tour da chicago

i think i am done with this

part of the problem stems from the "closed course" format: this stage had a preset route that racers were required to take. an open manifest race, on the other hand, involves checkpoints around the city that racers hit in any order they please, making it more like a scavenger hunt and less like a road race staged on city streets. winning is as much about route-finding and shortcuts as it is about pedaling really fast.

closed courses encourage pelotons, which in turn encourage ppl to more brashly defy traffic laws because of the supposed safety in numbers. with an open manifest, you're usually on your own, and less likely to take risks that will endanger yourself and others.

That's horrible :( Do the participants know/accept the risks or do they feel invincible? Do pedestrians etc. ever get hit?

its heartbreaking. i knew a guy in college who played the role of the driver in such an accident, it destroyed him.

well, it wasnt a guy racing his bike in traffic, it was a young kid darting out of a side street.

the tour is much more popular than it used to be. in years past it was definitely messenger thing only, which meant that the participants were well-versed with riding in traffic, and knew the dangers it entailed. recently, there's been a lot more recreational riders showing up (myself included) who may not know what they're getting into. obviously, everyone is aware that traffic poses hazards pretty much in any situation, but it certainly gets cranked up when you've got a pack of riders who, individually, don't want to be the guy that gets dropped at the light.

like i said, this is exacerbated by closed courses. open course races are basically just scavenger hunts, and enjoyable whether or not you're fast.

I wonder what the city's response will be, if any. These races are, I'm assuming, technically illegal but everyone lets them go on anyway...?

I've been wondering the same thing. technically, i think it's not the race itself that's illegal, but the actions of the people involved in it usually are.

"cracking down" would have to involve going after the organizers, i guess. but even then, riders race at their own risk, though obviously there is no legal document that supports this. moreover, most races (ie - NOT the tour, which is its own thing) are relatively impromptu, and as i've said already, scattered all over the place. that is, a group of three riders biking really fast could just as easily NOT be a race, and an isolated clot of irresponsible guys. e.g.-- two years ago a guy got pulled over during a race, was asked if he was in "some kind of race," and said "no," even as other riders rode by and yelled/jeered/laughed/etc. The police can't really prove anything.

cutty? hunter? esquires?

Yeah but people know about races, they're not TOTALLY impromptu. If the police cared enough they could probably start getting info online or on bulletin boards at bike shops (and/or pressure shops for aiding & abetting) or via INFORMANTS. Etc. Or just start pleading with/shaming the riders & organizers for putting each other at risk -- I imagine yesterday is going to put a damper on bike events in Chicago for a while.

it happened this morning

i have no idea if the tour will go on, but somehow i suspect it will, for better or for worse. w/r/t cracking down: there's ample information online about most races, it's true. however, i'm still not sure what crime, exactly, a race organizer could be charged with, you know? if you say meet in this public place and let's go ride around the city but please be careful and obey all traffic laws (they usually say this), then you're not really doing much but organizing the equivalent of a public demonstration? IANAL, etc.

HOWEVER: many of the larger races (Monstertrack, for instance) have sponsors. Like, real ones, that contribute prizes and stuff. Not sure what their liability is, if any.

Ach, whatever. I have been a wreck about this all day, despite not even knowing the guy.

holy shit.

Well, I think technically rides of more than like five cyclists are supposed to get permission from the city of New York, but I'm pretty sure that was just to hamstring Critical Mass. Not sure what other effect it could possibly have.

Like you said, what are they gonna do? Pull you over and ask if you're with those other guys? On the other hand the police have been known to do things like purposefully door riders, and I guess if they can stick you with being in violation of the law they might get more leeway.

Monstertrack NYC cancelled supposed. for safety concerns and the inability to monitor skill levels in the now-much-larger community of people taking part. o_O

smart

More time for bike polo.

yeah, i heard that. definitely smart. when ddb and i did it there was over a hundred people. not exactly an underground deal anymore.

the rest of the tour has been cancelled, obviously, and i suspect it won't be resurrected for a year or two. which is for the best.

also stairmaster conflicted with booooooooooooredoms, so at least that's settled :-/

not quite the same, but a friend of mine is organizing this

http://www.tour-de-troit.org/