Once upon a time I traveled for work. In one particular city, I would call a friend and we would ride. It was great. She knew the roads, I did not. She rode well. I could just relax and ride. It was fun. Just the two of us. Great.
Then, one day we did the local club ride in her town. Oh my!
Maybe 50 people at the start? It is a reasonably big city. I will refrain from calling out the city because everything else in that city is quite nice. I do not want to give the city a bad name because of the local cycling club. I hate that the previous sentence even exists. We (cyclists) should be providing positive components to our communities rather than negative.
Back to the story. We start riding and it spreads out pretty fast. It spreads out even more because these folks ride like squirrels on crack. They are all over the road. They are dangerous. So, I say to my friend, “Lets go.” So, we ride away. Not crazy fast, just a slight increase in pace is all we need to put some distance on the rest. There is a group of fast racers that already went ahead – we do not want to catch them. We are just trying to get away from the crack squirrels. We are going toward the country but started in the city so there are red lights. The two of us are alone quickly, and then we stop at a red light.
Those crack squirrels behind us catch us at the light. Instead of stopping behind us, they pull around us and get in front of us. Light turns green. We pass them (and their crack squirrel ways) and are pretty far in front of them and then – Red Light. We stop. Repeat. Yes, the crack squirrels that we dropped far back catch up at a long red light and roll in front of us again.
This repeats a few times until I say to her, “We have to get out of this.” Really! First, they ride horrid; very dangerous. Second, we are passing them, and then they pull in front of us at the light – what is up with that? So instead of riding a moderate pace, we take off, drop those crack squirrels, catch the next few green lights, and thankfully never see them again. Literally never. I visited that town many times after that but never returned to that group/club ride.
I had never seen such horrid riding skills or such obnoxious behavior. Let’s start with the horrid riding skills. Please, if you have a club or a ride, lets educate everyone on proper riding etiquette/skills/actions. Second, let’s talk about obnoxious behaviors. A search on the internet tells me that particular obnoxious behavior is called shoaling. According to www.gobiking.ca shoaling is defined as – ‘…when a group of cyclists are stopped for a red light on a bike lane or pathway, and another cyclist comes up from behind and passes everyone to stop in front …’ Hmmm. Quit shoaling. It is annoying.
There are other versions in the cycling world. I ride up behind someone on a trail. They know I want to pass. I am being patient. When the trail opens up, and it is safe to pass, I say, “On your left.” And they speed up and move over to the left to block me. Hey bud, I am riding faster than you; let me pass you. If it is a race, race fair. If it is just a ride…just what are you doing?
Or the guy on the group ride that is pulling at a very slow pace because he is tired. He is doing the best he can, but our average pace is 20mph, and he is struggling to hold 14. He is not only slowing us down but if he is working hard to keep 14 on the front, logic says that he is not going to be able to stay with us after he pulls. I pull around him, not surging but moving to the front and then gently increasing our speed again and bringing everyone along. I am taking the pull so he is now out of the wind and can rest in my draft, but he is furious that I would pass him. What? I am helping you.
Cyclists. Grrr.
Ben Shahn once said something, not about cyclists but sometimes I think it fits. He said, “It may be a point of great pride to have a Van Gogh on the living room wall, but the prospect of having Van Gogh himself in the living room would put a great many devoted art lovers to rout.” Yeah, suspect he is British.
Sounds like some cyclists. I love bikes. Cyclists. Well, love some, tolerate some and some are just…crack squirrels or worse. You know what I mean? Get any group together and they can act like jerks. Any group, not just groups of cyclists, but sadly cyclists are not immune. Instead of staying to the right of the road, get some groups together and they not only take up the entire lane but the left lane also (cue of the crack squirrels). A single cyclist may park his bike near the building and go in to get food, but a big group might block other customers because they are unaware or do not care. Please – let’s not be those people.
That which you do on your group ride I will pay for on my solo ride. Yes, that motorist that was annoyed by your obnoxious behavior – actions or verbal – when you were safely with your group and had witnesses will now take out his anger on me in the middle of nowhere when I am alone without witnesses.
You should act right because it is right. But if you cannot do that, at least think of the rest of us.
What annoys you the most when riding with others? Inconsistent riding? Half Wheeling? Not calling out road debris? Not signaling turns? Shoaling? Headphones? Feeding crack to squirrels on bikes? Yes, motorist do annoying things, but for now – what do we do that we need to change?
Wow. What happened to the “if you ride bikes, you are one of us” ethos around here?
Reminds me of that hilarious Surly sticker from a while back that said “Just because we both ride bikes doesn’t mean we are friends.” I am glad anyone is utilizing a bike and even better if it’s for enjoyment. However that never excuses poor if not dangerous behavior.
Regarding Mr Burns inquiry, the worst practices I encounter are most commonly exhibited by XC Stravasshole kooks on popular trail systems at peak hours trying to snag KOM’s. The belief you have to pull over and stop your ride so someone may pass is horse shit. I’ve nearly come to throwing hands about this sort of thing. No ones ride is any more important than that of anyone else. This is especially true on singletrack when there is no safe place to pass. On the contrary, if it is a race then go for it and I am fine getting out the way.
Last thing related to the aforementioned passing conundrum, the best riders never need to even say anything. They’ll go by you like a wraith and you’ll barely even notice them.
Wyatt. Sorry to offend. Just a story of what actually occurred.
I agree with the ethos of – if you ride you are one of us. That said I also believe there are times we should self regulate our own. That includes honest conversations.
How we appear to others (both in our group of cyclist and outside the cycling world) is important.
Sorry if I appeared divisive. Not my intention.
Intended to point out some of our areas that could use improvement with humor. Maybe I missed the mark.
Connor, you didn’t miss the mark at all. These things need to be said. Wyatt, just because someone is “one of us” doesn’t make them immune to being called out for acting a fool.
Other cyclists’ behaviors have an effect on all of us. The mtn biker that bombs down on hiker/other riders/equestrians means the rest of us have to work extra hard to reverse the negative perceptions they create. Like Connor said, roadies that act like pricks put other riders at risk.
I have come to the point that I don’t even want to be identified as a “cyclist” or “mountain biker.” I think it was George Carlin that said “I like persons, but I hate people.”
“That which you do on your group ride I will pay for on my solo ride.” Yep. Preach brother. This truth cannot be stated enough. Unfortunately, most are clueless and others are worse in that they don’t care. I think “Stravasshole” mentioned above includes this class. As one who is trying to foster cycling in our small community, the behavior is often in the clueless camp, but we are trying to guide and corral a basketful of kittens; without the basket. I can relate to Surly’s “Just because we both ride bikes doesn’t mean we are friends.”, but am amazed at how otherwise disconnected “people” come to be associated cycling “persons”.