Originally Posted by merlinextraligh

1) If you don't race Crits, you've ruled out 60-70% of available races in most areas.

2) People who know they have lousy bike handling skills avoid crits, and sign up for Road races thinking they're safer. In the process they make the Road races more dangerous.

3) Even a 50 person field jammed into one lane on an open road, with the centerline rule in effect can be more dangerous than racing a crit using the whole road on a closed course.