I recently had similar issues within a cycling club..... When I reported to the chairman certain riders conduct on a club ride, his response was that I should have handled it myself on the ride. I said that not everyone has the personality to tell others on a ride to act properly, he told me that the members should not moan the next day and there is nothing that he can do after the fact. I wonder if all clubs have this view. I also rode with the club on the N7 twice and found it not to be safe, after investigation I found out that it is apparently illegal to ride there. (N7 is classed as National road and Freeway according to AARTO and the traffic department I spoke to) The dangerous section is where you have to cross from the M48 (Vissershok rd ?) I noticed a car stopping there to let the cyclist cross and the car nearly got rear ended. One of the club members road into the back of a car on the N7 at another occasion and I was worried that one’s insurance will not pay out if you damage your bike while doing something illegal. I mentioned this (above) to the committee (saying that members should be made aware that it is illegal to ride on the N7 and that your insurance will not pay out if you partake in an illegal ride) and the chairman send me back a letter which I have attached here for your interest. The chairman also said to me that it is NOT illegal to ride on the N7. And that sometimes we can “bend” the road rules…..like not using the cycle lane when the group is big===>although the club escorted the tour the Afri’ce riders (and that was a HUGE group) from “Kreefbaai” to town all the on the cycle path and that time the cycle path was good enough?...I was confused. This is the same club who implemented a rule that you are not allowed to cycle with an IPod on their club rides since it is a PPA rule and unsafe? My point is that every cyclist should empower him/her self wrt to safety and look after yourself, as no-one else is going to do it for you. It seems that “most” clubs don’t care about members being “reported”, certainly this Chairman has said that there is nothing he can do “after the fact” Seems like reporting bad behaviour falls on deaf ears. I have the chairman’s ok to post this on this public forum as he (and apparently the committee) is of the view that it is ONLY me who has these “issues”. Although I know for a fact(and have proof) that other people have raised the same concerns. Would be interesting to see what the other hubbers think. PS. 1st and last post: I created this handle today (I am no longer a hubber) to post on this issue since I think that safety is important.
