Originally Posted by
vXhanz
Stinks about your luck, but I have to agree that it's ultimately your responsibility when on public roads, etc. True, you are on an organized ride and yes, there should have been some prior warning. I also agree that it's possible that by pointing it out and doing nothing about it could bring liability to the county or the ride organizers. Maybe they should have riders sign waivers so they can point out hazards? It's a tough call honestly...
V
I agree that the organizers should not be held liable for the fact that I crashed. I signed a waiver and have no intentions of trying to pursue that angle. I just think part of the responsibilities of a ride organizer should be to look for and either mark or clear areas that could pose a significant risk - such as in my case where two riders went down within 5 minutes - to the group. Also I'm not talking about a small patch of gravel - the area was probably 40 square feet in size. Should I ever become part of a group organizing a ride, I know I will approach the safety issue differently based on this experience.
Personally I enjoy organized and charity rides. I feel like I'm riding for a purpose other than my own personal gain and will continue to do so, but with more caution if I'm riding an unfamiliar route.