Trail etiquette(especially when wearing team clothing)

[DrRichard]

I had two interesting incidents on my Saturday ride - both with riders wearing team/club shirts, and it caused me to think about  how we behave either incognito, but also when "branded".  We should all behave on the trails - but I wonder what recourse clubs have with riders who bring their clubs into disrepute, or shops who sell branded clothing and have riders behaving badly...

 

The first was a group of two riders who I overheard saying: "there is a shortcut down to the green belt" and promptly headed down a clearly marked - 'SANBI - do not ride' path below Top Gate Kirstenbosch. The front rider - non branded jersey, the second a pure Savage rider...  No complaint about pure Savage - but just thought that it was not a good image for the club to be portraying - or even if the rider was a member/ borrowed the top or if the club has riding rules and standards?

 

the second was more ironic than of disrepute - but nearly got run over by a guy in a Pitstop jersey, screaming down a blind gravel corner above Kistenbosch and skidding to a near halt just missing me! Not good advertising/marketing for the actual company/ but also not good for the club.

 

If cyclist wear manufacturer branded tops and ride badly - we often just dismiss them like we do with BMW drivers who cut you off, as a sign of the brand... but when it comes to clubs/teams or corporate wear,  I wonder if these organisations have any control over their rider's behaviours. I often ride in a university affiliated jersey, and would get hauled over the coals by Management if I was involved in an incident that they were made aware of, bringing the university into disrepute, not that a short cut would get their attention - but illegal riding maybe?

[Jbr]

if we can do 13 pages about a slap on the ass I'm sure this topic can get up to at least 6 pages 

[fanievb]

[DieselnDust]

ya nee its a pet peev.

 Okes don "team wear" and they're invinsible, above the responsibility required of wearing branded kit 

We've had to discipline a member for poor behaviour while in club kit. Its not lekker because often its a he said she said. In this case there was a bit of photo evidence so an email / letter was sent explaining the matter of bringing the club into disrepute. 

With official WPCylcling registered clubs its easier to control.

With DC teams its not so easy because often the rider is just there for the kit and experience and the rest of the year they're unaffiliated agents.

When my DC teams sponsor rebranded I asked "Do we hand the kit back?" and they were like "No why would we want you to do that?" and I'm like " well for starters your brand gets labelled by the general publics perception of the riders behaviour that you have no control over." 

They saw that as a non issue.

I suspect other brands do too

[Eddy Gordo]

Sorry OP, i doubt anything will happen. If one sees how clubs behave on road rides with out any change over the years, then this will be passed of as just a ride in the mountain.

[DR ◣◢]

Walk away. You won't change douche behaviour. 

 

I had a guy push his bike back up a jump line so his girlfriend could take more photos of him "stylin" it up. I almost hit him. When I asked him what he was thinking he just said "whatever" and continued doing what he did. 

 

Getting angry only affects you and not the person you get angry at. Don't make yourself old and miserable before your time. 

 

Enjoy your own ride instead. Write it off and move on. 

[s14phoenix]

Sorry OP, i doubt anything will happen. If one sees how clubs behave on road rides with out any change over the years, then this will be passed of as just a ride in the mountain.

 

Yup and then there is often officials or ride leaders in the groups.

 

I think we have beaten this dead horse back to life and dead again a few times with the eventual outcome the community sending a general message of "don't be a a #### be lekke" which falls on deaf ears and then the "but I am totally innocent" bunch jump up and everyone wants photo, video and positive identification.

 

It's like telling motorists to obey the road rules - not gonna happen until caught and brought to book and THEN suddenly they are soooo sorry and promise it will never happen again.

[Chris_]

Walk away. You won't change douche behaviour. 

 

I had a guy push his bike back up a jump line so his girlfriend could take more photos of him "stylin" it up. I almost hit him. When I asked him what he was thinking he just said "whatever" and continued doing what he did. 

 

Getting angry only affects you and not the person you get angry at. Don't make yourself old and miserable before your time. 

 

Enjoy your own ride instead. Write it off and move on. 

 

Hahaha

[DR ◣◢]

It's like telling motorists to obey the road rules - not gonna happen until caught and brought to book and THEN suddenly they are soooo sorry and promise it will never happen again.

 

And the next morning the same **** just pushing in from the the yellow line to take the New Road offramp. 

 

Once a ****, always a ****. People don't change. 

[DR ◣◢]

Hahaha

 

I fail to see the humour. Please prove me wrong.

[Chris_]

I fail to see the humour. Please prove me wrong.

 

Our recent obsession with photos has made humans quite a strange bunch.

[MajG]

I think if you catch them doing something theyshouldnt be doing and capture it on camera/video - advise the club/team/brand, and if no recourse is done then social media is an easy way to get their attention and make sure something is done about it.

 

Any company wont like/put up with bad marketing.

 

think goes for most clubs/teams/sponsors as well.

 

but yeah , he said she said wont get any action/re action

[JacBrand]

I would just ignore it. No need / use to raise your blood pressure over others behaving poorly. 

[DrRichard]

I would just ignore it. No need / use to raise your blood pressure over others behaving poorly. 

My blood pressure is fine and still enjoyed my ride It just made me think ( and laugh about the Pitstop guy not being able to break in time) about if I would ride differently if I was not in branded kit- or if wearing a shirt that identified me to something would change what I do - but I guess from the comments it generally does not.  I think we forget sometimes that we don't live in a bubble - how many pro /sponsored athletes have been sanctioned for stupid / insensitive comments and the sponsor is left with a PR mess to try and clean up.  

[ct_rider]

Its best, especially with places like Kirstenbosch with a lot of blind corners, dog walkers and hikers, to ride with a good bell on your bike.

 

I ring my bell a few times before each blind corner, descent or climb I approach on the Kirstenbosch trail.

 

The next person is then always aware of you approaching and the response from those you pass is always positive and appreciative, especially when you ring the bell in advanced and they give way for you to come pass, whether rider, hiker or dog walker.

 

A lot of "situations" can be avoided with a little ring of the bell.

[Eddy Gordo]

When I use a multi use trail, I prefer to slow down to walking pace. No need for a bell, as there is no reason to be chasing on these trails.(not pointing at you ct_rider, just sharing) They are after all leisure trails for everyone to use. I find some people tend to forget this and only think of strava segments. Thankfully I dont use this type of trail often.

But also agreed, a bell sometimes gives a headsup, but I have found people are oblivious to a bell at best.

Edited November 3, 2020 by Eddy Gordo