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Subject: [sccc-roadies] Subject: Ride Etiquette
From: ama3655@...
Date: Thu, June 8, 2006 3:47 pm
To: sccc-roadies@yahoogroups.com
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I got this from an old friend today. He makes a point that I agree with, I
told him I'd try and see that SCCC members saw it. I know that we, as
cyclists, have the legal right to use a lane. But even a squirrel has
sense enough to
know who loses when you get run over.
Rob Glover

Subject: Ride Etiquette




In 30+ years of being an active cyclist I've done and seen some pretty
stupid riding behavior, but yesterday (06/07/06) on the way home from work I
witnessed a new low. I passed two cyclist riding side by side doing interval
training on Hobbs Island Rd. during rush hour. These guys weren't
oblivious to the
amount of traffic - they just didn't care. I pulled over at the yacht club
and tried politely and unsuccessfully to get them to stop so I could ask
them
if they were trying to die. After I got home, I went out in the front yard
and waited for these guys to come by to see if I could get their attention.
They were still riding two abreast and still doing intervals when they
passed by
(I live midway between S. Parkway and Hwy 431) and of course they ignored me
and the 8 - 10 cars/trucks stacked up behind them. This isn't the first time
I've seen blatant disregard for traffic by riders riding two abreast on two
lane, high-traffic, rural roads in the area but it was the most dangerous
example.

These kind of riders can raise more negative public awareness for cycling in
one afternoon than can be offset by a whole years worth of public awareness
campaigns by the rest of the cycling club. Every cyclist should be outraged
by this type of riding behavior since we have to share the road with the
drivers that these guys are p*ssing off. When I was active in the club, good
riding etiquette was widely practiced and handed down to younger or less
experienced riders/racers. We would have packs of 15-20 riders out
training and with a
simple shout out of "car back" we would be single file in just a few
seconds. Is the club still practicing this through the leadership of ride
captains,
experienced racers & riders, peer pressure, etc., etc.? You may feel like
I'm
over reacting on this but if these guys had been mowed over by a tandem axle
dump truck - every witness (and there would have been many) would have said
they had it coming. I don't want the driving population of Huntsville /
Madison County gunning for me or any other cyclist worse than they
already are. I
know there's not a lot any of you can do about this situation but I hope
you'll continue to stress to the local cycling community that each and every
rider has an obligation to ride courteously and responsibly.

Sincerely,

Bobby Weber
Former Spring City Cycling Club member & officer
5 time Alabama State Champion
Former USCF Sr. Cat II racer
Hobbs Island Rd resident