Saturday Morning Havoc

[matthius]

ERC really need to reconsider the new Gilmerton start given the pandemonium of Saturday mornings ride.
  
Creating smaller groups is all very well and good, but if the riders can’t ride in a tight line of two, then you are wasting your time. I was pedalling behind an ERC group of 12 or so nr Dobbies on Sat and there were riders all over the carriageway, sometimes 4 a breast, creating a lovely ERC liveried road block for drivers.

The biggest problem is that the 9.30 group had to pass 3 or 4 slower groups. This was particularly difficult and dangerous given the lack of awareness and skill displayed by all riders. Negotiating the group exiting Drem was especially perilous with riders scattered all over the road and generally not paying attention. This is perhaps harsh on the slower riders, but if ERC wish to persist with this arrangement, these riders need to understand that there will be a coming together of groups and the faster guys will want to get past. They will therefore need to sharper their skills.

Even if the 9.30 group did actually leave at 9.30, the sequence of traffic lights from the Commie to Gilmerton will probably mean that the 9.40 ERC runs are always leaving before the faster bunch.  Is this really sensible??  

Admittedly, the (non-ERC) 9.30 group was far too big with many newbies (and 9.40 riders?) joining in. Many guys were on the rivet, hanging on as if their life depended on it, and don’t get me started on the crash! Why do some riders just sit in, do diddly squat, and then surge forward to for the sprint as if in were Milan- San Remo. Surely not good training, bunch etiquette and bl##dy dangerous.

If these riders are so competitive then why don’t you start, ahem, racing?  The 9.30 bunch is (mostly) a training ride for those who race, not a race for those who don’t.......

Ta,
Matt

[GeoAngus]

Drem was mental. And there was slurry over the road, my landlady happened to be behind the bunch in a motor - she said there were riders over on the wrong side of the road going round a blind bend. Its only a matter of time guys.
BTW Sitting in and then going for the sign is dishonourable. Except when its me.

[Adam Min]

I have followed the ongoing debate regarding Saturday rides and have waited until I had attended a few before forming an opinion. Having been on 3 now the latest one being last Saturday I cannot help feel that as a club we have seriously got to reconsider the format and meeting point of these rides. On Saturday I was in one of he 9.40 groups which caught the group in front at Dalkeith so we had to wait at the Country park for 5 minutes and then ended up at a group of 9 as some wanted to hang back for the 9.45 group behind. As for the situation at Drem it was quite frankly dangerous as the large 9.30 group past us on the outside coming up to a blind bend!

In my view lets keep things simple and go back to having ALL groups leaving from the same venue (pref the Commie) and pause at the Dalkeith to split things up. I think we can safely say we have given the new format a trial run and doesn't seem to have worked out as we might have hoped. I urge the committee to consider both mine (and others) feedback.

[chubbolini]

And another thing. See those Wednesday night winter road rides........

[matthius]

...Just to clarify, and to avoid any unintentional offence,  some of the 9.40 riders did a lot of the work on Saturdays 9.30 bunch!!, Les, Marek et al......
Matt A [the chunky one]

[DanS]

Have to say I agree. My last experience of the new start point a couple of weeks ago wasn't a good one - the 9.45  leaving the carpark by the footpath and across the traffic islands, rather than at the junction 50 yards downhill.  Crossing here, just below a blind summit on a busy road, seems to be replicating and not solving some of the problems which I understand were behind the change.

With a more central starting point, there's a bit of natural selection at work - you have the chance to see who's out, what rides are being suggested etc, and the group tends to be broken up a bit by lights / junctions etc. So that by the time the group splits at Dalkeith there's more chance of sensibly sized and paced groups forming naturally.

Absolutely agree that something could be done to keep group sizes in check, but there does need to be a degree of common sense and collective responsibility about the whole thing. I don't know if it's just me, but the 9.45 has felt increasingly "edgy" lately - not quite the relaxed experience it used to be (and should be, I think).

[amir]

+1

The standard of group riding has put me off the Saturday rides for some time. Although well intentioned, it seems like the move has not met the objectives of improving safety. I am glad that the club is being proactive on this - for many in the club, these rides are their only participation in club activities. I hope a solution can be found soon.

[Scott]

BTW Sitting in and then going for the sign is dishonourable. Except when its me.

aye, but the sign in question was "CAUTION - Elderly crossing"!!! ;-)

[richardg]

Am I correct in thinking most ERC riders are now meeting at Morrisons on a Saturday?
Generally the ERC riders who go in the 9:30 Commie group are of a good standard, are capable bike handlers and they are a good addition to the group.
However, over the last few week I've been puzzled by the number of riders on the 9:30 Commie run - large, maybe 40 strong.
The 9:30 Commie group is intended for riders who road race and are looking for 2.5 hours of hard chainganging, but today we obviously had some riders who, I would suggest, are not in a position to contribute to the chaingang, or are actually causing a hazard in the group.
One of them rode straight into a 'road narrows' roadworks sign placed in the gutter on Gilmerton road on the way out this morning, causing a crash.
Around half of the starters at the pool today were dropped by the time we'd climbed out of Dalkeith. I'd recommend that if you're getting dropped in the first 30 mins of this ride you probably want to go with an easier group, one where you can actually practice chainganging in, rather than hanging on for grim death in a long snaking line at the back, waiting to be ejected on the first hard rise.

Just to emphasise - I don't think this is a particular problem with ERC riders, I think the problem is mainly with unaffiliated riders and I'm hoping this post will reach a few of them.


 

[cliff]

Good points in your post Richard. Even better if you would make them next Saturday to the 930 group and suggest that any riders not able to contribute to the chain should form another group rather than hanging on 'for grim death'. I'm sure you're well enough known and respected for riders to pay attention to what you have to say.