Originally Posted by DM4
Quite frankly, I do not have the time or ambition to conduct cycling clinics for all the inexperienced cyclists and those that have developed bad habits. Do you?
I have taken the time and effort to teach my children to ride well.
I also try to teach my children critical thinking (i.e. Are your actions producing a desired result). This is all that is required to get you through most of life's endeavors, including cycling.
Cars can typically be expected to be on the road. I know this; I’ve seen them. Constantly yelling about cars on the road serves no purpose, except to announce that you have the ability to recognize cars- over and over and over and over...
My general rule of thumb is if someone else goes to the trouble of setting up a ride, a route and all the voluntary organizational clutter that goes on to set up group rides and invites me along, out of decency I will try to conform to their riding standards. I am a good enough cyclist to be flexible.
Now, if the group I'm riding with is outright dangerous, not merely annoying, I won't come back. But if they are merely annoying, what's the big deal? Are you out there to ride your bike and enjoy some companionship, or to conform to a rigid yet totally subjective standard of behavior?
Are your actions (or inactions) producing a desired result? You hurt the feelings of the guy who asked you back. You've lost the opportunity to make more friends, and a chance for a casual vs training ride.
I guess if their behavior, again which really can't objectively be ruled right or wrong, was so offensive to you, then you did what was right for you. But then why bother ranting in the first place? Some degree of affirmation from the rest of the forum? Are you as certain in your rightness as you think?