FLCC> one person's view of Tuesday night

Thu Jul 12 14:41:16 EDT 2007

It is really, really easy to give advice from a distance, but perhaps a
respected someone can take a few minutes before a ride to voice the
concerns expressed here? 

Saying something during the ride sure doesn't seem to help as described
here, and as mentioned here as well, not everyone on the rides subscribes
to this listserv. Even for those who do, next Tuesday is a ways off and in
the thick of it it is too easy to go along with others. Thus, perhaps some
words at the start might be helpful.

My $0.2 worth,

       Bill

P.S. FWIW, OCC has little trouble with people going over the yellow line,
     but then again our Wednesday night rides aren't exactly comparable.
     As for cars back...

John said:

> - 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
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >FLCC mailing list
> >FLCC at icycle.org
> >http://icycle.org/mailman/listinfo/flcc_icycle.org
> 
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> 

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         | Bill Goffe                 goffe at oswego.edu          |
         | Department of Economics    voice: (315) 312-3444     |
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