Originally Posted by
halfspeed
Experience trumps inexperience. That's hard to understand?
Not one dangerous rider thinks they're dangerous, or they wouldn't be dangerous. Not one person in a grand fondo on a tri-bike who can't hold a line and weaves all over the place thinks they're dangerous. Not one person in a fast group ride who goes to stand on the pedals for a climb and throws his bike back two feet thinks their skills are weak and could possibly hurt someone else. The ones who care aren't the ones who get all defensive at being told to stop trying to hurt someone.
I've been yelled at for a stupid move, I panicked after losing a bottle after hitting some rumble strips and stopped instead of being not stupid and getting away from the other riders safely. I felt pretty bad about it and made sure to apologize to every jersey I recognized at the next rest stop. I could have seriously hurt someone over a bit of easily replaced plastic, and I deserved it. The whole situation reminded me to stay calm and focused and think. Everyone screws up a little bit here and there, and accidents happen, but sometimes you need to be yelled at to remind you of that.
If you care enough about the other rider's safety you take it the right way, if you don't you puff up your chest and act like someone is questioning your manhood.