Crowd mentality

[tuffer]

I have noticed more and more that people in a group seem to display an irrational disregard for their personal safety or be aware of what is going on around them. Some examples:

Out for a ride last week and we happened upon the same route as a local charity sportive, as we neared a feeding station riders were wandering about in the road walking back to their bikes etc with a brew without any regard for other road users or traffic. Very nearly crashed into a guy who just walked right out in front of me.

Yesterday, out for a ride again and we came across a local half marathon finishing in a local village. As people were walking back to their cars rather than use the paths like they would do on any normal day.....No, they wander down the middle of the road in groups.

Also noticed a similar thing when I did the Hero ride earlier this year, some people taking part just seem to forget the highway code and any ideas regarding personal safety and just ride 4 abreast down the middle of the road.

Not really a rant, just wondering what peoples thoughts are on this? Don't get me wrong, I was not charging along or being a nuisance, quite the opposite in fact, slowing right down and covering my brakes just waiting for one of these lemmings to try and have me off. May have to fit a louder bell.

[Mr2Mike]

I've seen this behavior numerous times, and I have no idea why it happens. Perfectly rational people just seem to behave like sheep when in a crowd, moving with the herd and oblivious to danger.

[Foppo]

Plus if people are walking in a crowd you be less likely to run into them wouldn't you.Lots of people walking and faster traffic don't go together.Just except it.>

Edited by Foppo on Monday 6th October 11:46

[zeppelin101]

It's biologically normal to subconsciously do what everyone else around you is doing.

[Challo]

Saw this exact thing happening yesterday on the Palace to Palace bike ride which I was taking part. Riding from Buckingham Palace to Windsor castle on open roads the mind set of some people was terrible.

1) In London the amount of riders undertaking and overtaking lorries, buses at various junctions.
2) Running red lights thinking its ok because 4 or 5 cyclists have done the same
3) Once on the quieter roads deciding that riding 2 or 3 abreast was fine and caused no concern to other road users
4) Cyclists lack of the highway code and general spacial awareness

Luckily in 46 miles I saw one accident and I think it was a girl clipping the kerb in London but it wasn't serious. With the risks from of the more experienced cyclists took especially in London I would have thought there would have been more serious accidents. All because it was an organised cycle ride, but this gives them the right to act like idiots.

[Pepperami]

It's a personal bugbear of mine to round a corner and find 2 or more cyclists riding abreast. Not a huge issue for me because I'm driving to the system so I have time to react, but someone who knows the road might one day drive the road as they've always done and a skittle a few cyclists. Not excusing car drivers from driving like tools, but sure a little self preservation is a good thing in a cyclist.

[feef]

I think it could be compared to an ad-hoc 'groupthink' scenario, where personal risk evaluation is reduced on the assumption that the 'group' knows better.

"If everyone else is doing it, it must be safer than I thought"

The wiki article isn't a bad starting point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink

[SturdyHSV]

feef said:

I think it could be compared to an ad-hoc 'groupthink' scenario, where personal risk evaluation is reduced on the assumption that the 'group' knows better.

"If everyone else is doing it, it must be safer than I thought"

The wiki article isn't a bad starting point.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink

As is probably covered in the wiki, you also tend to get an absolving of responsibility once you're part of a group. The responsibility is naturally assumed to be handled by another member of the group, even if there isn't actually a leader.

It's a cliché example, but say if there's a mugging in the street or some other 'crisis' that would merit attention, the more people that witness it, the less likely anything will be done about it. Each witness has a smaller sense of responsibility to act, owing to the presence of other witnesses who are equally responsible.

To partially quote Men In Black (obviously...) "A person is smart, people are dumb"

Edited by SturdyHSV on Monday 6th October 13:04

[tuffer]

Foppo said:

Plus if people are walking in a crowd you be less likely to run into them wouldn't you.Lots of people walking and faster traffic don't go together.Just except it.>

Edited by Foppo on Monday 6th October 11:46

Nothing at all to do with faster traffic, just wondering why people loose all sense of spatial awareness when they are in a crowd. By the way I was riding a bike not charging through the village at 100mph in my car mowing people down.

[tuffer]

Pepperami said:

It's a personal bugbear of mine to round a corner and find 2 or more cyclists riding abreast. Not a huge issue for me because I'm driving to the system so I have time to react, but someone who knows the road might one day drive the road as they've always done and a skittle a few cyclists. Not excusing car drivers from driving like tools, but sure a little self preservation is a good thing in a cyclist.

This is a whole different argument, 2 abreast is within the highway code. What would a car do if it came round a corner and found someone riding a horse or a slow moving vehicle such as a Tractor?

[Johnnytheboy]

I've noticed this with ramblers in groups as opposed to individuals/couples out walking.

[DottyMR2]

Mr2Mike said:

I've seen this behavior numerous times, and I have no idea why it happens. Perfectly rational people just seem to behave like sheep when in a crowd, moving with the herd and oblivious to danger.

Get it all the time when the rugby is on at Murrayfield in Edinburgh. walking along W Coates road, one of the main roads into Edinburgh from the West anda major bus route, wandering all over the road in amongst the HGVs, many buses and traffic.

Problem is as well, they seem to think because they have an event on that the universe has to stop for them. It's actually 2pm on a Saturday, town is heaving anyway and traffic is busy. Last time it took me 45 minutes to do 0.2 miles along that road as people would not move. Ask nicely, honk etc. and you just get childish abuse from middle aged men and women... who then start throwing stuff at your car. As soon as you stop, crowds encircle the car and you can't move again.

The urge to remove my number plates and start mowing people down was building.

Edited for chubby fingers by DottyMR2 on Monday 6th October 14:36

Edited by DottyMR2 on Monday 6th October 14:57

[SturdyHSV]

tuffer said:

By the way I was riding a bike not charging through the village at 100mph in my car mowing people down.

Oh good, because doing that on a bike is fine

[Pepperami]

tuffer said:

Pepperami said:

It's a personal bugbear of mine to round a corner and find 2 or more cyclists riding abreast. Not a huge issue for me because I'm driving to the system so I have time to react, but someone who knows the road might one day drive the road as they've always done and a skittle a few cyclists. Not excusing car drivers from driving like tools, but sure a little self preservation is a good thing in a cyclist.

This is a whole different argument, 2 abreast is within the highway code. What would a car do if it came round a corner and found someone riding a horse or a slow moving vehicle such as a Tractor?

I'm fully aware of the highway code, and I know there's nothing illegal in it. You seem to have gone very defensive. All I asked is why people don't filter into single file when near bends for damage limitation purposes. If a car came round the corner to find a tractor or horse I expect they might be hit in the same way the outer of the two cyclists might be.