swarm of 50 bicycles headed towards you preceded by a motorcycle and numerous freds blowing whistles?

let’s face it- most people are oblivious to everything.

Anonymous

Oh, yes there can. The park is zoned to be logic free, dude. Don’t try and apply rational thought. If tri guy with the sleeveless jersey and armwarmers hasn’t taught you that, then you’re not paying attention.

Anonymous

There can’t be a separate speed limit for bikes in the park. Perhaps in the bike lane. But if you’re in the road, its the speed limit posted on the signs, Which I believe is 25. Cars don’t seem to follow the signs though, so why should we?

Anonymous

This website is a danger to the future of cycling in NYC. Can’t Alex O. try to make his fortune is some other way.

Anonymous

well, that would be great except nitro does nothing without oxygen, and if there was oxygen in your blood stream, well, you’d be dead.

Anonymous

Is there really a 16mph speed limit for bikes in CP? Dude I met today got a ticket for speeding in the park. The parks guy actually showed him “a book” with the 16mph clause.

Anonymous

While there haven’t been any major incidents lately, I would argue that this is a combination of lots of luck, and to a lesser extend the hard work of marshals. After 7AM, you’re just asking for a major accident.

How could anything be overkill when you are talking about the safety of riders, pedestrians, and runners? Not to mention racing in Manhattan. The day the pack mauls a commissioners wife doing her tri training, will be the last day for park racing.

I say HUGE signs (orange tarp, paint, stencils, $15 at hardware store). Better overkill than just ‘kill’.

CRCA rider

CRCA races start basically at first light right through the season. 30 min earlier start isnt an option.

Educating marshalls better is an option. Signs are overkill – they just need to whistle, talk to passing riders, and yell when pack comes by and riders are in road.

Park congestion isnt THAT bad during races. Few incidents overall. This isnt an emergency, in my view. But could be improved on, yes.

Not on WWV

He won almost every cross race he entered and was mentioned in Velonews cross section on top local guy to watch for at Mercer cup. He crashed and was out late in the season. To doubt his riding is pretty sad.

Anonymous

What doesn’t work is having marshals trying to tell moving park users (runners, cyclists) what to do.

Anonymous

Too much obviously (about $12K for postcards). The point is, a lot of the other park users don’t really even understand what the hell is going on. They just get buzzed by motorcycles and packs of 100 people. Printing stuff is stupid, obviously, but educating people is a good idea.

Anonymous

Look at Rogers wins last year. keep looking. nowhere to be found last year. Amazing how you can just turn that on when you feel like it.

Anonymous

Look at Rogers wins last year. keep looking. nowhere to be found last year. Amazing how you can just turn that on when you feel like it.

Anonymous

CRCA should not let folks buy their way out of marshaling. Everyone should do their time. The marshal for hire guys just aren’t motivated to bark at people (rightly, perhaps).

Another solution might be to start the C group half an hour early. Once the race is completed, guys could get half a marshaling point for helping out as the park gets busier. Plus, it would motivate you to get out of the Cs because the races would start at an ungodly hour (but when the park is suitably empty for their skill level).

Print up a nice little pamphlet that explains how a bike race works (moto leads pack, pack follows, etc.) Educate regular park users that we’re not actually try to scare them shitless. Print up 200,000 copies and hand them out to regular users.

Give each marshal three fabric signs and posts (easy to carry, no auto required). Have them set up the signs 100 meters in either direction from where they are standing. The signage should read something like “BIKE RACE IN PROGRESS — MOVE LEFT WHEN PASSED BY MOTORCYCLE”. Bike Race in Progress means nothing.

With marshals out, and big signs, 100% of all users will get the message … 1) bike race in progress, 2) move left when passed by motorcycle. What pisses other park users off is not moving to the left. Rather, it is being shouted at as they pass at high speeds, and simply not knowing when the pack is going to pounce.

Each racer should wear sleigh bells. The collective effect will be deafening.

Anonymous

Prob the most competitive feild besides Pro1. These guys are killers and all 1s and 2s. If Cannell lived around here he would be top dog with Roger. The best Cat1s in the area hands down is Roger. Look at his wins this year both in the Pro1 and Masters 30plus (Battenkill, Unionvale, Palmer and Sturbridge I think, and top 5s in Baloon. There are very few local 1s and 2s that can hang with these top masters in the regional races.

Anonymous

Question 2: What, in the humble opinion of this highly skilled and long time experienced samaurai of cyclists, is JUST SILLY?

Anonymous

I enjoy long explinations of the obvious. I was not aware there is a cycling community in this city. Where do they hang out?

Lesiure Walker and sometime dog walker

I agree that there are several types but TTers are the WORST, all full of muscels and carbon and TT helmets, with head down and minds of mush

Led Zep Fanatic and bike rider

Led Zep’s “Dazed and Confused” at 30 mph in teh park on a saturday at 10am is fab!

Bowler

You guys are all FREDS and have no life. Bike racing is for babies. Try bowling, no dog walkers, no pedestrians, no howling or whinging cyclists!

Anonymous

i wear headphones in the park. never an issue.

which cyclist busted out a 360 in the middle of the road? full props for that.

Skilled Biker

In order to understand the biking community a little better

1. Racers who have excellent bike handling skills and are polite to other users. They usually say to a jogger or dog walker, “left side” or “right side”, slow at red lights and keep a measured speed when the park is extremely busy. Thsi is usually on weekends in the summer.

2. Time Trialists who insist on SPEEDING through red lights, at cross walks and have ear phones on while training. These types have little or no bike handling skills and are usually in the park when it is packed to capacity or in the early morningThese types have little or no bike handling skills and are usually in the park when it is packed to capacity or in the early morning between 0600 and 0800hrs.

3. Leisure cyclists who do not race and have minimal bike handling skills or good skills. Some of these folk go the wrong way, wear ear phones and generally don’t have a clue about their immediate environment. They are however travelling a slower speed.

4. New Racers who have minimal bike handling skills, expensive bikes and no time to practive BIKE RIDING ETIQUETTE. Such riders tend to scream out of nervousness, ride through red lights oblivious to any other users in the vicinity.

In my humble opinion, having ridden a racing bike for over 22 years and ridden in Central Park for 15, ALL users have a responsibility In my humble opinion, having ridden a racing bike for over 22 years and ridden in Central Park for 15, ALL users have a responsibility to be ALERT, OBSERVE others and generally maintain a safe line of movement.

Over the years I have witnessed several accidents, some fatal in the park.

Indeed I have narrowly missed carshing due to the stupidity and oblivious attitude of joggers, walkers and bikers doing a 360 in the middle of the park roadway. Luckily my bike handling skills have been honed over years of riding and racing. I assume that everyone around me is DRUNK and therefore ALERTNESS is maintained!

To all users of the park, wearing ear phones, whether on a bike or jogging is SILLY!

Mr Logic

My guess, by your determination to prove the validity of Masters racing, that you, too, are a jackoff.

Anonymous

move to NJ and not have to worry about the pedestrian idiots. miles apon miles of backroads that have little car traffic. the only thing that is an issue is the occasional pothole.

Rich

I agree that we should be more courteous when marshaling.We should definately be more alert as well.Yeah screaming at people that are using the park will give us bad press,occasionaly there is the moron but its better to be polite even to the moron.

Anonymous

check out this quote:

…let’s say we’d have brought in Oracle [as sponsors instead of Astana], and [the team included] Johan Bruyneel and Lance Armstrong and the CSE management team, with Contador and Levi Leipheimer and all those guys. Astana would still be in the Tour de France, but Oracle would be out. This 2008 decision was not an anti-Alexandre Vinokourov-based decision. It was an anti-Bruyneel-Armstrong decision.

Anonymous

doesnt conde nast own ny magazine? Wouldnt you be boycotting sarah chubb, nationally ranked cyclist?

Anonymous

If these guys doing masters are legit, then do the elite tt, not the masters.

I’m well aware fast guys that use to be real fast race masters for fun, theres also a lot of jackoffs who do it too.

Anonymous

Lance interview in cyclingnews.com today.
He comes off as brash and negative as ever. Disses Heras, ASO, Cunego, and many others.
In a side bar on Part 2, he is asked what kind of music he keeps on his ipod.
His answer?
Black Crowes, of course.
It seems he and Chris Robinson share more than a taste in music.

Article Reader

This one sided TRIPE shows how crappy journalism is the staple of this rag! I say, as cyclists, we boycott the mag and its parent company.

Further, get a petition initiated and send it to NEW YOR MAG!

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY

Anonymous

Had serious surgery this spring and won the Masters TT 30plus. Last year was the 30plus RR champ. If you think these guys are not legit you are on crack. 30plus group for Nationals is basically a whos who of Cat1s and 2s that no longer race for big teams. Cannell is on par with Roger A and would completely dominate races around here. Some you are so clueless…

Anonymous

CP is too big a course with too many other users to be ideal. why don’t we run some races on the lower loop and then some as a crit around harlem hill loop/cutoff. those could be marshalled effectively much more easily and with less people. then on the days we race the full loop we could put more marshalls on because less would have been needed for the shorter races?

Anonymous

If a kid ran out cause no warning that peloton was coming and you’d crash you’d be bitching re marshals or C’s , we need to fix this not bitch bitch and go off on a tangent I am telling you the marshal was jerking off no the cell phone while the break was riding through

Anonymous

Masters TT winner Peter Cannell is friends with the Westwood guys and trains with them. He also won the Master’s Nationals road race last year.

Anonymous

Whats a “C” race. I’m sorry if you’re 30+, and im guessing thats someone whos in their early 30s, and you can’t manage to do an Elite TT, I could care less.

Anonymous

No I did not see the masters 30+ TT results because: A) Its Masters. B) Its a TT. C) Its a Masters TT.

646

The fact is, a lot of marshals at CRCA races don’t do jack other than blow the whistle when they hear the whistle up the course. The rent-a-marshals probably do less. They get very little instruction as well – I think they need to be more courteous and more firm at the same time. It’s possible. Trucks get on the course late in races because our marshals don’t have the presence of mind to stop them, and don’t know how or whether they are allowed to keep them out of the park during the club’s permitted event.

860

go easy on the roids man, they’re messing with your mind, if you think keeping you in line is snitching, maybe you should pick up another sport, we don’t need animals in cycling but others will take you..

Anonymous

This Sunday I saw a marshal on the cell phone, another picking up a gal and the third had no clue where the finish was and all of the above were not even whistling

Anonymous

Seems like its mostly the cat 3s and 4s that yell, at all, while racing. People are gonna get on the course, get in the way, till the end of time. It happens in the tour. shit happens. race.

Anonymous

lms, thanks – good to have a slightly different point of view than just us racers.

crca does require marshalling though – 2 per season for existing members, 3 per season for newbies

and how did that cab get on the course!?

LMS

As a regular cycling spectator, I don’t really recall seeing that many signs or marshals at races (then again, I’m also a dog owner so perhaps my dog and I are too busy obliviously frolicking in the road to notice). And even the races that have had TONS of marshals and barricades seem to be somehow infiltrated (remember the taxi at the Harlem race? I took that video).

Having said that, NYRR is bigger than both CRCA and USA Cycling (I think), so their resources run much deeper. Perhaps CRCA should require each of its members to marshal at least one event per season in order to increase the total number of marshals at each race – NYRR does this now for members who want guaranteed entry into the marathon. I’m a NYRR member and was pretty put-off by this new rule when I read about it, but getting into the marathon via the lottery is almost impossible so it’s a good motivator.

860

you can be nice and firm at same time but cursing is NOT helping at all.
Next time I hear a racer that says “F-off the road” I’ll get their number and they’ll be DQ’d – USAC rule: no cursing in a race.

Anonymous

ask nicely and its clear you have no authority. peds/freds instinctively respond to that weakness by ignoring you

blow that whistle with authority, and order them off the road / to leash that dog, and do so politely but firmly and repeatedly, and they listen. almost every time.

cannot say #2 is better longer term. but my job as marshal is to prevent the worst and protect both sides. being “nicer” is not always in their best interests.

860

you are answering your own question:

if both sides are not nice – friction
if our side is not nice – friction
if our side is nice – good result often, some f-u but only from F’s

so don’t think that screaming: get the F off the road at somebodies grandma is going to allow you to race in CP

Anonymous

if you said for your safety please move to the left, do you know what response you’d get? “fuck you, I’ll go wherever I want!” If you think niceness works at all in this city, and we are the only testosterone heads, you’re way off.

685

NYRR 5,000 runners x $20/race = $100,000 per race

CRCA 300 cyclists x $10/race = $3,000 per race

that is over 30 times more resource muscle

Anonymous

“Also during races in Prospect there are signs that say Caution – high speed bicycle race in progress. Well, that’s debatable but it sounds ominous.”

Anonymous

Theres no fucking way you can get into the park on a weekend during a race and not see a sign or a marshall saying theres a race. The casual cyclist chooses to ride in the road, continues to do so when a pace vehicle passes them, and then finally gets out of the way after 100 riders yell at them. Its their responsibility to read the signs.

Anonymous

why does the NYRR club have so much more $ than the CRCA? sponsors? just that many more members? should we start a CRCA endowment? there’s enough finance guys in the club who could manage it.

860

Like it or not, us racers have to get along with others. Last weekend I heard many in the pack curse at unsuspecting casual riders that obviously didn’t know better. If that is how you deal with your own relationships, anger management is an option.

We would get a much more willing response from recreational riders if we said “For YOUR SAFETY please move to the left side” but since few of us are such loud testosterone-heads, they create a bad name for the majority of us.

Anonymous

It would pain in the ass but more cones might help. like every 10 ft. That’s 3273 cones by my calculation. Also during races in Prospect there are signs that say “Caution – high speed bicycle race in progress”. Well, that’s debatable but it sounds ominous.

Anonymous

there will always be self righteous pedestrians who put you and themselves at risk during a race. seems the best we can do is limit fast training rides during peak hrs. the rest is out of our control.

Anonymous

Just outside the top 20. Why don’t the promoters list them that deep. At least I can give myself the credit on this board. I hope this doesn’t annoy the 18th poster, he seems to have gotten up on the worng side of the bed. being first (or 21st) is something to be celebrated, whether it is posting, racing, or just beating yourself (I enjoy my PR’s the most).

BWT Just Kidding

Even if we had fences or barricades around the race course, people would climb over them and cross into the race course. It is human nature to ignore anything besides our own selfish need to do whatever we want at that moment. We need marshals but we also need marshals armed with batons who have the authority to club any offender at will.

Anonymous

Theres no way to monitor the entire park, its too big. The real issue is that when NYRR puts on a race, they shut the bitch down, fences, the works. We don’t. Plus, the rest of the city hates us and isn’t going to listen to some random crackhead with a pinney and flag.

Anonymous

This is about marshaling and staging of races. If there were huge signs at the start/finish, we’d have to do less yelling, i bet.

Anonymous

because this site is merely a rehashing of the same argument everyday. Originality is not NYVelocity’s bag.

trying to make the world a better place

Recently, I have taken it upon myself to dress down any cyclist (who looks soft enough so that I don’t have to worry about them kicking my skinny ass) who yells f-ed up things at Ped’s as long as its not too egregious. Surprisingly, they often don’t even realise they didn’t have the light… or whatever..

flinstoned

say what?! fred what?! your little 26-27 m.p.h. masturbatory fantasies of being real cyclists continue by the good graces of a silent majority tolerating your pathetic testosterone discharges. if you want no freds, go to where real racing takes place, and get shelled off the back in less time that it takes you to say ‘on your left’ during ‘peak hours’

Fred

Why does everyone always blame everything on me? I have to do my intensity riding in CP at 6:30pm so that I also have time to run and swim.

Anonymous

the only time i think it’s really bad is during the hours before 7pm when there are pedicabs, horses, cars, runners in the bike lane, ny road runner club, and us cyclists who are supposed to survive in the middle.

Anonymous

it’s odd that FBF in theory has the easiest course of the local races, but is always the hardest race.

Anonymous

Electric fence and microtags released into the drinking water. Cyclists will have their tags disabled during racing but everyone else will suffer shocking consequences for entering the roadway.

Comments are closed.