Club run etiquette
Discussion
I haven't been on a club run for a few years. I went on one today as a prospective club member. I want to check if it is my expectations that are wrong, or if the way the run panned out is typical these days - it is certainly different from club runs I remember.
So, its a bunch of 12 and the route is 66 miles, with a cafe stop at bang on half way.
Right from the off, there isn't a neat line of 6 pairs. There is 2, then a 1, then a couple of 2s, then a 1, then 2s
There is a lot of handwaving to point out hazards - damaged road surface, parked cars etc.
After just 1 mile, I had already said to myself that the level of road craft on display wasn't too good. Poor judgment of what other vehicles are going to do, riding on the wrong side of the white line, no interest at all in what is happening further back in the bunch and absolutely no interest at all in other vehicles behind the group.
After 10 miles there was a crash. 1 rider at the back of the bunch just ran into the curb and went over. Shook up a bit and a few grazes, but nothing major. I honestly thought some of the bunch wasn't going to stop, but they eventually did.
That all sorted (someone coming to pick her up and another bunch from the same club on a different ride waiting), off we went again. We were 11 now, but still this strange mix of 2s, 1s and 3-a-breasts continued.
The route was flat - very flat. Just a couple of bridges over major roads / railways. At each one of these there was 'an attack' leading to riders being dropped and, in the race for the summit, riders all over both sides of the road.
We made it to the cafe without the bunch doing anything to go anywhere close to helping other road users that we were delaying. No singling out, no riding as a nicely compact bunch, nothing. We had, at one point, 12 cars behind us and, just as it looked as though the road was getting wide enough and straight enough to allow them to get past, 'an attack' was launched, right on the white line by a rider who didn't even check over his shoulder before pulling out. The driver avoided disaster somehow, but the bulk of the bunch were berating him loudly when he used the horn and shook his head as he passed.
On the way back, some riders were getting tired. Energy gels / bars were out. Empties from said sustenance were just discarded onto the road. After seeing this a couple of times, I asked the next litter lout if he had dropped an energy bar. Nah, it was just a wrapper. I asked if it was weighing him down and why he couldn't keep it until there was a bin. That was met with a blank look.
About 3/4 of the way round the bunch was split by 'an attack' up a very small climb. Despite several shouts from several people for the front riders to slow down and wait for everyone to get back on, this didn't happen. So now we were a 2, a 4 and a 5. I was in the back pair of the 4 and I asked if the shouts to wait were actually going to lead to us easing off to get the bunch back together. Again, blank looks.
Fortunately there was some confusion about the route soon after this and I ended up riding with just 2 others (on the proper route), whilst all the others went a different way. We rode 'normally' back to near the start point and then peeled off to go home our own ways.
My summary was: road craft 2 out of 10, 'club' feel also 2 out of 10. Litter louting doesn't get a score because in my world that is just totally unacceptable.
So, my questions are along these lines
Does this sound normal?
Is there any wonder we cyclists sometimes get bad press?
So, its a bunch of 12 and the route is 66 miles, with a cafe stop at bang on half way.
Right from the off, there isn't a neat line of 6 pairs. There is 2, then a 1, then a couple of 2s, then a 1, then 2s
There is a lot of handwaving to point out hazards - damaged road surface, parked cars etc.
After just 1 mile, I had already said to myself that the level of road craft on display wasn't too good. Poor judgment of what other vehicles are going to do, riding on the wrong side of the white line, no interest at all in what is happening further back in the bunch and absolutely no interest at all in other vehicles behind the group.
After 10 miles there was a crash. 1 rider at the back of the bunch just ran into the curb and went over. Shook up a bit and a few grazes, but nothing major. I honestly thought some of the bunch wasn't going to stop, but they eventually did.
That all sorted (someone coming to pick her up and another bunch from the same club on a different ride waiting), off we went again. We were 11 now, but still this strange mix of 2s, 1s and 3-a-breasts continued.
The route was flat - very flat. Just a couple of bridges over major roads / railways. At each one of these there was 'an attack' leading to riders being dropped and, in the race for the summit, riders all over both sides of the road.
We made it to the cafe without the bunch doing anything to go anywhere close to helping other road users that we were delaying. No singling out, no riding as a nicely compact bunch, nothing. We had, at one point, 12 cars behind us and, just as it looked as though the road was getting wide enough and straight enough to allow them to get past, 'an attack' was launched, right on the white line by a rider who didn't even check over his shoulder before pulling out. The driver avoided disaster somehow, but the bulk of the bunch were berating him loudly when he used the horn and shook his head as he passed.
On the way back, some riders were getting tired. Energy gels / bars were out. Empties from said sustenance were just discarded onto the road. After seeing this a couple of times, I asked the next litter lout if he had dropped an energy bar. Nah, it was just a wrapper. I asked if it was weighing him down and why he couldn't keep it until there was a bin. That was met with a blank look.
About 3/4 of the way round the bunch was split by 'an attack' up a very small climb. Despite several shouts from several people for the front riders to slow down and wait for everyone to get back on, this didn't happen. So now we were a 2, a 4 and a 5. I was in the back pair of the 4 and I asked if the shouts to wait were actually going to lead to us easing off to get the bunch back together. Again, blank looks.
Fortunately there was some confusion about the route soon after this and I ended up riding with just 2 others (on the proper route), whilst all the others went a different way. We rode 'normally' back to near the start point and then peeled off to go home our own ways.
My summary was: road craft 2 out of 10, 'club' feel also 2 out of 10. Litter louting doesn't get a score because in my world that is just totally unacceptable.
So, my questions are along these lines
Does this sound normal?
Is there any wonder we cyclists sometimes get bad press?
Edited by anonymous-user on Sunday 2nd August 21:23
It was Selby Cycling Club
I had heard good things about the club and was keen to try a ride out with them
I can't say that the rogues in the bunch were typical of Selby CC generally (there are over 100 members apparently, so Sunday's group may have been a misrepresentative sample).
It might also be that amongst the rogues were other non members (like me) having a ride out with them
Two other groups set off on different at the same time as the group I rode with. Maybe I was just unlucky
When 3 of us went the right way and separated from the other 8, the other 2 were definitely club members and we rode as well as any 3 I have ever been in before.
Unfortunately for me as this is my most local club, the experience was significantly bad enough that I won't be going back
I had heard good things about the club and was keen to try a ride out with them
I can't say that the rogues in the bunch were typical of Selby CC generally (there are over 100 members apparently, so Sunday's group may have been a misrepresentative sample).
It might also be that amongst the rogues were other non members (like me) having a ride out with them
Two other groups set off on different at the same time as the group I rode with. Maybe I was just unlucky
When 3 of us went the right way and separated from the other 8, the other 2 were definitely club members and we rode as well as any 3 I have ever been in before.
Unfortunately for me as this is my most local club, the experience was significantly bad enough that I won't be going back
kaese said:
I was out on that day and saw Selby CC coming out of Taddy heading toward Wighill - there was a big 'peloton' (of around a dozen riders) in the lead. One of the lads in the group shouted out to join in at the back if we wanted (we didn't) - so perhaps your comment about non-members is correct in this case 
There did look to be around four cars waiting behind the 'peloton' at that point. I then saw a smaller group of riders of around 4/5 around 30 seconds behind the bigger peloton.
Yes, that was us.There did look to be around four cars waiting behind the 'peloton' at that point. I then saw a smaller group of riders of around 4/5 around 30 seconds behind the bigger peloton.
N8CYL said:
I ride with Selby CC often although I cannot comment about this ride as I am still nursing a broken collar bone and couldn't make it.
The description of this ride does not ring true with any of my experiences over the last two years. The rides are well organised with a great bunch of guys and gals riding.
Of course if there are newbie riders then of course there will be issues due to people not knowing how to behave in a group and as a growing successful club, this will always be the case, unless there are separate rides to teach the disciplines, which there are.
We were all one these newbies at some point, you learn and the next time you get better.
It is always difficult to get a group of riders with different skills and fitness, turning up for the same ride, to ride as a coordinated group.
Once again, I have never experienced this with this group and I also ride with several other groups on the locality and all are good fun and well run rides.
This is entirely consistent with the reputation that the club has.The description of this ride does not ring true with any of my experiences over the last two years. The rides are well organised with a great bunch of guys and gals riding.
Of course if there are newbie riders then of course there will be issues due to people not knowing how to behave in a group and as a growing successful club, this will always be the case, unless there are separate rides to teach the disciplines, which there are.
We were all one these newbies at some point, you learn and the next time you get better.
It is always difficult to get a group of riders with different skills and fitness, turning up for the same ride, to ride as a coordinated group.
Once again, I have never experienced this with this group and I also ride with several other groups on the locality and all are good fun and well run rides.
Maybe last Sunday was the exception that proves the rule?
Or maybe it was me making it all go wrong!?
twosheds154 said:
As a rider on this club run, I must point out myself and others attending this 66 mile ride had a totally different and much more enjoyable experience to JPJPJP. There were atleast four new riders/guest riders probably more, a wide range of ages, ability and experience. For some, this was their longest ever ride by far. A few tag alongs joined for part of the route too.
The majority of the ride was on very quiet country roads with little or no traffic. I remember on a number of occasions cars being waved by when it was safe to pass. There were no 'attacks', just people taking their own pace up the occasional inclines.
I could go on addressing each point, but feel this is not the correct forum. JPJPJP should really have brought this up for discussion on the SCC site rather than in a forum which his fellow riders are unable to see or comment.
No ride is perfect, but how can riders and club improve if comments are made in a forum which few if any of the club members subscribe to? This thread was only spotted by chance otherwise noone would be any wiser.
I'm sure if JPJPJP would like to raise any comments on the SCC site, appropriate comment will be made.
I am pleased that you and others had a more enjoyable experience on that ride.The majority of the ride was on very quiet country roads with little or no traffic. I remember on a number of occasions cars being waved by when it was safe to pass. There were no 'attacks', just people taking their own pace up the occasional inclines.
I could go on addressing each point, but feel this is not the correct forum. JPJPJP should really have brought this up for discussion on the SCC site rather than in a forum which his fellow riders are unable to see or comment.
No ride is perfect, but how can riders and club improve if comments are made in a forum which few if any of the club members subscribe to? This thread was only spotted by chance otherwise noone would be any wiser.
I'm sure if JPJPJP would like to raise any comments on the SCC site, appropriate comment will be made.
That you judge the ride differently to me is fine. Maybe you are right and maybe I am wrong.
Any club that encourages new riders / guests in the way that SCC does is doing a very good thing for the sport and is to be commended.
I tried it and - for the reasons mentioned in my OP - found it not to be to my liking.
For me, a club run that includes
- a rider crashing
- a motorist forced into evasive action to avoid ploughing into a rider riding out on to the whiteline and, as a result, then feeling the need to stop his orange pick up and get out of the cab at the side of the road to remonstrate with the bunch
- litter being repeatedly dropped by people in the bunch
simply isn't how I want to spend my Sunday mornings.
For anyone that is an SCC member, prospective member or guest rider, I wish you well and hope you do enjoy every mile of every ride you do.
If the events of this ride that cause me to feel as I do were isolated incidents (or just that I am over sensitive to such things) and the club is a fantastic one, then my decision not to investigate further after just that one club run may turn out to be short sighted.
If that is the case, it is my loss. I can live with that.
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