Daredevil cyclists warned to stay off sea wall at Dawlish

[whole diary]

[bobm]

From the Exeter Express & Echo

Police have issued a warning to cyclist seen on Dawlish Sea Wall - Don't do it.

British Transport Police in Devon issued the warning via the social network Twitter after reports of cyclists using the wall.


Waves wash over the top of the old Dawlish Sea Wall

The seaward side is open to the waves without protective barriers.
The police tweeted photographs of signs with the message: "These signs mean no cycling. Reports from residents that people are cycling on #Dawlish sea wall. For your own safety please don't!"
Roller-blading, skateboards and scooters are also prohibited.


Signs on the sea wall at Dawlish

In August Coastguards have issued a safety warning after a video emerged of a fisherman dodging huge waves on a sea wall in Devon.
The man was seen on the sea wall at Dawlish along with a woman and child as waves crashed against the wall at high tide.

Onlookers shouted at them to get to safety as the man and boy were seen trying to use fishing rods on the wall below the railway station platform.
The three were seen dodging the waves which were breaking on the wall, sending spray 20ft into the air.


The angler seen on the sea wall in August near Dawlish Station

A whole section of the sea wall was washed away at Dawlish during a storm in February 2014.

[Chris from Nailsea]

Simply install a large sign on the top of the sea wall at each end, saying "Darwin Award candidates: start here". 

[bobm]

I'm glad the police are issuing warnings after a near miss I had further along the seawall at Teignmouth.

Having just taken a photo of a passing steam railtour in the summer I stepped back and almost collided with a cyclist going hell for leather along the wall.  A second or two later and I would have collided with him and I'm pretty certain he would have swerved and gone over the edge.  Now I could justify it by saying "he shouldn't have been there" but that wouldn't really have been any comfort and I suspect it would have taken a few months to establish that.

As a cyclist myself I am ashamed at the way some cyclists believe signs, traffic lights and commonsense do not seem to apply to them.

[eightf48544]

Simply install a large sign on the top of the sea wall at each end, saying "Darwin Award candidates: start here". 

the only problem I can see about the notice is they wouldn't know what a Darwin Award was!