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Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 25 May 2012, 11:19am
by james01
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17076206

Apologies if this has already been covered. This seems a bit harsh, it is the public highway after all. Can anyone recommend an area where there may be good free vantage points on the route? I was hoping to cycle to a grassy area where I could set up a comfortable base, brew up some tea and enjoy the spectacle. Or is this too much to hope for :cry:

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 25 May 2012, 11:54am
by tykeboy2003
Obscene. Apparently they're doing the same for some of the yachting, erecting barriers on the cliffs so you can't see the sea for christ's sake.

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 25 May 2012, 12:12pm
by Big T
It's only Box Hill itself and the Mall where you need tickets/will get charged. Anywhere else on the course is free to watch, including the rest of the Box Hill loop. Box Hill is a Nature Reserve and I think they want to restrict the numbers to prevent too much damage to it.

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 25 May 2012, 12:56pm
by Edwards
Surely the fact that Box Hill is privately owned then this is a matter for the land owners not the Olympic make money and feather nest lot.

Interestingly does anyone know of other major road cycling races that charge to stand at the side of the road?

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 25 May 2012, 3:28pm
by DevonDamo
We watched it go through Plymouth from upstairs in a Wetherspoons pub with a glass front looking right over the street it came through. It was nearly an hour late, but we didn't care as we had beer. I don't think it's the sort of thing I'd be that fussed about watching in a beautiful natural setting - it's just a bunch of commercial floats, Police cars, coaches and people in tracksuits. As the crowds tended to be flag-waving families that wanted to get as close as they could, we found the pub wasn't all that busy even though it offered the best vantage point.

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 25 May 2012, 3:37pm
by Edwards
DevonDamo wrote:We watched it go through Plymouth from upstairs in a Wetherspoons pub with a glass front looking right over the street it came through. It was nearly an hour late, but we didn't care as we had beer. I don't think it's the sort of thing I'd be that fussed about watching in a beautiful natural setting - it's just a bunch of commercial floats, Police cars, coaches and people in tracksuits. As the crowds tended to be flag-waving families that wanted to get as close as they could, we found the pub wasn't all that busy even though it offered the best vantage point.


I think you may be on about the torch, the OP is on about the actual road race. If you do watch the race in a pub it would be gone quite quickly.

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 25 May 2012, 4:59pm
by DevonDamo
Edwards wrote:I think you may be on about the torch, the OP is on about the actual road race. If you do watch the race in a pub it would be gone quite quickly.


You're quite right - lesson to self: read the bloody thread. Unfortunately I have no tips for watching the bike racing. I was put off it by going to watch the motorcycle racing as a kid, which is basically like sitting at the side of a motorway for a couple of hours.

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 25 May 2012, 6:26pm
by TonyR
That's a story from back in February and much of it has firmed up since with, AIUI, tickets to be sold soon for £5-15. My bigger question is, at those prices, how do I stand a chance of getting one given my luck so far in my applications.

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 26 May 2012, 12:27am
by pga
I saw the 1964 Tokio Olympic road race sitting in the front row of the grandstand. I cannot remember if I paid to do so, but even if I did, it certainly was not much as I was able to buy tickets for every day of the athletics at the same Games and I don't recall it breaking the bank. We were once charged on the Morzine-Avoriaz time trial stage of the TDF in 1977. I think we also had to pay at World Champs road races at Mallory Park and Goodwood, but these were on private roads.

Incidentally, the 1964 Olympic rr and the 1977 TDF tt marked the first and last times I saw the great Eddy Merckk. We shall not see his like again.

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 26 May 2012, 1:12pm
by gilesjuk
The more I learn about the olympics the more I think it is just a sponsorship competition with a bit of sports thrown in.

There's an advertising exclusion zone around the stadium where only official sponsors adverts can be seen. Bridges have had their adverts covered up. All of the changing rooms and bathrooms have had logos of hand dryers, sinks, hand wash and toilets covered up.

I'm not interested in them at all now.

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 27 May 2012, 12:58pm
by Cherwell
I'm planning on watching it in Richmond Park. They come out that way in the morning and pass through again on their way back to the finish line. Huge open space and no tickets required. I think I read somewhere that there will be a big screen there to follow the whole race, but I have not yet confirmed this. It's essential to have some way to follow the whole race. Should be a carnival atmosphere and a great day - especially if Cav wins!

http://www.london2012.com/documents/ven ... -route.pdf

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 28 May 2012, 9:30am
by Ayesha
As per everywhere else in the country where a mettled footpath does not exist, the road verge ( grassed 'ransom strip' ) and the hedgrow is owned by the Lord of The Manor. In Box Hill's case, its the National Trust. The town council own it if there is no manorial owner.

The town council or the appropriate Lord of the Manor may instruct the constabulary to 'move on' any vagrants, vagabonds and cyclists standing around waiting to watch a cycling race.

The 'Ransom strip' is a very worthwhile piece of land to own. A person who buys a property along a lane MUST gain the Lordship's permission to cross it to access their property.
A charge for the privalege of getting to your own property is usually included in your council tax by stealth. The money is then passed on to the Lord of the Manor annually.

Manorial titles are available at auction. They cost a few grand, and the best ones in prime building areas are bought up by housing developers.


So all-in-all, you SHOULD be charged for standing on The Lordships grass verge. :lol:

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 31 May 2012, 9:26pm
by jan19
I'm planning on watching it in Richmond Park. They come out that way in the morning and pass through again on their way back to the finish line. Huge open space and no tickets required. I think I read somewhere that there will be a big screen there to follow the whole race, but I have not yet confirmed this. It's essential to have some way to follow the whole race. Should be a carnival atmosphere and a great day - especially if Cav wins!


That's my feeling too. Box Hill was always going to be very difficult, even before they decided to impose charges. I know there are concerns regarding the environmental impact of thousands of people on the hill, so I have some sympathy with the desire to limit the numbers. Richmond Park sounds good to me - I can even organise a picnic :D

Jan

Re: Charged for watching Olympics at roadside?

Posted: 1 Jun 2012, 9:01am
by Ayesha
I'm going to watch the last 400m on the telly news.