FLCC> one person's view of Tuesday night

[john compton]

- Nick thanks for mention-

for some reason this weeks ride out to ringwood really bothered me a bit 
more than each wk of the same.  while i was sitting at the back watching 
6riders wide several deep, with sheer disregard to 'Car Back' . exchanging 
looks of disgust, mine with a twist of apology,   with motorist while they 
were beside me patiently waiting to get by.
i start thinking to myself, some has to change.  the strong social aspect of 
this group ride has to take place at a time other than the ride out. get to 
the lot earlier go out to eat after sit in the lot after...
split into our a,b,c grooups from the lot, --ride two wide!

why is this a constant issue?  what to do to end it as such?

a little worked up- john c

lets do something before something is done.








>From: Glenn Swan <gs37 at cornell.edu>
>To: flcc at icycle.org
>Subject: FLCC> one person's view of Tuesday night
>Date: Wed, 11 Jul 2007 15:53:21 -0500
>
>
> >Nick Robertson sent this observation of Tuesday night's ride/race.....  
>He
> >may not think he has the respect of everyone, but I know he deserves all
> >that and more.  I think I am glad to have missed this one, since I might
> >have blown a gasket and really reamed some people out.  I know that many
> >of the riders who show up for Tuesday nights aren't necessarily on this
> >listserve, so we will need to "educate" some of them before the next
> >outing.  We truly are lucky that over the years we have avoided most
> >serious accidents and traffic incidents, and we have read about the
> >experiences of enough other clubs who have been shut down or worse,
> >suffered accidents, injuries, or deaths during their weekly events. It is
> >up to all of us to instill a strong sense of responsibility in each and
> >every rider because we are responsible for our own safety, and both
> >directly and indirectly the safety of those who ride around us while we
> >race. Stupidity, carelessness, or just plain bad luck on the part of any
> >one of us can lead to the end of what is now an institution of about 25
> >years. It is up to each of us to protect it by being smart and aware of
> >our total situation while we race each week.  We must be better...
>
>
>
>
> >Riding last night was interesting to say the least.  I think I saw
> >more stupid riding last night that I ever have before.  I want to
> >send an email to the listserve, but don't have the necessary respect
> >of the field to have the message be received.  I think that we are
> >lucky that no one was hurt, killed, or that we weren't shut down by
> >the police.  There was almost no adherence to "car back" yells.
> >Several times while riding out to the start there were cars that
> >tried to pass just to find a car coming the other way, but had
> >nowhere to go because the group was filling the whole lane across.
> >Most of the way out, the whole lane was filled.
> >
> >But, the worst part was during the race.  The A's went out yellowbarn
> >and back up Irish settlement.  B's were doing something that had them
> >coming down midline.  After Irish settlement I was in a chase group
> >with Bill Erikson and John Compton.  The A's passed up the intersection
> >with midline and then the B's came out right before us.  A few B
> >stragglers never even checked to see us coming, I had to yell to get
> >them to not blow through the stop sign right into us.  If I had been
> >a car doing 55 or 60, that could have been bad for them.  But it gets
> >worse.  As we were approaching the Bs, I looked behind to see a
> >sheriff.  We yelled car back and I know that others in the field
> >heard us because they looked back, but did nothing.  For over a mile
> >the sheriff was behind trying to pass, but couldn't.  Bill and I were
> >both thinking this was the end of Tuesday night races.  Right in
> >front of the sheriff, people were going two wide over the yellow line
> >up one of the short steep hills!  So they were taking up over a lane
> >on a blind hill.  Finally the sheriff decides to try to pass, but
> >just as he/she does, an on coming car comes and the sheriff had to
> >turn their lights on to prevent a head on collision.  Finally the
> >sheriff was able to pass on the approach down to 79.  To my surprise
> >they passed and just kept going.  Maybe they had somewhere else to be
> >or maybe they were just letting this one slide.  Either way, we got
> >lucky I think.  I thought for sure the were going to stop the field
> >and put an end to things.
> >
> >Finally after the ordeal, I was able to get around the B's and get
> >back up with the A's.  On the way up to the observatory, people in
> >the A field were well on the left side of the road nearing both
> >crests.  I was sitting there watching this in disbelief.  If a car comes
> >over the top and there is no way there would be time to move.
> >
> >All in all, I was embarrassed to be out riding with the group.  I
> >know that this discussion seems to come up every year, but it never
> >seems to be taken seriously.  I am afraid of someone getting hurt or
> >killed at some point if nothing changes.
> >
> >
> >Nick
>
>
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