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Traffic Offence – Thanks Feilding Police

Despite the current ‘cost of living challenges’ facing all community events, Bike Manawatu is 100% committed to ensuring the 51st year of the Novice Tour – once again provides a safe, fun, competitive cycle racing event.
 

We will adopt a high-quality assured approach in implementing the Local Roading Authority’s/Cycling New Zealand’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) standards which ensure best practices and rider and spectator safety.

 

If the level of community funding secured is not sufficient to contract in external road management service providers with the ability to stop/go traffic, the Novice Tour will proceed on a ‘local club racing’ model, whereby our team of trained/experienced road marshals will, where necessary, pause racing in order to give way to traffic and ensure rider safety. 

 

Although funding  external road management services with the ability to stop/go traffic is ideal, if this is not feasible – we are confident that the event’s ‘Safe Traffic Management System’ (STMS) will provide a competitive, fair, enjoyable and importantly safe racing environment.  

 

Irrespective of which model of traffic management/racing is finalised, as with all CNZ/Bike Manawatu events, normal road rules will apply and a full rider briefing confirming the event rules will be provided to all riders prior to the start of each race. 

Feilding  PoliceOur Wednesday morning group had been repeatedly harassed on Sandon Road by the driver of a dark green Honda Civic.

He would drive past us very closely while sounding his horn. On the 22nd of May he took this one step further, by stopping in front of us to hurl verbal abuse. (It did look like he was going to get out of his car, but thought better of this, since there were 11 cyclists in our group.) He then made to drive off, but slammed on his brakes causing me to ride into the back of his car.

The Feilding Police have been very good and ticketed the driver for “Operating a vehicle in a manner likely to cause annoyance” which carries a $600 fine.

I just thought that if more motorists were ticketed for this offence, when harassing cyclists, it would ultimately (with the resulting publicity) make the roads a safer place for all of us.

Feilding Police