Originally Posted by
kbarch
Hold on....
Are we talking about wheel-sucking, or are we talking about half-wheeling? Half-wheeling is ALWAYS a bad idea, but it's rampant in Gran Fondos, and the way some are so careless about it when riding with friends.... Oy! it's alarming.
Meanwhile, riders who "don't have a clue" are more hazardous in front than they are behind, so honestly, as long as they don't half-wheel, I'd rather they attempt to draft than attempt to pull, or otherwise get in the way.
That was in response to your "riding with strangers not being hazardous" quip.
I was initially talking about people hitting obstacles they don't see because they're riding behind someone, or riding into someone from behind when that person doesn't know they're there and takes unexpected action (sitting up, braking, turning).
In any and all cases, not situations where I want to be around people whose skill level is likely suspect and potentially dangerous to myself and themself.