In the statement, there was the indication that the event had reached a size that was unmanageable as a hobby, but still not "big enough" to warrant a full-time status as a job for the race director. Then there was this paragraph:
"From a wider perspective, I believe gravel cycling is about to face its next great reckoning regarding rider safety. Riders and promoters alike seem to be shirking this responsibility in favor of the spirit of gravel or an age group podium and it's not going to last. I don't want that hammer to drop at one of my events."
Comments: The last line of that quoted paragraph resonates with me in particular. Of course, that is not to say that anyone would welcome a tragedy at their event, because no one wants that. However; that weight of responsibility is real, and due to how the author phrased that, I feel it is safe to say I have some relative knowledge of where he his coming from there.
Beyond the obvious in the statement, I find their to be a bit of a veiled swipe at gravel road events as a whole that seem to be less cognizant of potential issues regarding safety and also the responsibilities that riders share in that which are sometimes shown to be ignored or denied by participants.
I've heard tales of riders taking daring crossings of high-speed paved roads. I've heard about riders not giving way to local traffic and emergency vehicles. I've heard about instances where riders were reckless around other riders, causing crashes, and potentially worse.
Gravel cycling has always had an independent, free nature to it since the Modern Era of gravel kicked off in 2005. My stance has always been that race and event organizers are to be the caretakers of their parts in the scene. This means that strict guidelines for rider conduct must be in place and enforced. Kicking people out should be a semi-regular part of gravel events, because people will push the boundaries, or willfully ignore them, all for "glory", whatever that may mean to the rider.
Every effort must be made to ensure that safety and rules are communicated to riders, and every effort must be made to communicate to the riders that locals take precedence over what is happening in the event, because almost all gravel events are held in public spaces. We are guests and we should act as such at all times. This extends to keeping roads clean, keeping decency in regard to public urination, or other bodily acts, and adhering to public rules of decency, whether or not you agree to them. Any interaction that reflects poorly on an event must be addressed immediately with immediate consequences to the offending rider.
I think it bears mentioning as well that curating a specific event feel that is manageable is something that has gotten lost in the mix. Having "more", be that attendance, prizing, or accoutrements for an event is not always "good". Sometimes managing an event means NOT growing it.
I could go on, but I think it is apparent that many have let their guard down and are ignorant to consequences of unsafe and ill-advised behavior on the part of gravel riders. If we don't take care of these things and more, someone else will. It is likely that governments, insurers, and lawyers may become involved, and when THAT happens, that will likely be the end of the heyday of gravel.
It's all up to you gravel riders and organizers out there. Every single one of you.
This is a big deal that’s been brewing in the background for quite a while, as you know. Some larger events are even seeing pushback at times with city/county officials prior to events because of this, and in particular the way riders have conducted themselves in previous events.
ReplyDeleteThis is a cloud looming on the gravel horizon, and each of us have a role to play.