AUTUMN WINTER 1999
OQ HUNT FOR NEW NATIONAL SECRETARY OQ WORTLEY HALL BOOKING DETAILS OQ STUART WALLERS TOUR DE FRANCE
OQ EASTER MEET RESULTS
GOOD BYE
As you turn to the first page of the magazine most of you will be expecting to read A Message From The Secretary. After many years of hard work and dedication to the Club lan Clarke has now resigned from the National Committee as he explains in his own words below:
“After 18 years on committee and 8 years as Secretary feel that wish to take a lengthy break from the organisational side of the Clarion and will resign with immediate effect.
The Clarion has been an important part of my life for 25 years and will continue to be. would like to have more time to train before become a ‘vet’ and more time to give to Rebecca (my girlfriend).
The Clarion is now the strongest that have known it since joining the committee in 1980 and the committee is the most youthful, forward thinking and positive that have ever seen.
am now looking forward to attending Clarion events and being able to fully enjoy them as a member, see you soon.
lan”.
lam sure that you will join the National Committee in thanking lan for everything that he has done for the Club and wish him well in all his endeavours.
Your section Secretary will have received a letter explaining the above and asking for nominations for a new National Secretary. Nominations should be submitted to the committee at Wortley Hall, so get your thinking caps on.
Whilst on the subject of National Secretary thanks should go to Antonia
Whitaker of the Nottingham Section who is ‘caretaking’ until Wortley Hall.
Page 2 AUTUMN 7 WINTER 1999
Who am I? Well, my name is Tracey Auty and am the new editor of Boots Spurs. belong to Nottingham Section where am Social Secretary and Minutes Secretary. As a regular at Easter Meets and Wortley Hall some of you will know my name and face and for those of you who don’t this is me!
do not race, (although do potter about on my trike), but am a time keeper and when not required on time keeping duties, marshall, teas maid and anything else that needs doing Jack of all Trades.
As do not race do not attend all events so am relying on you to keep me informed of results and reports on events. would also like any funny photos, anecdotes, jokes, stories and if you are not sure if they are suitable send them to me anyway and I'll let you know. can be contacted in the following ways:
Address 68 Park View Court, Bath Street, Nottingham, NGI IDE
Tel OI15 959 8093 E-mail tracey@tracey.u-net.com
hope to do as good a job as lan did so look forward to hearing from you all soon.
AUTUMN J WINTER 1999 Page 8
WORTLEY HALL 29th 30th October 1999
ATTENTION
This year the booking of Wortley Hall is done differently from previous years. It is up to each individual or nominated person in each Section to book their own accommodation directly with Wortley Hall, (Not via Brian Ann Birchill).
Rooms may be booked via the telephone (01 14) 2882100 or in writing Wortley Hall, Wortley, Nr Sheffield, Yorkshire, $35 7DB.
The last date for booking is Ist October 1999 and a deposit of £10.00 per person is required. Prior to leaving on the Sunday lunch time you will pay Wortley Hall direct as opposed to Brian Ann Birchill.
Prices per person are:
Friday to Sunday Lunch
Sharing En-suite £66.75 Sharing Standard £53.25 Single En-Suite £74.75 Single Standard £61.25
Saturday to Sunday Lunch
Sharing En-suite £42.00 Sharing Standard £35.25 Single En-suite £46.00 Single Standard £39.25
The following information needs to be given to Wortley Hall when booking: Whether you want one night or two (and which nights).
2. What kind of room you want i.e. single en-suite.
3. The names of the people and who is sharing a room
with whom. 4. And obviously that you are with the Clarion.
Page 4 AUTUMN J WINTER 1999
Please note that all rooms reserved must be paid for unless at least seven days notice is given regarding changes/cancellation.
ENTERTAINMENT
As you will have read in the Spring ‘99 issue of Boots Spurs I, (Tracey Auty), am organising the entertainment's side of the weekend. It is my intention that you are issued with a programme of events which includes activities, meal times and their locations.
have got both the usual activities planned, i.e. club run, and a few different ones. But there is still room in the programme for any suggestions of activities that you would like to do. If you have any suggestions please get in touch with me, (details are on page 2).
Do not panic do not intend to fill your whole weekend up, there is still lots of drinking time!
GREETINGS FROM CANADA
An ex-Clarionette who now lives in Canada saw Nottingham Clarion’s website and sent them an e-mail. As you will read he is eager to receive news so why not drop him a line?
Hi Cyclists
I was very pleased to see your homepage as I used to be a Clarion member. Let me start by wishing you all Seasons Greetings from Sarnia Canada. used to ride 10’s and 25’s also have the start sheet from an Easter Meet rode in the early 50’s when I| rode an ozgear in a Buxton time trial. Used to do much of my riding in Derbyshire, Hostelling, Hartington, Ilam Hall, Dovedale, Dimmingsdale. How many members do your have? Does anyone do any Hostelling, Tea places, Annual Hillclimb? did a little in Canada to Flat where we are. Would like to hear about cycling in the old haunts.
Fraternally Yours James John Welsh {Jim} jjwelsh@csource.net
AUTUWN 7 WINTER 1999 Page 8
ROTATOR CUFF JOB
A hospital experience from Pete Morris of the Nottingham section, and its effect on his evening 10 time, (Don't read it whilst eating your tea).
“Selina”
“Yes Derek?”
“Are you all right in there?”
“Yes thank you”
“Oh! Okay”
There then followed a pause of about ten seconds, then: “Selena”
“Now what Derek?”
“You sure you're okay?”
“Yes thank you, why?”
“Well, his birth certificate says he’s 67, but ‘willy’ thinks he’s about 40!”
This conversation took place between the guy in the next bed and the staff nurse who had decided that twenty-four hours was long enough to wait before bathing me after some quite serious surgery to repair a torn tendon in my left ‘good’ shoulder. Those of you who know me will be aware that have an artificial right hand and forearm, so that one result of the surgery was that was more or less totally incapacitated. Not quite totally, because was allowed enough freedom in the hand and wrist to be able to feed myself, provided that the table was at a convenient height for me when sitting down.
How did come to be in this state? Well, according to my consultant surgeon, the damage was done in March 1993 when crashed on a preseason training ride and broke three ribs and apparently tore the tendon which left a 3 cm2 hole therein. “But don’t worry”, was his diagnosis “I can repair this”. The repair necessitates opening the muscles of the shoulder, sewing together the torn edges of the tendon, closing the wound in the shoulder, and finally mounting the whole limb on an ‘abduction splint’ or ‘flying wing’, an apparatus described by one senior member of the Physiotherapy Department as the most diabolical and murderous instrument of torture known to man. It consists of a large, light alloy frame, well padded, which is strapped tightly to your torso from
Page 6 AUTUWIN J WINTER 1999
the hip to just below the shoulders. It then projects about a foot in front of your face, the arm is strapped to it to immobilise it completely and there it stays for six weeks until the repair has begun to heal.
After this six week period the sling is removed and rehabilitation begins, starting with gently stretching and turning the arm and wrist but soon moving on to more vigorous exercises designed to mobilise and strengthen the limb, which seemed to have lost most of the muscle and all of it’s strength, so that lifting just a cup of tea was a major effort. Some three months after surgery when things are beginning to get better, one is also beginning to doubt whether this surgery was a good idea, physio is so intensive the paid is excruciating but a last you’re noticing a difference.
Six months have now passed and the return to the hospital for the checkup is upon us. Everyone in the clinic is pleased with my progress, the surgeon states that, were not on the research programme he would have discharged me, the research therapist says, after a series of tests, that a score of 81 is as near perfect as a man of my age and after this surgery is ever going to get, so out come the bike and in a club evening 10 have my first competitive ride for a year, resulting in a modest 36.05, but this is in fact a minute and thirteen seconds faster than my last event some twelve months earlier and what’s more important is the fact that the shoulder, for the first time in 6 years is completely pain free.
AUTULIN 7 WINTER 1999 Page 7
AMERICAN CYCLISTS OTHER WEIRD PEOPLE
More observations of an ex-pat as Doug Clark gets some things off his chest. Number three in a series of at least three.
It took me a long time to realise that the sun-tanned guys who pull $5000 carbon-fiber monocoques from their cars and don $300 Oakleys aren’t necessarily the blokes should fear the most. It eventually became apparent that their suntans were gained on a beach in the Caribbean, not pounding up and down the pothole punctuated highways of New Jersey, whilst their bikes would be worth only a tenth the value of their BMW's. firmly believe that anyone whose car is worth more than four times the price of their bike is not sufficiently dedicated to the sport and should take up dominoes. Now that you've just applied this test to yourself you either have a warm glow or you're thinking, “Who's this socialist to tell me how much to spend on my car, lets see what else he’s got to say”.
Now that we have dwindled the readership down to ‘proper cyclists’ we can talk about the issues which affect only the people who are willing to drag themselves out of bed at something past five to put themselves through a race which they know they won't win and where the first prize is only 30% more than the entry fee.
An occurrence most cyclists here come across regularly is the ‘fat ignorant baseball fan phenomenon’, where you turn up somewhere with a bike whilst wearing cycling clothes. ‘So you ‘re a cyclist then?” asks the local. You look down at your apparel and your trusty steed as if seeking confirmation before responding affirmatively. “Have you ever done the Tour de France?” he inquires between burger bites. Upon your answer he furthers the interrogation “So you're not very good then?” Given that he would never be able to comprehend how the maximum speed in your last race was faster than his pick-up will do with a favourable tailwind, you resort to explaining how only the top 3 or 4 people in your country ever get to ride The Tour. “So our whole country sucks at cycling then, at least we'll always have the World Series Champions” he exclaims before waddling back to the burger joint.
Likewise, as a triathlete, also observe the pot-bellied pseudo-stationary bloke in the local pool who can’t tell the difference between any of us plouhing up and down or Duncan Goodhew doing a quick 10 km before breakfast. Two or three times his speed, it makes no difference. He asks “Are you training for the Olympics young fella?” You could reply “No, its the New Jersey Masters 30-34
Page AUTUMN J WINTER 1999
yrs Men’s Outdoor Long Course 1500 metres Champs next Sunday, so long as its not raining, I’m hoping to come ninety seventh, now get your kick out of my lane”. However, instead you tell him you're afflicted with a terminal illness called triathletism, and that his breaststroke kick is coming along
nicely.
I’m sure that runners also experience this ‘naive public phenomenon’, but alas this is something have yet to witness. Whilst running, Joe Public is more likely to inquire as to what horrific trauma caused me to run like a rusting robot than wanting to know how many marathons I’ve won this year.
Next to the nativity of the American public, my pet hat is their stupidity. Worse than the diagonal pool swimmer is the motorist who assumes that the relative speed of the cyclist approximates to zero, so he can pull out in his three ton sports utility without a care in the world. The vehicle is always immaculate, never having used its 300 hp to venture into any mud, although the rear panel does have a dent of a suspiciously similar shape to a cyclists helmet. However, it was the driver of a regular one ton car who managed to incur my greatest wrath, or at least he would have done had not been unconscious. New Jersey is the state you're most likely to get knocked off in due to the Ambulance chasing lawyers and plastic surgeons advertising in the local shoppers mart.
One facial reconstruction, a titanium cheekbone, and several visits to the local law offices later soon hope to face my under-observant friend at his ‘dangerous driving’ case. ‘Stupid Driving’ is not a charge in the US, though in his defence guess he could always claim “But what would you expect, I’m an American!”
If these observations don’t convince you that you're training in a better country than America, bear in mind that there are fat pedantic chain smoking serialdonut-eaters (also known as cops) hiding behind every third tree praying on cyclists innocently going about their interval training. Unlike British police, these are Neanderthal cyclist haters. Their idea of environmentally friendly travel consists of them not having to waste petrol and donut eating time setting up road blocks to stop cyclists whose only crime was to ride up the inside of stationary traffic to get to the front of the queue at the lights. That roadblock was one of many experiences Last year that convinced me you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to join the local police force. “What do you think you were doing?” asked the rotund er officer. “About 26 mph” replied, not realising that with two million people currently in US jails, there must be good few who are in simply because they grossly over-estimated the sense of humour of the man with a gun in one hand and a donut in the other.
AUTUMN 7 WINTER 1999 Page 9
ODE FROM A PUZZLED BOLTON CLARION MUM
can’t understand this cycling game
d to be fun and cheap ‘lomes home with gadgets He simply must have
t the club (with tongue in
It’s suppose Every week he
To complete a
I've got bike
We already take the dog Suitcases, clothing, towels and the like ride in the back seat and keep turning round To see if we have still got the bike
I've met the people he rides with Such lovely people (“who never get cross”) But he'll have to do some
overtime Because he could have
bought
A Rolls Royce!
How many wives and mothers can identify with that?
He comes home completely knackered Say’s he’s had a great time Then promptly falls asleep Says he'll clear things away in awhile
With aching limbs he then gets uP
With hosepipe and wi “Just wash and iron my {t's all for the sake of the club
5 in the house and the garage
Spare parts, some new and Every conceivable bike bag
Just in case he ha
s
He's now bought a rack for the car Says he simply must take it When on holiday we go In case he wants to ride try to say No, No, No
cheek)
ater and mud hings Mum”
some spent
to take a tent
oD E TO THE TURBO TRAINER
The season's alread
So who is the frien started, and still you need speed
id you you turn to, that rusty old steed
It stands there i ere in the gare especi. ‘age just waiti Pecially when its raining, and ii be revved, lying in bed.
You need the extra
a. spe For a minute off ou Peed and also the endurance
ti iscipli me, disciplines your stance.
Chest strap on an
id the Your best time last heart monitor is ticking,
ear, wil year, will sure take some licking.
he heart rate the legs are a blur. IS Up, gS Ju
At the computer an nonitor you coi ‘omput tinue to stare. Pp and i
Eighty per cent, ninet
But the legs and Y Per cent, the heart rate goes well
he mu: iscles are beginning to swell
Turn u P the stereo, block out the pai in,
ier: the standard, you're trying to a
Tony Bolton Clarion
Page 10
AUTUMN 7 WINTER 1999
RESULT OF THE 33 MILE EASTER TIME TRIAL
D1/33 Saturday 03/04/99
Ist Fastest 2nd Fastest 3rd Fastest Ist Clarion 2nd Clarion 3rd Clarion Ist Team 2nd Team 3rd Team Full Result
Name I A Shaw 2 T McFaydon 3 G Williams 4 G Jones 5 D Langlands 6 D Hewitt 7 N Owen 8 A Bradley 9 T Howard 10 AJ Ward M Smith 12 R Barton 13 D Smith 14 W Owen 15 Clarke 16 M Ball 17 D Armstrong 18 D Williams 19 J Royle 20 B Jones 21 C Davies 22 S Waller 23 A Norton 24 M Evans 25 D Fernley 26 D Thomas 27 F Jefferson 28 G Fennick
The winners of the Fancy Dress Competition were
A Shaw T McFaydon G Williams
D Langlands D Hewitt M Smith
CR Mona Holyhead cc Fenland
Club
CR Mona Harlech Whls Holyhead cc
Fenland Clarion Stockport Clarion CR Mona Holyhead cc Holyhead cc
CR Mona
Nottm Clarion Crewe Clarion Nottm Clarion Menai (Bangor) Fenland Clarion Fenland Clarion Stockport Clarion Holyhead cc Fenland Clarion CR Mona
CR Mona
Nottm Clarion Stockport Clarion Stockport Clarion Menai (Bangor) CR Mona
Bury Clarion London Clarion
Kirsty Straker Sharon Rooney AUTUWIN 7 WINTER 1999
CR Mona Harlech Holyhead
Fenland Stockport Nottingham
3,8+9
Cat
JUN JUN
1.16.59 1.18.13 1.20.02
1.22.16 1.24.29 1.28.27
4.03.59 4.10.50 4.28.01
Time
1.16.59 1.18.13 1.20.02 1.22.04 1.22.16 1.24.29 1.24.56 1.24.58 1.25.50 1.27.32 1.28.27 1.31.04 1.31.12 1.32.32 1.32.46 1.32.59 1.33.43 1.33.49 1.34.32 1.34.38 1.35.32 1.35.34 1.39.49 1.39.56 1.41.24 1.42.23 1.49.02 2.02.42
Page 17
MARIAN LAMB 1919 1997
At Wortley Hall last year, when was asked to unveil Marian’s portrait, apart from being too much surprised to think straight, was also very much touched. When pulled off the cloth which covered it and saw Marian as had known her at our first meeting, it was a very moving moment.
If had had my wits about me, would have said a few well-chosen words about Marian’s life in the Club, but didn’t! Later a young lady told me that most of her generation wouldn’t have recognised Marian from the portrait and had the first idea of trying to write down some of my memories of Marian just for the younger members and just for the record.
first knew her when was eighteen and she was thirteen years older. remember her as generous with her welcome of a new member, much younger than herself. Marian was a laid-back person who never paraded her many kindnesses but was always ready to lend an ear, or a meal, or a bed, or anything else which might be needed. You would never have called her ‘Motherly’ but nevertheless she did mother the racing boys at a discouraging, freezing Easter Meet in Durham in 1951, when nobody wanted to get out of bed, let alone at 6 am to ride the ‘K.H. on the Sunday morning.
Marian was well-read and could make a contribution to almost any conversation. She was educated at Fairfield High School in Droylsden, which was situated in Fairfield Square and belonged to the Moravian Church. The religion didn’t rub off but the education certainly did! She shared Harold’s political views totally but was rarely moved to air those views. Harold, on the other hand, always had plenty to say at meetings and politics were his religion. remember Harold, on his hind legs, fulminating against something or other, at almost every Clarion meeting ever attended. In fact, the two people regarded, in my youth, as being more formidable than Attila the Hun, were Harold and Jim Staker from Yorkshire. came to know them both, as kind, thoughtful and generous with their friendship.
104, Birch Lane, where Marian Harold lived was always ‘open house’ for meetings or for friends from further afield to spend a night or two. My husband, Bob, who was in the London Clarion and his brother Ernest stayed with them several times and without Marian, we would probably never have met. Mind you, you had to shift the cats off the chairs Marian was potty about cats! She had a good rapport with members all over the country Len Armstrong from the North-East, Willy Pollock from Scotland notably. Marian Harold never owned
Page 12 AUTUNIN 7 WINTER 1999
their home because Harold didn’t believe in home ownership.
wish had some of Marian’s limericks to write down she was brilliant at limericks, some of them quite naughty. Her sense of humour was terrific and a strong memory was of Marian at a rather sticky social occasion, when nobody seemed to be speaking, suddenly getting up and standing on her head in a corner, breaking the ice in no uncertain manner! Denis Pye tells me he once read an article, written by Marian, about correct dress for lady cyclists, saying that shorts shouldn’t be too short. The tongue must have been firmly in the cheek on that occasion remember some very short shorts on Marian’s bottom, and some very cheeky remarks called out by bus drivers when overtaking her. There were some very cheeky answers too! She was always in shorts, whatever the weather.
Marian didn’t race much but was known to ride the odd ten. She nevertheless was often up at 4 am to be at the start of an event, where she would check and marshall and then go out on the Club run afterwards.
At the Easter Meet at Bangor this year, it occurred to me, when the ‘Tom White’ trophy was being awarded, that not many people now still in the Club will have known him. But that’s another story and, if you enjoyed this one, perhaps I'll tell you about him another time.
Gwyneth Cleveland
OBITUARY
jock Patrick
President of S.V.T.T.A. 1963 1966 Chairman of S.V.T.T.A. 1965 1987 Vice President V.T.T.A.
Started cycling at the back end of 1914-1918 war and after being in various clubs joined the West of Scotland Clarion in the late 1960’s. He had held all official positions on committees so he had a wealth of experience when he became The Scottish Group’s Chairman in 1965. Although Jock stood down from office in 1987 he still liked to keep abreast of the affairs of the Group. Another piece of Scottish Cycling gone.
AUTUWN 7 WINTER 1999 Page 13
FRENCH ADVENTURES 99
Despite doing all the usual holiday things managed to get out on the bike fairly regularly. The French roads, even the minor ones had soooper smooth surfaces, but tended to be a bit straight and monotonous with the landscape being flat ‘n all. However did manage to do my planned pyrenean route (details below). saw the Tour finish in Pau and the following day on the route to Bordeaux. left the car some ten clicks from the route and watched the whole show. There was a break of half a dozen riders 10 minutes or so in front of the main pack. managed to shout at Lance Armstrong as he
km
EL Morenne de ti pente 7.5%
came through at the front of the peleton at a relaxed pace. rode up the road behind the race to cheers and applause from spectators who thought was Italian with my Clarion shirt and red racing shorts. recovered a few bottles from the race and loped back to the car. Anyway, the main subject of this report is to describe my ‘epic’ adventures in the pyrenees. My wife and the kids were sunburnt and didn’t fancy a day on the beach so took the opportunity to chuck ‘Rocky’ in the car and set off. left the car at Louvie Juzon and immediately had second thoughts. Within a few hundred metres was climbing hard on the middle ring out of the village. After about five lung bursting minutes was over the top and coasting down hill; the landscape on the left looked like Derbyshire with more trees, but on the right the tree clad shoulder of Pene-Paeyrau rose at an incredibly steep angle and disappeared into the clouds. Gradually the mountains faded from view as my route took me further away before turning south again. Suddenly got a soft feeling a bit like Dyna-Tech frame failure, but the source of the squidgery was only a puncture, soon repaired. At Asson turned south toward the Col Du Soulor through a kind of monumental stone gateway and headed off toward the distant peak. As progressed the mountains reappeared on both sides closing down the sky. Distant eagles soared and wheeled on the air currents high overhead. The road was perceptibly rising but pushed on the big ring. At
Page 14 AUTUMN 7 WINTER 1999
the bottom of the climb proper a sign said it was 15 km to the top and the gradient was 10% for the next km. These signs reappeared very couple of kms the gradients varied from 10 to 6.5%. went through Ferreres and some kids shouted “Allez Mario”! (Italian again) as ground by. About half way up caught a French rider who seemed to be blowing big time. This gave my suffering morale a boost and pressed on. As ascended the landscape changed dramatically. As approached the cloud base the sky cleared and the hot sun was beating down hard. To the right of me an unprotected drop of humungous depth swilled dizzily away into green darkness below. By now had settled down and just plugged away counting down the signs when was passed by a cheese lorry straining away up the road. When was about 2 clicks from the top it came back down the other way, the driver waved and shouted as he passed. After negotiating several large cows standing stupidly in the road reached the top at five past three, having started the climb at about two. Most of the time rode a 32/17 changing to 32/21 on the steepest bits. Around the car park at the top were various stalls selling cheese, foie gras and honey, but no bananas! got a cheese salesman to take a photo by the sign and carried on to Col d’Aubisque. The road dropped gently from the top of ‘soulor before climbing again to the summit at 1709 m. ‘Aubisque is some 200 m higher than Soulor but after the epic climb out of the valley it didn’t seem too bad, the worst bit was riding through a wet unlit tunnel completely unable to see. At the summit again there was the cheese and foie gras plus the usual tourist tat so got one to take a photo by a monument to some dead French cyclist whose name escapes me and left. in no time at all was in Eaux Bonnes where the road widened out. Rocky proved to be a good decender with a very stiff frame and the road slicks giving plenty of grip in the corners. A head wind blowing up the valley made the ride back to the car a bit of a struggle but got back in one piece.
Stuart Waller Nottingham Section
OBITUARY
Dorothy Pilkington
Dorothy Pilkington used to be in the Manchester Clarion has passed away. Sadly her death followed very shortly after Herbert Crossley Marshall’s, her life long friend and companion for many years after they bowed out of the Clarion.
AUTUWIN 7 WINTER 1999 Page 18
Jack Mullineux has returned to Bolton Clarion as a member after a sixty year gap. Whilst have been Secretary Jack has always sent donations to the club, but this year he has joined as a fully paid up member.
has sent me this group photograph of a prize presentation. Most of the cups pictured are still presented at the Prize
Presentation Evening. Bolton keep in touch with Jack regularly and he is always eager to tell many a tale of his cycling career. At the age of 86 Jack is a well known figure who still
Slams cycles to various time trial
centre holding the ates ela events and keeps a sharp apts an anyone help? eye on the results board. Jack once told me that 10 mile events were for women and whimps! really could say a whole lot more but it would take all the news letter pages up.
Jack is pictured
third from the rig! remember
ht second row. any other names.
Amy McLarty Bolton Section
BOLTON SCENE
The Prize Presentation Evening will take place on 19th November at Bolton Cricket Club from 7.30 pm. All are welcome. To attend contact Social Secretary, Jean O'Brien, on 01204 495393. There will be a grand buffet, disco and
bumper raffle prizes. See
‘ou there. Above are the medals that Cast in gold and silver and m
Page 16 AUTUMIN J WINTER 1999
ACCIDENTS WILL HAPPEN
The following is an article written by Peter Roscoe with which he hopes to open a debate. If you have opinions on this matter please write a letter to the magazine and will publish them in the spring edition.
Fifty years ago ventured forth on a club run to Parbold with Bolton Clarion. The club were flying down Parbold hill and had to turn right to the tea-rooms. We were strung out and as was about to turn right a Bolton Clarion rider negligently rode into me from behind. In the event he did not cause much damage but he could have done. If he had, would have been able to sue him and expect due compensation as all Clarion members at that time were insured for third party risks. In those days people had very little money and if they were not insured, suing them for damages as the result of an accident for which they were responsible could well have been a futile exercise.
In the 1960's the CIS terminated the facility of insuring Clarion riders for third party risks and those of us who saw the sense of being insured took out membership of the CTC or BCF. We now have a rule that recommends that members should have third party insurance. would not want it made compulsory as Bury Clarion relies on inexpensive membership for people who want to race but rarely attend club runs. also think we should make Clarion subscriptions competitive cyclists spend £100's if not £1000’s on their equipment but think £30 to £40 too much for subscriptions.
Even these days any member suffering an accident as a result of the negligence for an uninsured fellow club rider may find themselves in a position where it is not worth seeking compensation. The other side of the coin is that a negligent rider not insured and having wealth in the form of a house ownership may find himself at risk of losing his home through not being insured.
It is argued that up to now that there have been no serious cases of negligence and that there are unlikely to be. agree with this but only need to look at the rare instances of tragedy that have occurred with the usual response that ‘lessons have been learned’. am reminded that must look into liability insurance for myself for all other happenings recently almost caused an accident during house DIY that could have severely injured my daughter.
believe we need to find an inexpensive third party insurance facility for our members. For just £3.00 the CTC offer this facility for affiliated club members. There are drawbacks it does not include legal aid and the period of insurance from the affiliation date of the club and not the member. Even so believe that the scheme is better than nothing. have attempted to find something more appropriate but have not been successful. Perhaps a member who has experience of the insurance industry might be able to help us find a solution. At the moment there is very little interest in my arguments but the unlikely can happen. If it did am arguing that we would say a lesson has been learned and we need to have inexpensive third party insurance so that we can claim to be a club that offers comprehensive benefit to its members.
Peter Roscoe Wyre Clarion
AUTUWN 7 WINTER 1999 Page 17
SECTION INFORMATION
The following are names and telephone numbers of all Clarion sections throughout the country. Why not try to organise inter-section events, such as club runs, meeting half way between sections, or inter-club time trials. You may wish to invite them to your social events, club dinners etc.
Scotland
West of Scotland Clarion George Mackay Glasgow-ish 01389 874131 North-East
Sunderland Clarion Simon Fisher Washington 0191 417 6414 Teeside Clarion Colin Armstrong Middlesborough 01947 880488 North-West (Cheshire Lancashire)
Bolton Clarion Amy McLarty Bolton 01204 491595 Bury Clarion Sylvia Roscoe Bury O16! 761 6856 Clitheroe Clarion Edward Ireland Clitheroe 01200 442609 Crewe Clarion Wheelers Andy Grace Crewe 01270 841836 Stockport Clarion Julian Mortel Manchester 0161 445 6064 Wyre Clarion Carl Taylor Lancaster 01524 39453 Yorkshire
Calder Clarion Joan Milsom Wakefield 01924 274087 Leeds (Yorkshire) Clarion Dave Binns Huddersfield 01484 648144 York Clarion Angela Beardshall Wakefield 01924 264898 East Midlands
Heanor Clarion Fred Lambert Newthorpe 01773 713946 Nottingham Clarion Ken Hemsley Nottingham 0115 987 3118 South and East
Fenland Clarion Ken Clarke Peterborough 01733 62217 London Clarion Peter Shepherdly Hounslow 0181 572 9672 West Midlands
Birmingham Roger Shayes Solihull 0121 603 7536 Herefordshire Peter Cowan Kington 01544 340690 Wales
Gwynedd Robin Hartley Bangor 01248 371797 Central Section Brian Burchell Devon 01404 891740
If you know of people who are not near a local Clarion Section then we are always interested to help establish new sections. All we need are three founder members to begin a new section. For further information please ask them to contact the caretaker National Secretary.
Page 18 AUTUMN J WINTER 1999
CURRENT CLARION OFFICIALS
Secretary
Caretaker Minutes Secretary
President
Racing Secretary
Easter Meet Organiser Committee Member
Membership Secretary Committee Member
Records Secretary
Wortley Hall
Organisers
Racing Team Manager Committee Member
Newsletter Editor
Treasurer
Committee Member
Press Officer
VACANT
Antonia Whitaker O115 937 2775 Bob Waddilove
36 Brookland Drive, Sandbach, CW11 OLX 01733 577108
Frank Bibby 130 Crompton Way, Bolton, BL2 2SB 01204 393065 Merlin Evans
3 Green Lane, Heaton Moor, Stockport, SK4 3LE 0161 442 8441
Kevin Hulbert
Ferndale Court, Coventry Rd, Coleshill, Birmingham, B46 3EZ 01675 460466 Audrey Waddilove
36 Brookland Drive, Sandbach, CWI! OLX 01270 761446 Brian Ann Birchell
2 Wulphere Close, Dunkeswell Honiton, Devon, EX14 0UU 01404 891740 Graham Pearce
70 Springdale Gardens, Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2SS O16! 448 1928 Tracey Auty
68 Park View Court, Bath Street, Nottingham, NGI IDE tracey@tracey.u-net.com 0115 959 8093
Nick Biden Stockport
Ken Hemsley 117 Southcliffe Road, Carlton, Nottingham, NG4 IES O115 987 3118
Peter Roscoe Bury O16! 761 6856
DIARY DATES
October 29th to 31st
AUTUMN 7 WINTER 1999
Wortley Hall Weekend and Hill Climb Championships
Page 19
BEST ALL-ROUNDER COMPETITION Organized by
This is to Certify
That AMulle
with his best performances in open 5o-mile, 100-mile and 12-hour road time trials during 1938 achieved an average speed of 20825miles per hour. By this series of rides in competitions open to all amateur cyclists in the United Kingdom he is classified with the leaders in the competition and is awarded this..... 26... Certificate of Merit.
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