RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted February 29, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 29, 2012 I hoped Paris would get the bid, because I think their transport infrastructure is more resilient. I know nothing of the political capital that is probably being made of it all, but hope that UK PLC makes some money, and that the logistics prove to be viable. I seem to have lost interest in the Olympics per se some time back - can't have watched even on tv in nearly 20 years. Vague reference to cycling and possibility of Box Hill and my alma mater as some sort of rest-point has kindled the first real interest. Ashcombe and I would probably enjoy that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 After the fiasCoe of the ticket sales, the cynic in me thinks it's just a money earner for the chosen few ( and developers). A great deal of money has been wasted on projects to brighten up and improve (?) the roads into Weymouth, which will be put to use with a good deal of the Weymouth population going away on 'holiday' while the 'fun', and games take place. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dorset Wanderer Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 One of which roads is so dangerous that the locals refuse to use it- slip onto Dorchester Road . Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 If it were truly an amateur sporting event it might be interesting. But the monster commercialisation of the past thirty to forty years has beaten the soul out of it. I hope someone from somewhere poverty stricken makes it over here having bought his own ticket by a whip round of friends and neighbours, and then creams the favourites. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I enjoy sport, but the Olympics are a total turn-off for me. 0/10 Stuck on a Jubilee line train for half an hour waiting to get into Stratford this evening. But no worries, the likes of me trying to get to and from work will be turfed off public transport, and certainly wont be able to go near those wonderful VIP lanes (that my taxes pay for). We've suffered years of commuting misery in the hope that London's creaking communications can hold together for a couple of weeks in the Summer. These games aren't for ordinary Londoners, just another junket for the rich and the corporates. Sadly, we should have a much greater cause for celebration over the Queen's Diamond Jubilee - which will be overshadowed by this politicians' dream. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debs. Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Sad, I am.........what a shameful and wantonly self-indulgent waste of money it has been. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cary hill Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I can hardly wait for the latest instalment of this drug fuelled global cheatfest. I'm afraid I lost faith in the product wayback when the East Germans and their ilk used to cheat their way towards the top of the medals table on an industrial scale. I know we now do the same, but that doesn't really reassure me that I can truly believe what I'm seeing. As for "the legacy" around here - well we're miles too far North of Watford to qualify for any of that, but we have apparently qualified to have the Olympic Torch Relay rehearsal in our neck of the woods - Leicester to Peterborough - no idea why we have to suffer twice. I will probably "watch" the odd bit as it will be well nigh impossible to ignore or avoid it entirely. I will give it a 3/10, mainly for the efforts of Seb Coe et al. ,as I could not see the Olympics ever being held in this country again, as we seem to be a bit of a world pariah for some world sporting events. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 It takes all sorts to make the world go round - Personally the Olympics leave me quite unmoved But as part of the backdrop to everything else they provide a sense of stability and proportion. Like the orchestra playing on as the Titanic sank - Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisf Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Total disinterest here. I will be away on holiday for much of it and hope that some clown does not erect a massive TV screen on the esplanade for the "benefit" of holidaymakers. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Reid Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Only waiting for the "True cost of the Olympics" headlines in the post-match analysis (that'll fill a few months of the Tabloids content) - After the Lord Mayors show comes..... 0/10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I'm at best ambivalent about the sporting side, and no this bit of the country won't see any changes, but London gets a few needed bits of regeneration and some infrastructure projects funded 'for free' which may otherwise have been hard to fund... My take is that overall UK-PLC will make a profit on it, they would need to seriously stuff it up to make a loss, which despite some views i'm not sure we have done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Re6/6 Posted March 1, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2012 10/10 from me. I'll be watching as much as I can. I was fortunate to get lucky with tickets for the sailing in Weymouth and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the games in my own country. I'm getting quite excited about it already, seeing the racing and attending the Laser class medal ceremony at which I hope to hear our national anthem played. O.K., the question was asked by the O.P. but I do get 'tired' of all the negative naysaying on here. Just let those who are happy to embrace and enjoy this spectacular and historic sporting event get on with it and enjoy it. As for a certain trade union official's urgings ...in the words of Clarkson,(who I can't abide) "should be... shot..." Then I would think that anyway...I would watch a race between two flies crawling up a wall...! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jim s-w Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I'm a bit indifferent TBH. I'll probably watch some but the fact that's it's here makes no difference to that. As for the way it's been paid for it appears to be an elaborate way of diverting cash from across the country and re-distributing it to the capital. Cheers Jim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edcayton Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 Total disinterest here. I will be away on holiday for much of it and hope that some clown does not erect a massive TV screen on the esplanade for the "benefit" of holidaymakers. Chris The Sidmouth Alternative Olympics has always been better than the "real thing"! Ed Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordon s Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 10/10 from me. I'll be watching as much as I can. I was fortunate to get lucky with tickets for the sailing in Weymouth and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to see the games in my own country. I'm getting quite excited about it already, seeing the racing and attending the Laser class medal ceremony at which I hope to hear our national anthem played. O.K., the question was asked by the O.P. but I do get 'tired' of all the negative naysaying on here. Just let those who are happy to embrace and enjoy this spectacular and historic sporting event get on with it and enjoy it. As for a certain trade union official's urgings ...in the words of Clarkson,(who I can't abide) "should be... shot..." Then I would think that anyway...I would watch a race between two flies crawling up a wall...! Thank you Lord. At least there are a few of us that will enjoy every minute of competitive sport in all it's variants. Maybe there isn't a link between competitive sport and railway modelling... Each to their own of course, but I was beginning to think there weren't any sport fans on here... No worries John, we can have our own thread once it starts.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 As someone who's survived living in an Olympic city during a games, (Winter 88) I can say I'm not looking forward to the disruption they'll cause. Lucky for me I've been told to work from home for the first week. I'm on leave for most of the rest of the time. On the other hand, if managed properly the legacy can be enormous in terms of tourism, long term athletics & sporting development, and the reuse and regeneration the venues themselves bring. For those that say its helping only London, you need to look around a bit. Much of the infrastructure has been procured from all over the UK creating jobs and skills at a time that its needed. Just before and during the games many countries will establish a base of operations outside London. These enclaves benefit the local economies of where they are located. the tourist money brought in during the games is only going to be a drop in the bucket but if and I stress IF they do a good job there will be a post Olympic tourist boom that properly managed will bring in long term benefits to large parts of the UK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 1, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 1, 2012 Each to their own of course, but I was beginning to think there weren't any sport fans on here... Definitely a 'sport fan' in my case but it all depends on the sport! Now if they were to use those closed traffic lanes in London for the British Grand Prix I'd be glued to the telly from start of practice sessions right through to the last interview (unless it's all on ruddy Sky wotsit!!). What does irk me somewhat is that we've probably lost full F1 coverage from BBC so that they could spend the dosh on the Olympics (altho' as said above I might well be watching some of it). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashcombe Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Having lived in the Midlands for over thirty years until last year, I was sorry that the powers that be did not see fit to stage the Olympics around Birmingham where it would have benefitted the local depressed economy. I am not interested in watching, apart from the spectacle of the opening cermony, but I am pleased that a very good friend and ex-colleague of mine has been selected , on my recommendation, to be a torch bearer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 I will give it a 3/10, mainly for the efforts of Seb Coe et al. , Really ?? I bet 'e aint doin' it for nothin' - oh i know - so cynical eh ?? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Chambers Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Expenditure of millions of £s in a country burdened with debt and laying off public sector employees in large numbers- just to prove that someone can do something faster than somebody else-the word "obscene" doesn't even come close. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Must remember to book flight out of the UK whilst the Olumpics are on. CH looks quite good..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Colin Posted March 1, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 1, 2012 And it's a NIL from me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Disclaimer: I'm a committed sports-hater, don't follow football, last to be picked at games - where do I begin... However, and this may well be the deluded romantic in me, I've always seen the Olympics as one of the few global events that has, by its nature, to attempt to transcend economic trends and the like. Don't forget, when the games were won for London back in 2005, the economic crash was still three years away. I feel somehow as if a part of me has been invested in the 2012 Olympics. I personally made it happen that 87012 was repainted into red, white and blue and designed not only the slogans for the loco but also commissioned its 'The Olympian' plates. I also alighted from the Sleeper at Euston on other Class 87 related business, the morning that the City went wild when the announcement was made. To be there amid that excitement where one day later idiots with back-packs would tear apart our public transport system left an indelible mark. Later I worked as the contractor's public liaison for the duration of construction of the East London Line - a key plank in the Olympic infrastructure. You see those 'Considerate Constructors Scheme' (CCS) hoardings - that was my name and contact number along the route through Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Southwark and Lewisham. And I can't help glowing slightly when I read that the US and Jamaican Athletics teams will be based in my home city during their final training, bringing foreign coin to these parts and, hopefully, taking away a message that Brum's a great, friendly destination well worth visiting. So, despite the fact that I won't be watching any of it, as it interests me not one jot - because of its place on the world stage, because a wee part of my soul is forever in those railway tunnels, because it will take place despite what terrorists perpetrated the day after the announcement was made, and because it pi$$es off so many curmudgeons, it's a big phat 11/10 from me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium mezzoman253 Posted March 1, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 1, 2012 The only reason the corporates sponsor the games is to get all the exposure and sales. If they were to sponsor it in an idealistic way, i.e. pay the money and be an official sponsor but without all that comes with it, they would come out of it in a different light. To run an Olympics in modern times is extremely costly, the only way to raise the funding is to "sell your soul" and that's what's happened. We did put our names forward as volunteers, but when we found out McDonalds was doing the training, we decided not to continue. We entered the ballot for tickets and have two events, both football at Wembley. We personally wanted to see the stadium from the inside, and have managed to get tickets for a couple of sessions at the Paralympic games. The ticketing system has been a farce, albeit demand was always going to be more than that available, even if all the corporate seats were available to the public. The farce is continuing, with no firm idea when any "extra" tickets will be available if at all. It's clear that the uptake for corporate seating was vastly over-estimated, and now they want to sell those tickets at the highest prices they can get, but don't want empty seats. As a fan I'd give the Olympics 10/10 as a sporting event, but 3/10 for organisation and the way it has been stripped by commercialism of its ideals. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted March 1, 2012 Share Posted March 1, 2012 Living in Parisian suburbia I'm glad that the games were awarded to London... nothing against sport but the whole set up just doesn't ring true. Inevitably politics will creep into events of this scale and now the rumblings are the unions may step up and invoke industrial action during the period of the games. How daft can some people get ? Will London makes a bid for the Winter Olympics ?... dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.