P-plater caught towing cyclist

[Aeek]

On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:24:26 +1100, Rob <[email protected]> wrote:

>Theo Bekkers wrote:
>> So the cyclist holding onto the Le Tour team support car would be breaking
>> the law, with a billion people watching?

>Closed road - they can do what they want

http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2007/interviews/?id=rochelle_gilmore07

"Moments later the Italian team car pulled up along side me with the
mechanic hanging out the window, pretending to adjust my seat. The car
started to accelerate up to and over 80km/hr, chasing the convoy of
cars ahead.

I looked down and realized that my wheels were not even touching the
ground - I think I squealed! Only the Italians would do such a thing!"

 

[Richard Sherratt]

On Sat, 17 Feb 2007 11:22:52 +1100, Aeek <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Fri, 16 Feb 2007 14:24:26 +1100, Rob <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Theo Bekkers wrote:
>>> So the cyclist holding onto the Le Tour team support car would be breaking
>>> the law, with a billion people watching?
>
>>Closed road - they can do what they want
>
>http://www.cyclingnews.com/riders/2007/interviews/?id=rochelle_gilmore07
>
>"Moments later the Italian team car pulled up along side me with the
>mechanic hanging out the window, pretending to adjust my seat. The car
>started to accelerate up to and over 80km/hr, chasing the convoy of
>cars ahead.
>
>I looked down and realized that my wheels were not even touching the
>ground - I think I squealed! Only the Italians would do such a thing!"

Sometimes they do crazy stuff even when the road isn't closed. The
following is from a friend who was riding with a European team last
year. Part of an early-season training session in Italy.

<quote>
On Wednesday we got up at 8 30 and ate as much breakfast as our
bellies would hold, jumped on our bikes and descended the mountain for
a five hour training session. We rode through some of the most
exquisit scenery on earth.

We also rode along the highways. Highways with tunnels. Pitch-black,
dark tunnels that go for a kilometer or more. Major trucking routes.
Downhill.

Now picture a ******** squad of women cyclists happily spinning away.
No lights on their bikes, no body armour, nothing. Surely they
wouldn't enter a big, dark tunnel?

Think again. The speed limit was 70km/hr, but the electronic speed
marker registered 85km/hr for the truck we were drafting. I have never
been so **** scared in all my life. I'm not afraid of heights, or
spiders or anything. Except dark tunnels. And I couldn't stop, because
there were bikes and cars and trucks behind us. To stop would mean
sudden death for me, and possibly the rider behind me. Visibility was
about 3 meters or less. And it wasn't just one tunnel we speed
through, but three! I don't think I actually screamed or anything, but
when we finally pulled up I was shaking like a leaf in the autumn
breeze, and I could smell the adrenaline in my own sweat. I wanted to
cry and vomit and throttle the manager all at once.

I did none of the above, of course. But I did make my feelings known
later that evening. And there have been no tunnels since. I'm glad we
understand each other.
</quote>

--
Regards.
Richard.

 

[hippy]

Think again. The speed limit was 70km/hr, but the electronic speed
marker registered 85km/hr for the truck we were drafting. I have never

Didn't Cippo get done for speeding on a public road a few years ago?
It think he was drafting his coach's car or something over 70kph to working on his high speed finishing, obviously.

hippy

 

[PiledHigher]

Down by Law: Cipo gets a ticket...On his bike!
By Tim Maloney, European Editor

Italian traffic cops are not that well known for their stringent
enforcement of the law, but yesterday on the so-called superstrada, a
divided highway from Livorno to Florence, the long arm of the law
caught up with World Champion Mario Cipollini. Making final training
preparations for his 2003 season debut at Trofeo Luis Puig this
weekend, Cipollini & his faithful leadout man Mario "Avvocato" Scirea
were motorpacing behind a Smart car driven as usual by Cipo's faithful
mechanic Roberto "Carube" Lencioni.

As the Mario & Mario show streaked by the PolStrada (Italy's version
of the Highway Patrol) at almost 90/km per hour on their way to the
Cascina exit, the PolStrada boys hopped in their blue Alfa 156 station
wagon, did a 180 and hit the gumball lights, pulling Mario, Mario &
Carube over at the Lavoria exit. They weren't speeding, since the
limit on that stretch of superstrada is 110km/h, but bicycles simply
are not allowed on the limited access road, not even Cipo!

Although the police seemed somewhat embarrassed by the situation, they
still had their quota to meet before the lunch break and a steaming
bowl of spaghetti, so both Marios were fined 63 euros each for use of
a "mezzo non idoneo" (means of transport not permitted). The PolStrada
boys were not too harsh on Cipo. "We're sorry to have to do this, but
it's our job." said the cops, and suggested that next time Cipo wanted
to use the superstrada, he should request the OK of the regional
office of the PolStrada.

This isn't the first time that Cipo has almost been busted for
speeding on his bike; at last years Ghent-Wevelgem, he tripped the
radar cameras at over 50km/h in the centre of Ostend, Belgium.
Instantly recognizable, the Bruges prosecutor wanted to give Cipo a
fine of 100 euros for speeding, but the Belgian Justice Minister
intervened and Cipo walked. Mario is hoping the Spanish police won't
bust him for speeding in the final sprint at Puig, where the World
Champ is looking to notch his first win of the 2003 season.