Yorkshire TdF stages backlash starts

[Ron]

Why,oh why, weren't those comments published in the same article?

Perhaps because the Councillor may not have had enough rope to hang himself quite so spectacularly if some space in the initial article had been given over to opposing views?

[DaveP]

Why,oh why, weren't those comments published in the same article?

I think its just a case of a local paper being glad to fill some column inches by publishing a statement from a local bigwig.
Whatever the editors personal views on the matter he's probably delighted by the outcome, and looking forwards to having a higher profile for the next couple of weeks. Lets see what sort of a job he does on balancing his journalism - on the face of it, he wont have too much trouble finding contributors!

[pete75]

If anyone would like to make their views known to Mr. Quinn

Councillor John Andrew Quinn (Conservative)
Elected May 2008, Retires May 2015
Address: Newlands, 1a Skipton Road,
Embsay, Skipton
BD23 6QT.
andygill.quinn@virgin.net

01756 700746

[TonyR]

If anyone would like to make their views known to Mr. Quinn

Councillor John Andrew Quinn (Conservative)
Elected May 2008, Retires May 2015
Address: Newlands, 1a Skipton Road,
Embsay, Skipton
BD23 6QT.
andygill.quinn@virgin.net

01756 700746

I have written to the North Yorkshire Police Commissioner too asking if their Chief Superintendent's views are those of the police. pcc@northyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk

[reohn2]

Why,oh why, weren't those comments published in the same article?

Perhaps because the Councillor may not have had enough rope to hang himself quite so spectacularly if some space in the initial article had been given over to opposing views?

I take the point but not everyone thinks along those lines,in fact many don't think at all and some drivers antics and attitude toward cyclists go a long way to prove that.
Many people tend to read what's in front of them then accept it,it's only people who take the next step to think about what they've read and ask the simple question "is that really the truth of the matter",you have to look at Daily Mail comments at the foot of cycling related stories to understand that there are a lot of biased none thinking clever idiots about.
IMHO a balancing view should always be given in a "news"paper.

[thirdcrank]

Tony R

It will be interesting to read her reply. I suspect it will be carefully worded to say little.

It seems to me that the reported comment by the chief superintendent is more about what won't be happening than what will. It's easy to interpret it to be a comparison between motorcyclists and cyclists when she's talking about "education" or some such, rather than doing very much in the way of more traditional policing. ie, she's comparing the methods used. (NYorks Police have had quite a lot of concerns over motorcyclist deaths and chasing motorcyclists around on even faster motorbikes was never going to be a solution.)

Cycling has always been popular in the Yorkshire Dales and if there are any real traffic problems they've been caused by the increases in motor traffic. This bit of the Yorkshire sees a lot of heavy quarry traffic and at least one of the hills near Embsay has been almost completely carved away by quarrying, leaving only one side in place so the view from one direction isn't spoiled. Embsay is also a tiny village, with quite narrow streets (made worse, of course, by parked cars.) If what the "Mighty Quinn" is complaining about is really happening - which if it's correct sounds like some sort of chain gang powering through the village - then he must have a point.

There's not much happened for the local paper to report on since the ladies of Rylstone WI got their kit off for the calendar so the visit of the TdeF will figure large in its pages.

[Mark1978]

Indeed keep in mind that the Tour de France is like the Olympics for the area so there is likely to be a lot of interest. Good and bad.

I wish they would organise one (or perhaps more) occasions where cyclists could ride the stage on closed roads before the event. As thousands of cyclists are going to do it anyway. Might as well have it properly organised.

[pete75]

Embsay is also a tiny village, with quite narrow streets (made worse, of course, by parked cars.)

Are you sure about that? I've only been through it a few times but my impression is of a large village - I'd guess with a population something over 1500.

[Mick F]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Embsay
Population 1,758

[thirdcrank]

I wouldn't want to argue about the definition of a small. as opposed to a large village. Anybody who wants a idea of what the place looks like can explore with streetview. Afaik, it's only current claim to fame is the tourist attraction created by the steam train enthusiasts and their charity. I think that will attract a certain amount of motor traffic. I can imagine, with nothing to back it up, that many of the houses are second homes and holiday lets. Some of the residents probably commute a fair distance by car, rather than being employed in some local bucolic dream.

I've no romantic notions about villages as such, but many of these places were built in an earlier age, for traffic moving at the speed of the occasional horse-drawn cart.

[reohn2]

........I've no romantic notions about villages as such, but many of these places were built in an earlier age, for traffic moving at the speed of the occasional horse-drawn cart.

Or bicycle perhaps?

[pete75]

Some of the residents probably commute a fair distance by car, rather than being employed in some local bucolic dream.

I've no romantic notions about villages as such, but many of these places were built in an earlier age, for traffic moving at the speed of the occasional horse-drawn cart.

As was virtually every other town and city in the country apart from the likes of Milton Keynes.

I guess by "employed in some local bucolic dream" you mean farm work - long hours, low wages, hard work most of the time, extremely hard work sometimes and more chance of being killed or seriously injured than any other job on dry land. You have some strange dreams
Riding in the TdF, though maybe not in Yorkshire, was a dream for young farmworkers in Italy , France, Spain and Flanders - and it came true for a fair few of them.

[thirdcrank]

... Or bicycle perhaps? ...

Depending on how they are ridden. I've been minding my own business, riding on a single-track road not a million miles from there (single-track roads are pretty rare around here, compared with places like North Norfolk) when a cry from behind of "Out!" signalled the arrival of a chain gang riding very hard. No big deal for me, but half-a-dozen of the tightly-packed riders had something abusive to snarl about my being in their way as they passed. There is something about being in a group that makes people, especially young men adopt the manners of the lowest common denominator.

The linked report which prompted the thread sounds a teenie weenie bit like that. It may be grossly exaggerated, of course, but nothing is gained by dismissing people's concerns out of hand.
==========================================
pete75

I mean that I have no romantic ideas about modern village life from pictures on chocolate boxes and the like. I'm strongly aware that many of the changes which have transformed a settlement such as Embsay have been brought about by the increase in use of the motor vehicle. I also know that the pedal cycle avoids or mitigates many of the problems caused by motor vehicles.

I'll reiterate what I was implying in my reply to r2: putting somebody on a bicycle does not, ipso facto, turn them into some sort of angel. Heaven forbid, but somebody has to say it: Cllr Quinn - apparently a resident of Embsay - may just possibly have a point.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

... Or bicycle perhaps? ...

There is something about being in a group that makes people, especially young men adopt the manners of the lowest common denominator.

Hi,
Its called "Safety In Numbers" .........................For those who require that type of support.

[Mark1978]

But it's right. Any group will usually have less regard for others than individuals would. The bigger the group the bigger lack of regard for others.