by -Adam- » Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:08 pm
[quote="Alan M"]A funny ride out today. I opted for the first 18 group but we caught the 19s at TLs well before the turn to Merstham. We laid off them and let them create a gap. But by Reigate Heath the 19s had dropped a few for whom they now waited. This placed the 18s ahead of the 19s and they subsequently caught us and we formed a rather large group! I suggested that they turn left and we go straight on at the gravel turning - this would have placed us behind them again, but they followed on! Adam seemed a tad preoccupied by this and made a decision to burn some off the back - this was partially successful but the group was still somewhat large and by the right turn just before the pub we took stock and divided.
I spoke to Monty after the club run and I'm sure he'll bring it up next week. But the whole reason groups are limited to size is because when they get to big, its dangerous. Before I went to the front to ''burn some off the back'', I drifted to the back of my original group and suggested to the riders tagged on the back that the group was now too large, and that they ought to allow the gap to go. Then low and behold after a brief gap is allowed, a vice captain no less chases it down. Thus bringing the group back together. It took Alan to physically stop the whole group to sort it out, as he mentioned. This should not have to happen.
Did people leave their common sense at home on Saturday?
I wouldn't mind if groups consistently rode sensibly and smoothly, in two lines like normal, but this seems to have gone out the window of late. This wasn't a training group after all.
There has been a pretty noticable drop in the standard of riding at 18-20mph level in the club recently. There is not a shortage of experienced riders, just a shortage of ones who are willing to actually lead a group. Often groups make it all the way to Charlwood and back without needing to be put into line, but sometimes it's needed, and it should only take one person to say so. At the end of the day we all want to enjoy our ride, but no one likes ending up on the floor because of some reckless riding. Might I also point out that the area the clubrun goes through is actually pretty hostile towards cyclists, much more so than other areas in Surrey, Kent, Sussex and Hampshire. So when large groups get out of line, the cars will only get more aggitated. As far as I know there has never been a really serious incident involving the ACC clubrun and a car, but the way things are at the moment, it is only a matter of time.
All I ask is that those of you who have been riding for a while, to take responsibility for a group when it is riding poorly. Or at the very least support the guy who sticks his neck on the line and speaks up for you.
Cheers,
Adam
The plan was to average 15mph so it sounds like job done. Interestingly Steph had 14mph as an average mmm 
(don't ask it's personal) 
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