Sometimes We are Our Own Worst Enemies
 

I rode in an organized ride today put on by one of our local Local Bike Clubs. About 15 miles into the ride I was in a group of about 30 riders and granted we were riding pretty hard. We were on a rural road and needed to make a left turn. There was a car approaching on the road we were own and everyone was calling out "Car Up". A couple of the Yo Yo's up front went ahead and darted left in front of the approaching vehicle. How stupid, totally thoughtless and very selfish. You just don't lead a group of 30 people right into a very unsafe situation like that. Those guys could have waited 3-4 seconds tops and then turned after the vehicle had gotten by the turn. Granted I'm not a pure saint on the road but I do draw the line where my actions might put other riders safety in peril. Those guys got a well deserved earful........

I've been on a few large (30+) group rides and there's usually a few that do stupid stuff like ride 3 across and run red lights.

I tend to ride alone or in small (2-5) groups for safety.

I see that stuff on large group rides all the time and actually fired off a missive to that effect. I got a few atta boys and some cold shoulders.

My club is really very good about stuff like that. Everyone seems to try to be attentive and intelligent about safety.

This is common in most groups I have ridden in over the years. You'll get plenty of arguing both ways on this stunt. Its not going to happen on my watch is all I know. I have left groups after some started riding irresponsibly and will do so again.

Bill

That happens a lot in groups. Occassionally those in front see a car driver hestitate and go infront. Other times they think the car will stop even if the driver doesn't hestitate because of the size of the group. Then there are times they aren't paying attention.

A group is made up of a bunch of individuals, each individual is responsible for themselves. It has been my experience that to think otherwise just leads to disappointment.

+1
Just because they want to ride together doesn't give them a parade permit.

I'm a retired newspaper columnist and 40+ year cyclist, and I used to write about this every spring (sample headline: "What's so hard about single file?"). Every year, the local clubs would mount a hate-mail drive to get me fired for "not respecting the rights of cyclists." They'd enlist friends from all over the world in "spontaneous" protest (I got letters from Hong Kong and Brazil). Several people threatened to kick my butt "if I ever see you out on your bike" (I printed a schedule and route map of my commute. Nobody showed). Sometimes I think not all cyclists are geniuses.