2011-07-16/17 Sat/Sun - Dunwich Dynamo DD19

This - I knew someone was doing it on purpose!

I'd love to do it again but don't think I could keep up with you guys.
im with you!!! Im too slow for everyone else

At the beginning of the ride, I attached a half empty tube of those things to my bike. Then the bottom popped off and proceeded to distribute them all over the first 500m. What a waste. Bet they looked really good too.

if its the scenery why are we doing it at night?

just struck myself and jimmy that it would be preferable to just get home at the end of a ride.

part of the reason why sportive events don't really excite me is that I enjoy club rides more. feedstops do not seem essential if you stock up and are prepared to go to service stations etc if need be

Southwark Cyclists have received several concerning emails from local residents after this year's ride. Excerpts from these below.

I am aware that the people who are most likely to make noise, drop litter etc. are the least likely to be connected to any kind of group or forum such as lfgss or club, but remain optimistic we can all continue to nudge behaviour towards a more civilised direction.

It would be really sad if the actions of an inconsiderate few jeopardised the ride going forward...

"You just don't get it do you? Minority of ignorant, loud, selfish idiots on their annual disturbance of the Suffolk countryside.

There is now quite an active group emerging to prevent this from happening again. Suffolk isn't Southwark. You don't have to shout at 3am to make yourself heard. It's quiet and sound travels quite a distance.

We have regular cycle runs through our villages and they are usually respectful, keep to the protocols of cycling on B roads. However, once a year, the Southwarkcyclists ruin the reputation of the sport. I do hope you are really proud of what you are doing and will seriously consider controlling this event?"

"From 3.30 to 6.30 we were subjected to groups of at one time up to 30 people congregating yards from our window. No effort was made to keep the noise down and no thought was given to people living in the nearby properties. At one point (3.45am)we had a group of middle aged men picnicking on the zebra crossing immediately under our bedroom window. They seemed to find it amusing when I complained!!!" - I have the photo.

"A lot more consideration needs to be given to those who live along the section of the route covered in the early hours of the morning, to offer reassurances that there will not be a repetition of this antisocial behaviour in future years. Specifically I would request that the route issued to participants stipulates that this site is not used as a stopping point, particularly as 2 minutes further on the route, at Needham Lake, there is a picnic area with benches, toilets and importantly no residential properties in the immediate vicinity. Some signage and/or wardening to reinforce this point would also be appreciated."

Oh dear :-(

^^ i saw alot of this. unfortunately with so many participants it's inevitable unless there is a bit more of a clear message from the before it happens. i also cycled past many empty gel packets and depleted glowsticks which was a shame. i should have picked them up but there were quite a lot throughout the route.

Meh. I had my used gel packets stowed in my jersey pockets. Isn't hard.

^^ i saw alot of this. unfortunately with so many participants it's inevitable unless there is a bit more of a clear message from the before it happens. i also cycled past many empty gel packets and depleted glowsticks which was a shame. i should have picked them up but there were quite a lot throughout the route.

Messages were sent out across our e-group, the forum and elsewhere but since it's not a ride one has to register for it's just not possible to get the message out to everyone who does the ride. Plus it's a shame to have to wag fingers about matters which are for most of us just common sense and courtesy.

Sorry to have to taint the tone of this thread.

it's to be expected to be honest, but it is a ride that happen once a year, every 365 days, part of me understand the resident concern but at the same time they knew about the Dunwich ride, and it's on a Saturday night rather than a working day, thousands of people is obviously going to make noise as they passes a village at 3am.

least there's no thumb tack incident I heard about last year.

Theres going to be noise but people need to be considerate.

Throwing wrappers on the road is seriously uncool.. I want to think it's just people accidentally losing it in the breeze but that's probably naive.

It's dark, no-one will see you, fuck em.

I think that is how it goes.

I finished with a pocket full of empty wrappers as I always do. I like to think I am in the majority not the minority/moronity.

Aside from asking people to sign a citizenship charter when selling a coach ticket (no dropping litter, no congregating in villages in the small hours etc.), I struggle to see how much more Southwark could do.

wrapper is just bad, I too have the same amount of wrapper when I left, abet my racktop bag smell a bit of yogurt as I couldn't diposed of it properly.

But yes, when people stopping for a picnic, it's not hard to be quiet.

and there are never drunk fuckwits making noise in these villages?

I should add that we I did also receive dozens of emails from very happy riders and the odd one from pleased residents, such as this only yesterday:

"Thank you so much for the consideration shown by the cyclists this  year when cycling through sleeping villages - didn't hear a thing!   After previous years disturbances I was all set to move into the spare  room at the back for the night -  but forgot and didn't notice  that you'd all been and gone.  I'm sure it's an exciting experience and  it's a pity to have it spoilt for the courteous majority by the yobbish  behaviour of an insensitive minority.  Much appreciated - long may it  continue!"

We did encounter some right ineptly in villages after a heavy night of bling bling drinking.

and there are never drunk fuckwits making noise in these villages?

Touche!

Although I agree that no-one should be littering or causing undue noise, there is a certain amount of 'nimby' in these comments. I didn't see any behaviour that I would see as poor enough to complain about.

I'll agree, the only behaviour I'd be complaining about is merely certain people treating it like a race and almost knocked me off while doing so.

and there are never drunk fuckwits making noise in these villages?

Whilst fixing a puncture @ 2am as quietly as possible I suddenly realised I was surrounded by drunk peds who insisted asking me repeatedly "are you the one that told us to fuck off?" at the tops of their voices.

Oddly enough they were quite jovial about it (under normal circumstances I would expect that sort of comment to be a potential pre cursor to some ultra-violence!). However, it did occur to me that a casual observer would probably have seen my bike and assumed it was just more "noisy and inconsiderate cyclists" despite there being 10 bikeless people doing all the shouting!*

Somebody probably did tell them to fuck off though

*Not implying this was DJ ;)

Its gone from being one or two coaches back, the last time I did it , to 6 coaches . Perhaps some of this in inevitable , but if it is not managed carefully then we could have the Suffolk Police express an interest in the event . Perhaps next year some "guidance" to particpants might be needed.

Alternatively, one could involve the villagers more in the event itself . Perhaps a WI tea stall?

Going through one inbred village we saw the orange masses leaving a pub or similar, there was a fight kicking off, and very loud screeching.

Its gone from being one or two coaches back, the last time I did it , to 6 coaches . Perhaps some of this in inevitable , but if it is not managed carefully then we could have the Suffolk Police express an interest in the event . Perhaps next year some "guidance" to particpants might be needed.

Alternatively, one could involve the villagers more in the event itself . Perhaps a WI tea stall?

In our wash up meeting tonight we discussed just such things :)
Watch this space...

We do in fact tell the police about it each year but little interest is ever shown.

Perhaps a hand out given out wit the Route Sheets. Appealin for quiet and not to litter ?
Put some "Quite Please" signs out on the approach to villages, esp those that S.C. know complaints have come from ?

Its gone from being one or two coaches back, the last time I did it , to 6 coaches . Perhaps some of this in inevitable , but if it is not managed carefully then we could have the Suffolk Police express an interest in the event . Perhaps next year some "guidance" to particpants might be needed.

Alternatively, one could involve the villagers more in the event itself . Perhaps a WI tea stall?

15 sc coaches this year!

Sudbury has a Cycle Club who might be worth contacting . The Essex police are supportive of cycle racing; they run the accredited marshall scheme, so might also be worth liasing with.

Which county complains the most ?