Open road bike course

Well, if you want to pay Ironman-like entry fees for your local sprints, I'm sure they can do a closed-road bike course.

I've never done a tri with closed roads. Ever. Never had a problem. Is it really that hard to keep your head about you?

I did one sprint tri last year and a dual about 10 years ago both races where on closed roads and din't cost a lot.   I just thought that was the norm.   Their is an OLY distance race in my area the entrance fee is 120 that is on a 6 lane closed highway.   I'm assuming the majority of the entrance fee is going towards the road closures.

A 6 lane closed highway.... really?

It's actually better than training because there is usually traffic control at intersections, lots of signage, and a bunch of other riders. Way safer than a solo ride on a random Sunday morning.

With races being on Sundays (sometimes Saturdays) in the early AM this usually is not a problem, traffic should be light.  I do agree that someone's life is more important than my race.

The "open road" courses I've raced on had a lane closed to traffic, on multi-lane roads.  In the case of Chicago, two lanes on LSD.  The races in rural areas were on low traffic county roads. (gravel in the intersections was a bigger issue than auto traffic) 

The course instruction you posted make it sound like you will be racing in an active traffic lane. I doubt that will be the case. I've done a 3D event and it was very well run. 

Link?  Name of race?

I'm thinking Leon's.

Your right its Leons in Hammond,IN 

http://www.leonstriathlon.com/race-history.php

Sorry for the confusion the website calls it a  six lane freeway not a highway I don't know if that really matters.   

There is one race in Nashville that has an Oly and Sprint. For this race they close off a 4 lane, freshly paved, highway for the race. It makes for a very nice ride.

All other races I've completed are on open roads, including Ironman Florida.

"I have never done any race like this but to me it seems dangerous."

You're right. It is dangerous. Very dangerous in fact. So dangerous, in fact, that in the history of triathlon there have been some tragic accidents on the bike.

You have to choose to accept the risk or not, and that is a personal choice. Racing sports- all of them- have a risk factor. It is a feature of the sport. Accepting that risk (or choosing not to) is an essential element of controlling factors that manage the risk effectively.

That said, a recent study published in a number of legal publications and websites states:

"Of the 14 deaths identified [in the study], 13 occurred during swimming; the other was a bike crash. Autopsies on six of the victims showed that four had underlying heart problems. Two others had normal-looking hearts, but they may have suffered a fatal heart rhythm problem"

citation: http://theathleteslawyer.com/2009/04/16/triathlon-fatalities-primarily-in-the-swim-portion-of-the-race/

All of the races I have done have been on open roads, but with police and/or race volunteers clearing traffic at any major intersections.  If anything, I feel safer in races than on one of my early morning solo training rides.

I've done a couple of races that crossed railroad tracks; had nightmares about getting held up by a train in the middle of the race...

Mark

I have yet to ride one that is open (at least in the direction of the race).

Maybe I'm just an extreme exception, but I really don't see the problem here. In some 35 years of riding on the road, I've yet to hit pavement because of a motor vehicle. Other bikes? Sure. Mostly in bike races (never in a tri).

Does every one else bike train exclusively on the trainer or rail-trails? Does every one just not know how to ride on the road?

I just don't get the paralyzing fear of riding a bike on public roadways.

My feelings are that kind of thinking are what may eventually lead to bikes being relegated to trails legally -- rights not exercised are eventually lost.

briderdt: It looks like, from your profile photo, you ride a motorcycle. Quite a fine one also.

That experience is invaluable in riding a bicycle in traffic, and likely a big reason why you are proficient and safe. That's key.

I also notice in that photo you'll got all your safety gear on too. Another feather in your cap.

You Sir, are a competent rider. You took the responsibility to become proficient and you practice good safety habits. Everyone on this forum could learn from your example.

In the surfing movie "In God's Hands" there is a scene where a famous big wave surfer is describing risk:

"There are two kind of surfers: Gung ho, and Gun Shy. Gun Shy surfer don't accept the risk. He don't acknowledge the risk. He die soon. Gung Ho surfer acknowledge the risk, learn to live with it. He good surfer."

Riding a bike in traffic, skydiving, freediving, riding a motorcycle, SCUBA diving, mountaineering: They all have risk. You either accept and embrace the risk and become proficient with it or you don't.

Actually, it was the other way around -- I was a bicycle rider LONG before I threw a leg over an engine. But I will grant you this: The automatic traffic radar I built with many years on a bicycle went a long ways to getting me comfortable on a motorcycle.