YORKSHIRE INITIATIVE !

SKY TV are already reporting ( hourly ), the " Profitability " that will
come ther way
of the Yorkshire Traders as a result of the Grand Depart of Le Tour from Leeds at the end of June 2014 . Banks are making Money available to those that will be Feeding and housing the anticipated 1 1/2 Million expected to line the routes that the Pro Racers will travel over during the 3 days of Racing in ENGLAND!

In awarding the 101st Le Tour to the Syndicate preparing the "Grand Depart " , a Contract was signed defining WHAT could be done in association with " Amaury Sports Org. rules & reg.s " ! These R & R would be closely scrutinised to see that ASO does not miss any Profit Potential !

Media has already reported that the Syndicate has tried to recoup monies from a variety of Sources to cover expenses such as " Policing (  http://road.cc/content/news/93003-row-simmers-over-yorkshire-tour-de-france-police-funding ) & Public Utilities "! Wonder if there is any " Profit Element " to be gained from the Elementary School Lessons ? Gary Verity has been broadcast repeatedly stating that Banks are "Relaxing Lending " as well as Hyping Up other " benefits " to Yorkshire !

When i met him behind the Finish Zone in Paris at the conclusion of the 2012 Le Tour , he was keen to do all to see that the " Yorkshire Bid " was a success ! When i met him in Nice the day before the TTT of the 2013 Le Tour he was still promising that ALL we discussed was on track . In the many conversations that we had, it was uppermost in my mind , that FINALLY the PARA Community would be treated as EQUALS ! I have not seen the program of Events in Leeds on the day of the 1st Etappe , so cannot comment on whether he has been allowed to follow through ? AND YES Gary , i still want to see the Champion Para Cyclists of Europe INVITED to race the Route , whether they choose to ride , will be THEIR Decision , but how could @TTChamp ( Colin Lynch ) refuse , since he lives nearby ?

Chris Prudhomme was with France TV when we first met . He milked me for ideas about how i managed to ride the Le Tour daily in advance of the Etappe . He made " promises 2 that he wouldd do ALL HE COULD for " Paras Sport " when he became " THE MAN "! Well i have seen 2 Para Racers allowed on the ITT Course , The French National Time Trial Champion , lawrence Thioronet and the Czech European Time Trial Champion . The Czech was ALL " atwitter " before the day , not seen ANYTHING since , about HIS ride !

Both GARY & CHRIS , could if they wish , make the 101st " Le Tour ",   MEMORABLE !

ALL they need to do is PROPOSE to European Governments that CYCLING  an endangered activity be safeguarded by a change of MOTORISTS ATTITUDES !  Daily , being bullied by Vehicle drivers , is not the way NEWCOMERS to Cycling , want to lead their Life ! Politicians rarely consider the DANGERS that are posed by METAL Coffins on wheels , to those in street clothes OR EVEN Lycra , as they negotiate the Road hazards on the way to Work , Shops , Sport or other activities , on a VEHICLE  that has 2 points of contact with the road of about the size of " Postage Stamps "!  Policing Authorities file the blank " Incident/accident forms " in their " SELF SUICIDE drawer ? Great Attitude by those drawing salary for "Protecting and Serving their community " ?

WELL GUYS , here is SOME of the Ideas that YOU can put into effect :

Motoring Rules needing ATTENTION

1/   1M pass at under 30kph

2/   1 1/2M pass at higher speeds

3/   NO PASS of Cyclists in SChool Zones , on or under Bridges

4/   NO Pass of Cyclists within 100M of Road Junction ( doubt it is legal for vehicle to pass vehicle in these circumstances ?)

5/   No PASS by/of ONCOMING Vehicle when Cycle is on OTHER LANE OF ROAD

6/   SIGNALLING of Passing Manouvre and return to lane

7/   Use of Hazard lights to indicate following a Cyclist when requried to slow due to traffic

8/   ALL Large Vehicles to display a Decal depicting " Safe Pass Message "! Even larger 4 x 4 Chelsea Tractors & Tinted windowed vehicles

9/   Allow Under 16yo to ride Footpaths & Over 60yo at upto 15kph , particularly  when accompanied .

10/  Requirement for Police Officers under 35yo , to do Cycling Duties , as Plain Clothes Officers , 5 shifts each month .

11/  Advance Zone at Traffic Lights

12/  Treating Red Light as GIVE WAY on a Left hand Turn at under 20kph

13/  Acceptence of Video Camera evidence for Court proceedings

14/  Introduction of a Federal Vehicular Manslaughter Law , as in Italian Road Code

15/  Should be a prohibition of the use of the Vehicle horn at the rear of a Cyclist ( friends would tap AFter passing ?)


Used these ideas in reply to @amygillettfdn &

http://www.news.com.au/national/south-australia/federal-mp-jamie-briggs-says-laws-should-force-motorists-to-leave-onemetre-gap-when-overtaking-cyclists/story-fnii5yv4-1226793989625#comments

Hopefully James will WAKE UP the P.M. tony Abbott , he doesn't reply to any contact , let alone Cycling matters ! Show pony ?


Le Tour  has a BOOK , " Livre de Route " ! In 2012 on page 7 there were RULES ( Bonne Conduit ) ! In 2013 there were a few changes , BUT , even though i wrote Chris in 2012 , there was no introduction of a "Driving Test " for ALL Acreditated Personnel ! Few seeing on the Television , a France TV Guest Van , run the Race Leaders off the Road in 2012 , would dispute the NEED for Drivers to be TESTED ? Flecha and Boogerlands being Profis had the courage to finish the Race in Paris , but WITHOUT fighting out that day's finish !

THIS YEAR A.S.O. can trumpet the ABOVE Initiatives to a WORLDWIDE Audience !  There are elements of Authority persuing SOME of the above , BUT ; WHY NOT help the Cycling Community ?

Lives could be saved ! Cyclists could be able to leave HOME with the Certainty of returning from their journey ? Even MORE people could be encouraged to use the Cycle to fulfill POLITICIANS' Desires to see Cycling " Reduce Pollution and Traffic , Improve Health and other Initiatives "!

Perhaps YOU may even choose to create an answer to this request :

https://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/ioc-chairman-thomas-bach-create-an-international-umbrella-cycling-safety-organisation

WHO KNOWS , the 101st Le Tour , might even make EVERYONE happy !

Addition 3rd Jan 2014 :

Those of you that follow my Tweets will know that i have been " rubbishing " SKYNews " for their " Self promo Ads " at 1620gmt which included references to the " Widow of the 7/7 bomber "! Even if they had nothing else , WHY would you give " terrorists " a platform/time of day ?  Seems that after including David Cameron in a couple of tweets , those "self promo ads " have been set aside , hopefully for EVER ! On New Years Day , SKY TV , aired a segment that included the " Gary Verity speaking about Le Tour " , as mentioned above ! Each day since at 1620GMT , just before the sport segment , i always try to watch , they NOW include a repeat of his musings on the benefit that Le Tour will bring to Yorkshire . He is particularly pleased with himself , in that Le Tour is encouraging the BANKS , to loosen the " Lending/Loan Strings ", thus allowing Small Business to invest in the Hospitality Trade in preparation for the event and the ongoing further Tourism that will be anticipated .

Further to this are the following initiatives in Cambridge and Oxford :

http://road.cc/content/news/105631-apply-grants-totalling-%C2%A320k-host-cambridge-cycling-activities-around-tour-de

http://road.cc/content/news/105549-oxford-city-council-launches-%C2%A35-training-adult-cyclists

PARALYMPIAN races TOUR de FRANCE Time TRIAL !

Chris Prudhomme has once again FAILED to respect Paralympic Sport !
Mine is a minority view , but since the time i met him , as he worked at TV3 , France TV , whilst i was riding the daily TDF Route , i have been telling him , PARA ATHLETES have the ability to ride the Individual Time Trials and seriously CHALLENGE the times that Olympic athletes post ! Some years ago , he told me the day before , that Laurent Thironet , French Para Champion and Para Gold Medalist , would race the ITT , the next day .

At that time , Chris was still under the shadow of Jean Marie Leblanc , who had told me of his friendship with Andre Auberge , President of French Para Sport , but also , of his determination , not to honour Para Sport , by allowing them to participate , officially at  " Le Tour ".  Laurent was working with " Cofidis Cycling Team " at that time . I spoke with him as he warmed up and was aware of the time of departure and his expected arrival time for the 53+km , but it was unrealistic for me to transit to the " Arrivee " since i had already run through the course twice , but with the second run continually blighted with the Gendarmes attempting to call me to the side of the road . As it was , i tried to obtain the info from the Tourist Office , they were in total ignorance of the fact that a Para Athlete had made the run , let alone that he was escorted by a " Republican Garde Motor Cyclist "! Various visits elicitated no information and it was several months before i met up with Laurent and found he had bettered the time of more than 50% of the Official racers , even with the use of only one leg !

Six-time Paralympic Champion Jiri Jezek of the Czech Republic will be a special guest of the Tour, being the first rider to start the day's time trial. This is indeed an honour for an extremely talented Athlete , BUT , why is he alone being accorded this honour ?

My suggestions to Chris Prudhomme , over the years , always called for the Champions of ALL European Countries , be invited to participate , in fact , compete against each other . Imagine the Publicity for the " Le Tour" let alone the recognition , that Para Athletes are as capable as Olympic Athletes ? In order for ALL Countries to have their Para Athletes available , would require , ONLY the request that the Athletes confirm that they would meet their OWN Expenses for Travel and Accomodation  . Providing Space and Motor Cycle Escort with National flag would have been a trivial matter to arrange . Does anyone expect that ANY of the Para Athletes , would have declined an invitation on those terms ?

As regular visitors to my blogs have seen , i am not slow in letting him know my views on many matters attached to the Organisation of " Le Tour " . In fact " J M " , also came to know my views on many subjects , possibly found some of them being irritatingly repeated . Water dripping on stone , eventually gets a result . Whilst i have had the good fortune to remain in touch with " C C " of the Giro , over the years of his retirement , i have not set eyes on JM since Chris took sole charge of " Le Tour . I am sure he visits the TDF , but like Francois Hollande , i have missed making a connection to date .

Too late for this year , but i hope that Chris will be impressed with Jiri's efforts and if not on etappe 17 , then certainly , during the following " Le Tour " , will start the New Century , by inviting ALL National Para Cycle Champions to participate .