How much of a ballache is ...

[In Reverse]

I suspect you could organise the route and people (on here and elsewhere) would be perfectly capable of sorting things like car-sharing/shuttling between themselves Stu.

Just getting to your neck of the woods is a huge ballache for most people but they still manage it.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Just getting to your neck of the woods is a huge ballache for most people but they still manage it.

True enough.

[thenorthwind]

Well, that went tangential

Interesting discussion - I was talking to someone about the Racing Collective no-drive thing at the weekend, and I'm trying to drive as little as possible this year, including biking. My instinct when I first heard about it was to applaud (though I should note I'm not planning to do any of the events) but Sean makes some interesting points.

I can see why if you'd planned on doing the event after last year, you might be irked at the no-drive restriction. I think you'd be entitled to be irked, but the key thing is you're equally entitled not to do that event. There are plenty of other similar events, and of course you can do the same route any time, any way you like. The way I see it, the no-drive rule is no different than any of the other rules in that it's a set of arbitrary restrictions set by the organiser. You could do the same route and have someone follow you around with flapjack (note to self: get someone to follow me around with flapjack ), which still be a good trip, but not within the rules. That's the choice.

Just weighing in with my 2p BTW, and not trying to judge anyone, lest the panda be summoned from its slumber.

Anyway...

Sadly, stations wouldn't be on the same line, so a change would be required.

For a group start, the organiser could arrange a big van/bike trailer for the bikes, but more hassle/expense/risk for them

I had considered that but it'd be too costly to run a shuttle, so the fastest would likely have to wait for the slowest to finish which might mean hanging round for a day or so.

Another reason to shuttle pre-start.

That's what I was thinking. There are a couple of organisations that do that for Ride to the Sun (the Carlisle to Cramond one) - think the scouts do one to raise a bit of money. Not that I'm suggesting you should feel obliged Stu - I think In Reverse is correct in that most people on here will be capable and motivated to sort it out if they want. (Continuing the environmental theme - trains would be great, but one shuttle bus is better than a load of cars making the same journey.)

And at this

Just getting to your neck of the woods is a huge ballache for most people but they still manage it.

[jameso]

Yes apologies for jumping onto that topic a bit...

Is there an easier, relatively direct (ha, it's Wales...) forest roads and lanes route between the start and finish points? A fair few people would have no probs riding between back or to the start from one point.

With respect Sean it irks me a little that you assume to know his driving habits or motivations and aren't seeing the event as an independent thing

Apologies James, it is their event and they can run it how they like.

And Sean sorry I should have said earlier, no apology necessary, my 'irks' comment was another of my 'said with a smile' posts that prob didn't come across as it was meant. I've had a couple of messages (off here) about some of my TNR travel ideas/guidance along loosely similar lines and without going into further tangents on this thread I guess I was half responding to those here as well as your comments - which is hardly fair.

[slarge]

I think, as said above a few times, it depends:

If the rail links are good it's no problem, if it's more of a horseshoe shaped ITT then people will have the option to ride back to the start the easy way (or not!). If it's one end of Wales to the other it becomes a bit more tricky - it's a 5-6 hour train journey (the Wales C2C's are a bit out of favour at the moment partly due to the logistics, however the TCW is very popular especially amongst multi day riders). It's a 40 mile ride back to the start from Newtown, with an easy train ride from Dovey to Newtown. Easily doable in a short day.

Publish it Stu and you'll soon see whether it needs tweaking.

[RIP]

I gather there's going to be a compulsory park-and-ride facility at the Welsh border for WRT 2020 .

We need to resurrect that thread about the off-road Brompton. Reckon it'd be ace 200 Bromptons turning up for the 12.09 Birmingham International to Caersws!

[sean_iow]

And Sean sorry I should have said earlier, no apology necessary, my 'irks' comment was another of my 'said with a smile' posts that prob didn't come across as it was meant. I've had a couple of messages (off here) about some of my TNR travel ideas/guidance along loosely similar lines and without going into further tangents on this thread I guess I was half responding to those here as well as your comments - which is hardly fair.

That's ok. I'm fully behind the ideal of reducing the impact of traveling to events. When I did my SDW double, SD300, Charlie Gravel Dash rides I rode from home. I even rode from home for the winter bivi on Dartmoor but with hindsight that was perhaps pushing the limits as it seemed a long way back

I think what might have got to me is that it's compulsory and doesn't take into account the efforts people might be making elsewhere. It would perhaps have been better if they had encouraged people to think about it not just for the event but in the wider context. If it had said...

All riders are encouraged to get to the event by public transport (rail/bus) to reduce the impact of their travel, but if that's not practical then how about getting in touch with other riders to car share? And if you really have to drive then how about making a change elsewhere to offset it? Ride to work for the equivalent mileage as your journey to the event? Get the bus in to town? Take the train when to next go to visit friends? You might even find it better than driving and it can become a permanent change.

If this was the rule I would have applauded it. Of course as riders cant even stick to the rules they are meant to follow during the events there's little chance of them sticking to the rules about getting there, they'll just drive anyway and say they came on the train

[psling]

Of course as riders cant even stick to the rules they are meant to follow during the events there's little chance of them sticking to the rules about getting there, they'll just drive anyway and say they came on the train

Indeed. And some will comply and arrive by train from the next station up the line having driven further to get there than they would have to the actual start!

Stu, I think you're going to have to give us a clue to the start and finish stations so we have a better idea of the logistics of it all

[benconnolli]

I am for it in principle. Different starts and ends would be on the positive side of neutral. There are other more important factors in attracting me to an event.

I do back this movement against cars. We cannot control everything, but if everyone who cares enough takes positive action then the commercial pressure builds and a critical mass will be reached. It is important that everyone considers the public transport offered to them, if they discover it is ace then they will use it more, if it does not satisfy their needs then we can complain or vote for alternatives. Regular journeys, and unnecessary journeys do contribute more miles than the once a year holiday events, but these event organisers cannot influence those journeys. It matters what you compare something to. Driving from Scotland to Wales is better than flying to the Bahamas but, if trying to get from Scotland to Wales by train kick starts that greater awareness and affects those regular journeys then it is a good thing.