Cassie Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 I've decided to start a new tread - based upon what is probabaly the longest tread and most publically viewed one (not to mention controversial)....I need not go into more details on that. Prologue: Quoting mamparra..... "Well I do appologise to Ken after seeing what they must be going though every weekend. I was going up Muldersdrift while the group from the human powered vehicle experiment facility club was comming down. They were 4-5 abreast and even if those that were not, were still in the middle of the road. Cars were backing up behind them and a Taxi even got fed up and overtook them on the solid white line around a bend putting my life in danger. On the Lion and Rhino park section I saw some other riders riding 3 abreast and car hooting from about 100m away. I looked back to see if the riders are doing anything and they just held their formation. There were a lot of other riders that did not do anything wrong and they, and me, will the ones also getting blamed for the actions of the majority." The question i want to raise is... Is it possible for a group of riders (let's say 4 and more) to actually ride single / double file? My background is MTB and I'm in fact not entirely familiar with road riding etiquettte etc etc. BUT, when three or more of us do find ourselves on the road...it is such a natural thing to just want to position yourself on your mate's shoulder to chat / slipstream etc etc. It actually comes very naturally!! The obvious answer to my question is YES!! But i think it is actually much more difficult to implement this...(must be - that's why everyone is doing it?) So, my point for discussion is....It is inherently difficult for any group of riders to stay behind each other for a lengthy period of time....it is the nature of road riding to bunch up... What do you guys /gals think?
Eldron Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 Of course it's possible - the problem is that most cyclists seem to think that 9kg of bike and 80jg of human can stop a 1,600kg car doing 100kph.. Here's my technique - use it - don't use it... In the bunches I ride in we do "two by two" when the road is quiet or has an emergency lane. The two at the back are on "look out" if it's a narrow quiet road. If it's a busy narrow road it's single file. The two front riders head to the back every 20 mins or so - that way every one gets a chance to do some training into the wind and the look outs at the back get to rest their necks. There is NO excuse for riding more than 1 abreast on busy narrow roads - just selfish cyclists putting chatting to their mates ahead of getting their mates killed. The secret is to find the right roads rather than become a hazard on the wrong roads...
Jackes Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 Had a bunch of more than 30 cyclists here yesterday taking everything except 1m of one of the two lanes on the busy thaba nchu road up for themselves. Including the local "famous" team. Their reactions and handsignals when I changed the lane to get past and gestured with arms and shoulders to them what de heck they think they are doing ..... says alot about what they recon who owns the road. And then we want to moan if we get hit.
Cassie Posted September 21, 2009 Author Posted September 21, 2009 Point(s) taken... One needs to change the entire mindset of road cyclists and this must then start at the cycling clubs...how strongly do they "enforce" these viewpoints? Surely in a bunch of ~30 riders - there should be a couple of peeps that will have enough balls to tell the other riders that their riding style is not on???
Jackes Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 Point(s) taken... One needs to change the entire mindset of road cyclists and this must then start at the cycling clubs...how strongly do they "enforce" these viewpoints? Surely in a bunch of ~30 riders - there should be a couple of peeps that will have enough balls to tell the other riders that their riding style is not on??? but but why would they when they have the "numbers" to own the road for that ride. Maybe the tight cycling shorts compresses testosterone. But in an ideal world, it would be exactly that way yes cassieJackes17542009-09-21 02:34:22
splat Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 It's the zap signs and swearing from the cyclists that turn an irritated motorist into a homicidal maniac with a cattle prod. I can't stand being shouted at by someone in the wrong.
deanbean Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 It's the zap signs and swearing from the cyclists that turn an irritated motorist into a homicidal maniac with a cattle prod. I can't stand being shouted at by someone in the wrong.I agree, I used to defend the roadies when this came up, you don't know what the circumstances are, until my wife got given the bird for hooting at a group taking up the whole road, this on a road with a wide yellow shoulder. Stuff 'em, you get what you give, you give me no respect, you'll get none in return. That said, I'm still courteous, I'll give a cyclist as much space as I can, even if they are riding just to the right of the yellow line, going over the centreline, if I can without endangering myself, so long as they don't take up the whole lane.
Sammajoor Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 I like riding a breast. So do I ................SNAP
Dirtbreath Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 I would like to propose that these inconsiderate louts be named and shamed. There is enough traffic on this site that it might get through their thick skins. Pity all cyclists get painted with the same brush.
mtbfreak Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 I like riding a breast. So do I ................SNAP you guys should try two a breast...
splat Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 Had a bunch of more than 30 cyclists here yesterday taking everything except 1m of one of the two lanes on the busy thaba nchu road up for themselves. Including the local "famous" team. Their reactions and handsignals when I changed the lane to get past and gestured with arms and shoulders to them what de heck they think they are doing ..... says alot about what they recon who owns the road. And then we want to moan if we get hit. Come on. Name and Shame. With photos, it's Show and Tell.
Sammajoor Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 I like riding a breast. So do I ................SNAP you guys should try two a breast... ? Im not into that kind of stuff... You sound like Pantani......... but no thank you each to his own...
JA-Q001 Posted September 21, 2009 Posted September 21, 2009 Had a bunch of more than 30 cyclists here yesterday taking everything except 1m of one of the two lanes on the busy thaba nchu road up for themselves. Including the local "famous" team. Their reactions and handsignals when I changed the lane to get past and gestured with arms and shoulders to them what de heck they think they are doing ..... says alot about what they recon who owns the road. And then we want to moan if we get hit. Jakes, se my waar was dit waar jy verby ons gekom het,dan se ek vir jou of enige iemand jou hndtekens gegee het. Ons was 16 ryers, wat 2-2 gery het en ja, ons vorseer veiligheid deur genoeg plek op te neem sodat motors moet aandag gee, daar was nogateeds geen gevaar en niemand het ooit hul sondag oggend gespoil om vir ons te toet of op ons te skree nie. Kom eerder volgende keer saam.
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