wrote:
In article ,
(Paul Corfield) wrote:
It is usually possible for the public to cross at defined crossing
points until about 60-90 minutes before the race arrives. An advance
processsion of sponsors' vehicles runs ahead of the main race. I would
expect bus routes to be split so they run in sections either side of
crossing points with people transferring via pedestrian crossings. Yes
it will be a pain but if it is done properly it should work.
That happened in Putney High St during the Olympic cycle races in 2012. i
went to the women's race. What surprised me was the huge number of motor
vehicles accompanying the cycles. They seemed to be never ending, before and
after the cyclists passed. There seemed to be an interminable wait to cross
when the race was returning from Box Hill because they were so spread out.
I invite anyone who finds this all so life-changingly inconvenient *not* to
come to live on the Isle of Man, because by then end of TT an apoplexy
induced heart attack is guaranteed ;-).
(The Snaefell Mountain Railway operates as Paul C describes, with the
trains running as normal (which is to say, in creaky and death defying
fashion) as far as Bungalow, where you have to get off and cross the
mountain road/racecourse using the footbridge to join a shuttle service up
to the top.)
Of course, there are other accommodations the island can make that may not
be available, like running additional commuter services on the Steam
Railway to ferry people whose normal travel is disrupted. Maybe Boris
could appeal to local heritage steam traction engine owners to put on
something similar. Or maybe people should just do what almost everyone
does here and realise that life is about more than the daily grind, and an
opportunity to stand outside in the sun, drink a cold beer, meet people
you'd never normally meet, and to cap it all get to watch some entertaining
sport is worth more for your longterm wellbeing than worrying about
ambulance response times*.
* in fairness ambulance response times are actually rather important during
TT for spectators as well as riders, if you're standing in the wrong place
at the wrong time. But the TdF is a little less deadly on the whole.