Maelochs

I don't have a lot of group ride experience, but I do know that on a couple I've been on everyone has stopped and started together--everyone stopped, put a foot down, then mounted up and took off as a group, instead of waiting for the rider ahead. If the riders are semi-competent and making an effort, this isn't hard.

As for knowing when a rolling stop is safe everything about riding and driving is a series of life-and-death (or injury) judgment calls.

At one intersection I ride through, I cannot get a turn signal because, fat as I am, I do not seem to trigger the switch (not sure if it is weight or magnetic--my current bikes are aluminum.) I can either wait indefinitely for a car to turn left, or I can make a judgment call based on when oncoming traffic has a right-turn arrow but not a green light, or when the light is green but there is no traffic. Either way I am crossing an intersection of two four-lane roads with turn lanes (six lanes each way) so I am out there in the road for several seconds.

Should I wait for a car turning left? I might wait all day, literally---I am coming off a little-used road (which is why I ride it.) Or should I make a judgment call and trust my senses?

If I can make that call, why can’t others?

Bad drivers will always drive badly, inattentive or distracted or rude drivers are always a threat, but most drivers most of the time can tell if it is safe to go, or there would be a whole lot more accidents.

Not trying to bicker, but I can see with a group ride where stopping completely for every sign could be balanced with slowing enough to be sure there are no cars coming and saving momentum—I know, if it were me and I could plainly see, I would likely slow but not completely stop on a bike. (In fact, I got into a disagreement with a ride leader when he didn’t stop at every 4-way stop sign even when there were quite obviously no cars anywhere around. After that I started watching my own behavior to see what I did riding solo, when no one was watching.)

So ... I am divided on this. If the group leader said, “Full stop, foot down” (which is what I was used to) then no problem. Depending on the terrain, traffic, and level of rider skill, this probably should be the default. However if the terrain, traffic, and talent allowed it, I would not be offended if the leader merely slowed and looked.

Also, I completely agree with passing through intersections en masse. Having a bunch of cyclists straggled all across a couple intersecting roads trying to catch lights and get through traffic is not a safe situation—too much information for drivers to process.

Here I think it is better to have one person ride slowly on the outside and interfere with traffic while the whole group either turns or goes through the intersection, and if the light changes with a couple riders still coming (assuming the group is in a solid pack, not strung out) I think it is best to hold up traffic, and yes, commit the cardinal sin of annoying drivers, so the whole group can stay together and get out of the dangerous situation.

Again, it is a judgment call as to how long traffic will be interrupted, how spread out the group is, and whatever the real, on-the-road situation is—amount of traffic, number of lanes, length of lights, weather, whatever.

What I learn from this thread (not that I will be using it—no rides I will be leading) is that the leader of the ride can lay out guidelines up front to make the rest of the ride work better for everyone.

Also the thread reinforces the idea that the leader should be communicating with the riders constantly through hand signals so if s/he does something unexpected the riders have some warning.