Thursday 8 October 2015
Redhill CC - A little bit of History
Redhill CC was founded in 1945 by Jim Wallace. He was a big supporter of track racing which was more popular at the time than road racing. In fact, Jim instigated the White Hope Sprint at the Good Friday Herne Hill meeting, he was the promoter of this event for many years. The funds raised in Jim’s memory supported the prize money for the event for some years after.
Our Club's objective was - and remains - to promote cycling in all its forms in East Surrey.
In the 1950s, the club boasted a number of exceptional riders including Bernard Pusey - one of the 10 British riders to compete in the famous 1955 Tour de France team - and Peter Head who rode for both British and foreign pro teams, winning the Grand prix de France Time Trial in 1967. Both are still with us.
Their respective Palmares can be seen here:
Peter Head - Palmares
Bernard Pusey - Palmares
Peter Tester, Ken Stokes and Olive House were other great RCC riders of that time, all of whom were top competitors in their day. See some of the astonishing and nowadays little-known club point-to-point records here. RCC Point to Point records (scroll down).
In the late 70s, we held weekly club nights on Friday in the YMCA hall in Reigate..(where Majestic Wine Warehouse is now). The ethos of the club was based around cycling as a competitive sport so active participation in TTs, road races and cyclo cross was high.
During the 80’s and 90’s we had between 40 and 60 members many of whom were juniors even to the extent of having more juniors than seniors for a number of years.
Even so the club promoted a major road race each year, the Dave Cosson Memorial and a major cyclo-cross race at Dorking Nower plus open TTs.
All the while, RCC ran traditional 'club runs' on Saturday and Sunday and its TT series on Wednesday evenings.
Around about the year 2000 it became apparent that the world of cycling was changing starting with the growth of MTB so Graham Haysom, Mike Ormerod and later Frank Grainger started leading MTB rides from Reigate Hill.
The club today is one of the close group of competitive South of London clubs that includes Addiscombe CC, Kingston Wheelers and Norwood Paragon. We grew rapidly from 2005 to 2015 with active MTB, Road, Time Trial and Racing sections and a focus on inclusive introduction of new riders into the club. We have also built a Go-Ride childrens and youth section - the Redhill Raiders to train young talent.
These are all promoted as part of the club’s offer to potential members plus through our work leading training rides for the YMCA Challenge programme we encouraged and recruited riders to join the club to extend their enjoyment of cycling.
We were one of the first clubs to detect and benefit from the changes that lifestyle was making to cycling. We embraced and promoted cycling as an activity that could be enjoyed on several levels within a sporting framework.
Since 1945, Redhill CC has offered opportunities to ride, compete and socialise to riders from all backgrounds and abilities. Long may it continue.
Thursday 9 October 2014
Letter to the editor of Surrey Mirror series re: Box Hill Bedlam video
On 8th October, the Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser Facebook page shared a video captured by a motorist passing cyclists who were riding lawfully and peacefully up Box Hill on 5th October. The poster headlined it 'Box Hill Bedlam'. The D&LA Facebook contributor shared this video adding the comment...
This video by [name omitted] shows the man versus bicycle that goes on daily at Box Hill.
In my role as RCC Chairman, and consistent with the Club's objective which is to promote cycling in all its forms in East Surrey, I sent the following email to Oliver Frankham, the news editor of the Surrey Mirror series:
Dear Mr Frankham
Please can I register the concern and dismay of the members of Redhill Cycling Club (and probably every other cyclist within your catchment area) at the posting of the 'Man vs Cycle - Box Hill Bedlam' video posted recently on the Dorking and Leatherhead Avertiser Facebook page.
We accept that Box Hill has become a 'go to' place for riders but cyclists have exactly the same legal and fiscal rights as drivers to use the road - and probably greater environmental and public health justification too. Yet the way you chose to show footage of cyclists riding lawfully on a public road and headline it as 'bedlam' was naive at best and irresponsible at worst.
Two of the most serious threats to the lives of young people are 1) car crashes (the biggest cause of death among 17-21 year olds in Britain) and 2) obesity. With your post you are complicit in sending a message to children that a car is the only vehicle truly allowed on the road... That a short journey is probably best done in a 4x4 rather than on a bicycle... and that intolerance of other lawful road users is acceptable. This will help neither threat.
The vitriolic comments that followed your post will exacerbate the feeling among those who abuse and close-pass cyclists that this behaviour is 'right'. Encouraging adults and children to exercise and use bikes for short journeys as well as pleasure would show real regard for your community. Instead, Dorking and Leatherhead residents will believe that their local paper is in the 'roads belong to cars' camp.
Cyclists do not get in the way of traffic: cyclists ARE traffic. 85% of cyclists are drivers too, we too dislike cyclists who break the law or cycle irresponsibly but irresponsibly does not mean use of the road only in the way that drivers deem convenient to them.
The person on the bike is the vulnerable road user and drivers have a duty of care to them, just as they do for horses and pedestrians. I think an apology to the hundreds of cyclists among your readership is due.
Yours sincerely
Adrian Webb
After further exchanges with me stressing how such a comment comes across as anti-cyclists and Mr Frankham insisting that the paper was entirely neutral and not accepting that offence could have been taken by the 'Man versus Cycles' comment, he ended with the following:
The original post has now been deleted by the person who originally posted it.
Monday 30 June 2014
The threats to and from cycling...
Issues and incidents between bike riders and car drivers are rising. No doubt. The boom in cycling has also caused a boom in the perceived menace of cyclists among (some) communities and (some) drivers.
Irony phases 1, 2 & 3
This angst has more than a tinge of irony. We live in a country of 26+ million cars, vans and lorries, where 1,754 deaths and 193,969 injuries were caused to motorists, pedestrians and cyclists by those vehicles in the latest figures (2012). Of this huge total, 19,091 were cyclists - including 2,168 children. By contrast, 79 pedestrians suffered a similar fate caused by cyclists in 2012, with one death.
Up the irony another notch: the UK's nascent obesity epidemic is a greater potential threat to the health of the UK than that of cars. Health gurus believe we must set our kids back on the track of walking, cycling and being active rather than becoming accustomed to 'obesogenic' environments. Yet many of those kids are learning from the rear seats - as their parents seethe at #bloodycyclists - that cars are the only viable means of transport. The 5 minute cycle to school that would help balance weight, mood and well-being is now 10 minutes in a 4x4 tractor.
Irony and the environment don't mix so I won't even touch on that one except to say that bikes have zero emissions and are in fact negative if you consider the opportunity emissions of taking the same journeys by car.
The tension
With injuries, health and the environment getting the big stuff out of the way, where's the evidence of the rise of tension outside of Box Hill village?
Well, at Redhill, at one event, cleared with the police, on country lanes, with full commissaire, marshal and outrider support to ensure safety of riders and residents: 1) drawing pins were strewn in the path of riders 2) A car drove on the wrong side of the road past a first aid ambulance and support cars then attempted the same with a peloton of 60 rather than lose 20 seconds due to the 'hold-up' 3) A driver jumped out of her car and screamed at marshals over the rights of the event leaving her car door open to cut of half the path of on-coming riders.
Three events in three hours on one circuit. That suggests a problem that is being replicated wherever cycles meet in number.
Time to see both sides
It is however even more dangerous to be unwilling to see both sides if compromise is the real solution. There is a need for those organising races to work to get closer to the communities they cycle through in an attempt to build understanding and compromise.
But first, we do need a few baselines:
Starting with the last of these, road racing in Britain is under threat despite Britain being genuinely good at it on the world stage. Our footballers: play three, win none and are knocked out of the World cup at the outset while our cyclists excel on the world stage. You want to scream: support us, Britain is good at it!
The main threat is composed of people who don't like their roads being 'cycle race tracks'. They don't like being held up, they don't like not having the freedom to step into the road when a bike race is passing. Etcetera.
They have become blind to the danger of cars and the hideousness of traffic jams perhaps because the road is seen as belonging to cars and so, by extension, a place where bikes don't belong but are tolerated when they don't try to belong and submit. Like mice, harmless until you get a bunch of them. Then it's an intrusion. This is the nub: we as humans are territorial and hate intrusion.
Evolutionary psychology
We should ask how much of the cycling 'problem' relates to the build-up of repressed territorial anger and emotion that is endemic in modern society?"
Throughout human and animal history, success and survival (particularly male success) in the gene pool has stemmed from aggressive territoriality: defending one's patch, family and food sources. The stone age man who showed strength, force, aggression gained more food and more partners. The brain hasn't had enough time in a few hundred thousand years to change so when learned social behaviour is eclipsed by the (Dr Steve Peters') 'inner chimp' instinctive aggression often leaks through.
And, let's face it, people have few effective ways to express or dilute their anger, frustration and pent-up energy (or at least they did until internet forums and comment fields arrived!). A driver held up by cyclists inside a bubble of steel and glass will often vent all that anxiety release after relatively low levels of provocation. Road rage between cars is the reaction to a perceived territorial threat where none really exists.
Anger against cyclists is very similar.
See horse
A recent ad in Scotland used the excellent line: "See bike, think horse". A horse is a creature that is big and unpredictable. Motorists don't react the same because, like the tiger to the Neanderthal, it earns respect in its power and unpredictability. The cyclist however is a silly creature IN MY SPACE. A peloton is a herd of silly creatures IN MY SPACE.
How can cyclists help? Only by moderating the problems that are growing by building understanding. Those who scatter drawing pins may have children themselves. They will be sports lovers (enclosed sports). They will have a degree of national pride. They will appreciate being warned and also being thanked. Let's tap into those feelings.
Intrusion or celebration?
Road racing could thrive with the support and involvement of local communities who feel felt there's something truly to gain. Currently, it feels like an intrusion to them. Lets work to change that.
We won't change everyone but we can make a start with education and engagement on lots of levels. If communities themselves can feel part of what's going on - rather than imposed upon - we will start to see positive change.
Irony phases 1, 2 & 3
This angst has more than a tinge of irony. We live in a country of 26+ million cars, vans and lorries, where 1,754 deaths and 193,969 injuries were caused to motorists, pedestrians and cyclists by those vehicles in the latest figures (2012). Of this huge total, 19,091 were cyclists - including 2,168 children. By contrast, 79 pedestrians suffered a similar fate caused by cyclists in 2012, with one death.
Up the irony another notch: the UK's nascent obesity epidemic is a greater potential threat to the health of the UK than that of cars. Health gurus believe we must set our kids back on the track of walking, cycling and being active rather than becoming accustomed to 'obesogenic' environments. Yet many of those kids are learning from the rear seats - as their parents seethe at #bloodycyclists - that cars are the only viable means of transport. The 5 minute cycle to school that would help balance weight, mood and well-being is now 10 minutes in a 4x4 tractor.
Irony and the environment don't mix so I won't even touch on that one except to say that bikes have zero emissions and are in fact negative if you consider the opportunity emissions of taking the same journeys by car.
The tension
With injuries, health and the environment getting the big stuff out of the way, where's the evidence of the rise of tension outside of Box Hill village?
Well, at Redhill, at one event, cleared with the police, on country lanes, with full commissaire, marshal and outrider support to ensure safety of riders and residents: 1) drawing pins were strewn in the path of riders 2) A car drove on the wrong side of the road past a first aid ambulance and support cars then attempted the same with a peloton of 60 rather than lose 20 seconds due to the 'hold-up' 3) A driver jumped out of her car and screamed at marshals over the rights of the event leaving her car door open to cut of half the path of on-coming riders.
Three events in three hours on one circuit. That suggests a problem that is being replicated wherever cycles meet in number.
Time to see both sides
It is however even more dangerous to be unwilling to see both sides if compromise is the real solution. There is a need for those organising races to work to get closer to the communities they cycle through in an attempt to build understanding and compromise.
But first, we do need a few baselines:
- Some cyclists behave very badly towards motorists and pedestrians. Most cyclists don't like them either.
- Some cyclists ignore road signs, the highway code, red lights and appear to court danger. Ditto.
- Cyclists don't get in the way of traffic: cyclists ARE traffic whether riding for transport, leisure or competition. They have the same rights to be there.
- Cyclists are way more vulnerable than car drivers so there is legal and moral need for drivers to exercise care when passing them.
- It is not only legal to ride two abreast, it's often safer if it prevents a pass attempt near a bend. The highway code rule 163 says: "give motorcyclists, cyclists and horse riders at least as much room as you would when overtaking a car"
- Unlike many sports, most cycling cannot take place in enclosed areas. It has to take place on public roads but within very clear rules and guidelines to protect all parties.
Starting with the last of these, road racing in Britain is under threat despite Britain being genuinely good at it on the world stage. Our footballers: play three, win none and are knocked out of the World cup at the outset while our cyclists excel on the world stage. You want to scream: support us, Britain is good at it!
The main threat is composed of people who don't like their roads being 'cycle race tracks'. They don't like being held up, they don't like not having the freedom to step into the road when a bike race is passing. Etcetera.
They have become blind to the danger of cars and the hideousness of traffic jams perhaps because the road is seen as belonging to cars and so, by extension, a place where bikes don't belong but are tolerated when they don't try to belong and submit. Like mice, harmless until you get a bunch of them. Then it's an intrusion. This is the nub: we as humans are territorial and hate intrusion.
Evolutionary psychology
We should ask how much of the cycling 'problem' relates to the build-up of repressed territorial anger and emotion that is endemic in modern society?"
Throughout human and animal history, success and survival (particularly male success) in the gene pool has stemmed from aggressive territoriality: defending one's patch, family and food sources. The stone age man who showed strength, force, aggression gained more food and more partners. The brain hasn't had enough time in a few hundred thousand years to change so when learned social behaviour is eclipsed by the (Dr Steve Peters') 'inner chimp' instinctive aggression often leaks through.
And, let's face it, people have few effective ways to express or dilute their anger, frustration and pent-up energy (or at least they did until internet forums and comment fields arrived!). A driver held up by cyclists inside a bubble of steel and glass will often vent all that anxiety release after relatively low levels of provocation. Road rage between cars is the reaction to a perceived territorial threat where none really exists.
Anger against cyclists is very similar.
See horse
A recent ad in Scotland used the excellent line: "See bike, think horse". A horse is a creature that is big and unpredictable. Motorists don't react the same because, like the tiger to the Neanderthal, it earns respect in its power and unpredictability. The cyclist however is a silly creature IN MY SPACE. A peloton is a herd of silly creatures IN MY SPACE.
How can cyclists help? Only by moderating the problems that are growing by building understanding. Those who scatter drawing pins may have children themselves. They will be sports lovers (enclosed sports). They will have a degree of national pride. They will appreciate being warned and also being thanked. Let's tap into those feelings.
Intrusion or celebration?
Road racing could thrive with the support and involvement of local communities who feel felt there's something truly to gain. Currently, it feels like an intrusion to them. Lets work to change that.
We won't change everyone but we can make a start with education and engagement on lots of levels. If communities themselves can feel part of what's going on - rather than imposed upon - we will start to see positive change.
Wednesday 26 February 2014
A message from Clive
A MESSAGE TO REDHILL CC MEMBERS FROM CLIVE
This is an open message to everyone at Redhill CC from Clive, whose group suffered a nasty accident recently while on a ride from Woodhatch. Just to note, the annual Calais trip is going ahead on 5 - 7th September 2014.Dear all
After our eventful ride on Sunday 16th February when our group hit black ice which resulted in Stuart N. (broken hip) and myself (two fractures to neck and one to back) being rushed to East Surrey Hospital, I would just like to put on record my sincere thanks to all the club members who took time to send cards, text and visit me in hospital. It truly made my painful time a lot more bearable knowing I belong to a 'special club'.
One member who likes to maintain a somewhat hard reputation and shall remain anonymous, visited virtually daily, with gifts of fresh produce from his catering company and a loan of his iPad to enable me to watch the rugby over the weekend. This along with many acts of kindness by club members, I'm sure, assisted with my early discharge from hospital.
I've been told by the physios to expect to be out of the saddle for 9 - 12 mths but have a personal target of being fit and able for the Calais trip (assuming there is one this year).
Once again many many thanks and I look forward to riding with you all soon.
Tomorrow I am off to Queen Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead for plastic surgery on my ear, my wife insists that anything would be an improvement on the original.
Regards,
Clive L.
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