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Is this the worst cycling event EVER?AWPR (via YouTube)

Is this the worst cycling event EVER?

Cyclists banned from bringing their own bikes, must take shuttle bus to get there, and will never be allowed to ride route in Aberdeen again
by Alex Bowden
Thu, Aug 16, 2018 13:40
64

The new Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road (AWPR) is to host a “Go North East Road Festival” before it is opened to traffic in September. The event will offer cyclists an opportunity to “wobble or weave” on the road to promote active travel. However, people will not be allowed to bring their own bikes “for everyone’s safety” and cyclists will be banned from the road forever once the event is over.

The Community Weekend has been scheduled for Saturday September 8 and Sunday September 9. It is described as a free public event to celebrate “the opening of one of the largest infrastructure projects in Scotland, part of Transport Scotland’s commitment to improving travel in the north east.”

However, the Press and Journal reports that participants won’t be able to bring their own bikes for the cycling element of those celebrations.

The event website states: “During both event days, we are planning to have a selection of bikes for use in a ‘come and try’ arena.

“This will give an opportunity for novices and the more experienced to cycle a short section of AWPR B-T. Cyclists of all levels can wiz [sic], wobble or weave on the closed road, promoting active travel and greener transport.”

Access to the event is only by free shuttle bus and the website states: "Please note, for everyone’s safety visitors will not be able to bring their own bikes on site."

If you’re wondering how the AWPR will be of benefit to cyclists long-term, the answer is that local roads will be relieved of “strategic traffic” (whatever that is).

“The AWPR/B-T will be a Special Road, and, similar to a motorway, cyclists will be prohibited from using it for their own safety.

“However, the benefits to cyclists and pedestrians of the project are to be found in the local road networks which will be relieved of strategic traffic, with all the environmental and safety benefits this will bring.”

In an open letter to event organisers Transport Scotland, the chairman of Ride the North (a two-day cycling event which takes place later this month in Aberdeenshire and Moray) said: “I noticed yesterday the information presented online has been amended to state that cyclists cannot access with their own bicycles – but are invited to ‘wobble and weave’ on provided bikes for reasons of health and safety.

“I write to urge you to take soundings from local cyclists to gauge whether the proposals outlined will engage them as you would wish.”

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “The event organising team has consulted with a number of local cycling groups to understand and meet their aspirations while also maintaining the safety of all visitors and the security of the site.

“More details about the festival will be announced next week but we can confirm there will be opportunities to cycle on a lengthy section of the road.

“There has been no change to any information previously provided in June and at no time has a mass participation cycling event been envisaged, given the project remains largely a construction site at this time.

“The ethos of the Go North East Road Festival is to be as inclusive as possible so that anyone can take up the opportunity to cycle on the road before it opens to traffic, regardless of ability.

“It has always been necessary to ensure that entry to the event arena is controlled for security reasons.

“This means that rather than encouraging people to bring their own bikes, we will make bikes available for people of all ages and abilities to borrow and ride on a lengthy section of the road.”

Aberdeen
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road
Go North East Road Festival
Alex Bowden

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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64 comments

Avatar
don simon fbpe | 6 years ago
4 likes

Quote:

“The AWPR/B-T will be a Special Road, and, similar to a motorway, cyclists will be prohibited from using it for their own safety.

I think that I'm the best judge of what is good or not for my own safety, it what us adults do. In terms of personal safety, please don't ever try and meet me as I might just shove the nanny state up your arse! How's that for "own safety"?

Avatar
joules1975 replied to don simon fbpe | 6 years ago
1 like

don simon wrote:

Quote:

“The AWPR/B-T will be a Special Road, and, similar to a motorway, cyclists will be prohibited from using it for their own safety.

I think that I'm the best judge of what is good or not for my own safety, it what us adults do. In terms of personal safety, please don't ever try and meet me as I might just shove the nanny state up your arse! How's that for "own safety"?

While I appreciate your sentiment re your reaction to the specific case here, your comment has a number of glaring issues.

Firstly, some people have for ever an a day been fairly poor when it comes to judging what is best for their own safety. A person tends to judge how safe something is or how safe the way they are doing it is by their past experiences or past training, which may not take into account all likely possibilities.

Secondly, in this particularly scenario (and whether their final descision is right or not can be very much open for debate), the 'own safety' is I suspect more a question of 'general safety of all participating'. i.e. even if it is achnowledged that you are responsible for your own safety, the moment others are around you, your actions could impact on the safety of others.

So, take speeding in a car example. It may be that a person speeding has huge experience, is on a deserted road, and they are only person they are putting at danger because no-one else is around. In that scenario, your argument above could stand up. However, if others are on that road then your actions could be putting others at danger, and so what you call the 'nanny state' has quite rightly decided to put a speed limit on the road in order to try and deal with those people who are for whatever reason unable to judge correctly the safe speed.

There's a whole debate that my comments there could spark, but my point is that you need to be careful using the arguement you are using, because I'm sure if you came accross someone using it to justify driving at 50 in a 20 zone, you'd quite rightly take issue with them.

 

Avatar
don simon fbpe replied to joules1975 | 6 years ago
2 likes

joules1975 wrote:

don simon wrote:

Quote:

“The AWPR/B-T will be a Special Road, and, similar to a motorway, cyclists will be prohibited from using it for their own safety.

I think that I'm the best judge of what is good or not for my own safety, it what us adults do. In terms of personal safety, please don't ever try and meet me as I might just shove the nanny state up your arse! How's that for "own safety"?

While I appreciate your sentiment re your reaction to the specific case here, your comment has a number of glaring issues.

Firstly, some people have for ever an a day been fairly poor when it comes to judging what is best for their own safety. A person tends to judge how safe something is or how safe the way they are doing it is by their past experiences or past training, which may not take into account all likely possibilities.

Secondly, in this particularly scenario (and whether their final descision is right or not can be very much open for debate), the 'own safety' is I suspect more a question of 'general safety of all participating'. i.e. even if it is achnowledged that you are responsible for your own safety, the moment others are around you, your actions could impact on the safety of others.

So, take speeding in a car example. It may be that a person speeding has huge experience, is on a deserted road, and they are only person they are putting at danger because no-one else is around. In that scenario, your argument above could stand up. However, if others are on that road then your actions could be putting others at danger, and so what you call the 'nanny state' has quite rightly decided to put a speed limit on the road in order to try and deal with those people who are for whatever reason unable to judge correctly the safe speed.

There's a whole debate that my comments there could spark, but my point is that you need to be careful using the arguement you are using, because I'm sure if you came accross someone using it to justify driving at 50 in a 20 zone, you'd quite rightly take issue with them.

 

Whatever...

Avatar
Hirsute | 6 years ago
14 likes

Perhaps they should have some demonstrations of how to overtake a cyclist in a car.
Plus a few close passes for good measure.

What is the point of the event?

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