Tour of Britain 2022

[Basil]

Bugger.

[rafletcher]

Police resource is a major driver. Not many motorbike police left, especially those qualified for escort duties.

Yeah, but really, we don't have enough to spare a few for the race? Convenient excuse methinks. Can't be seen to be enjoying frivolous stuff like bike racing when such a national disaster has occurre.

The funeral's not for 10 days, why are they needed now? Arse.

[Captain Nemo]

Not a police resource issue, just (as LWaB says) a nutty country.

ToB is not the only casualty: The Last Night of the Proms (not many police bikes there) has been cancelled, Radio 4 Extra (which they "forgot" to switch back until a day after most of the BBC went back to normal after Phil the Greek's death) is just carrying Radio 4 in mourning. Doubt we're going to get the first of the new series of the News Quiz on Radio 4 tonight (and probably not next Friday too). Just wait until the footie is cancelled this weekend, then the masses will rise up...

[MattH]

In this case I take exception the nutty country claim.There really aren't many police bikers left, and few of them are qualified for escort work. They are needed for duties moving stuff and people around. Some left the hotel last night, others first thing this morning, such was the need for them. They didn't jump back on their bikes for the fun of it after a long day on the saddle.

The race takes about 30 of them. You can't pull in inexperienced police for the race as it's so different to anything else, and very, very fast. Skills are honed over years, and new members are weaned in.

You can see what happens when things go wrong even with the top team in place. I don't believe anyone in the race organisation (including the police) wanted it to be cancelled, but there was no safe work around.

[IanDG]

Not a police resource issue, just (as LWaB says) a nutty country.

ToB is not the only casualty: The Last Night of the Proms (not many police bikes there) has been cancelled, Radio 4 Extra (which they "forgot" to switch back until a day after most of the BBC went back to normal after Phil the Greek's death) is just carrying Radio 4 in mourning. Doubt we're going to get the first of the new series of the News Quiz on Radio 4 tonight (and probably not next Friday too). Just wait until the footie is cancelled this weekend, then the masses will rise up...

Today's EFL games already cancelled I believe.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

What a nutty country. Should all subjects be dressed in black forevermore like an Italian widow?

She was your Head of State too, like it or not. You lot should have been better at voting for a change.

Goes off to find the Barmy Army song. Enjoys playing it.

Quite correct. I look forward to a change of opinion regarding monarchy generally, now that a Right Charlie is in charge.

[Captain Nemo]

Sorry Matt, in no way did I mean to denegrate the fantastic job you guys do. Re-reading my post I see there is a word missing - should have been "not just a policing issue". Safety always has to come first.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Nice to know that a country of >60 million has allowed sufficient police capacity that 30 motorcyclists make the difference. Government beancounters have been very efficient.

[Redlight]

What a nutty country. Should all subjects be dressed in black forevermore like an Italian widow?

She was your Head of State too, like it or not. You lot should have been better at voting for a change.

Goes off to find the Barmy Army song. Enjoys playing it.

Quite correct. I look forward to a change of opinion regarding monarchy generally, now that a Right Charlie is in charge.

Be careful what you wish for. The hereditary principle, etc., is clearly ludicrous, but would we really want an elected (political) head of state while the likes of Johnson still crawl across the earth?

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Regicide is somehow seen as worse than political assassination.

[rafletcher]

What a nutty country. Should all subjects be dressed in black forevermore like an Italian widow?

She was your Head of State too, like it or not. You lot should have been better at voting for a change.

Goes off to find the Barmy Army song. Enjoys playing it.

Quite correct. I look forward to a change of opinion regarding monarchy generally, now that a Right Charlie is in charge.

Be careful what you wish for. The hereditary principle, etc., is clearly ludicrous, but would we really want an elected (political) head of state while the likes of Johnson still crawl across the earth?

The Dutch seem to manage a monarchy without too much sycophancy.

[MattH]

It's a shame we are where we are with the number of police bikes, but general change in policing and attitudes towards health and safety (it's a very dangerous job - do we need someone on a bike when they could be in a car?) mean there are relatively few compared to what there was.
 
But as I'm people will appreciate, no-one taking the decisions yesterday was thinking "hooray - we have an excuse to do some virtue signalling and get out of doing a few more days of racing". Everyone involved in taking that decision would have wanted it to go ahead; they've got time, money and emotion invested in the race happening.

[Asterix, the former Gaul.]

Watched the last stage of the race in Edwinstowe at a convenient pub on a sharp bend.  I was most impressed by the bike handling skills as they took the bend.  I mean the police motorcycles, the first two cyclists and the peloton were going much too fast to see what was happening (as usual) but I guess they were pretty good as it was a tricky bend and no one fell off.  Then we heard the Queen died and that was it.

[giropaul]

A fair few of the National Escort Group ( who are also on the big races) are ex- police.

I understand that escorting in the way that bike races, and also official National events, is a particular skill and training.
In the days of the Milk Race I was told that the Police used these events as training and practice for more serious jobs around National Security- moving military equipment safety around the country etc.

[Flite]

Worries about policing are now actually affecting football matches!

[Peter]

Yes, and Roy Keane doesn't even play nowadays.