HOLY CRAP! Group Ride Gone Horribly Wrong...

[OreoGaborio]

i'll just paste my response

whether or not it's fake isn't the issue... the issue is that these incidents can and do happen, but shouldn't. I'm a new rider myself, but if a squidly dumbass newbie wants to ride w/ me & rides like a fucking idiot like that, well i'll be damned if i don't let em lead, then either bitch em out or send em on their way at the next stop.

[benVFR]

I think it's silly that they are putting all the blame on the newbie rider who crashed first. The other two guys should have been following far enough back to avoid the crash. Especially if they were so experienced, etc..

Ben

[sahd03]

OreoGaborio is right, it doesn't matter if it's real or not (hoepfully not). It brings up a good issue of how to ride in a group, and how not to.

(up on soapbox)
Riding like a squid and taking your life into your own hands is one thing; riding like a squid and taking everyone else's lives into your hands is another. And that's exactly the case on public roads. If you're out there, it's not just you. It's other riders, it's cages, it's pedestrians.

Ride safe and live to ride another day, the next more fun than the last.

(Down from soapbox)

[bigred875]

Originally posted by Mystery Squid
I agree, when overly squidly behavior comes near me, I just back off and let them have their space...

I give'em lots of room... keep them in front of you

[Tarmac]

If it was for real then it is a shame...as are all accidents.

But man, I can't get over how everybody in that photo has their back to the main event; that dude underneath the truck! Too casual even if he was presumed dead. All trauma incidents I've ever seen has all kinds of folks either helping or dorking at the scene; Bo would have been the focus.

But anyway, the fact remains; group rides test your discipline.

[OreoGaborio]

Originally posted by benSV
I think it's silly that they are putting all the blame on the newbie rider who crashed first. The other two guys should have been following far enough back to avoid the crash. Especially if they were so experienced, etc..

Ben

and what happens when the squid is behind you, you don't realize it's him since you're concentrating on the road ahead & he's geared up like your buddy, he makes a dangerous inside pass, slides to the outside & takes you out? contrary to what seems to be this boards popular believe, some things are indeed unforseeable & unavoidable

[benVFR]

That is not what happened in this case though...

Yah the situation you mention would suck but hopefully you notice someone is sketchy before they get a chance to do that.

Usually you can tell right away within 5 minutes of talking to someone in the parking lot.

This is incidentally one of the things that SUCKED about the bicycle racing I was doing this spring. Every single race there were squirrely people taking other people out. It's quite unnerving to ride in a pack of people you don't really know, and you ride way closer to each other than motorcyclists. I had numerous situations where someone would try to pass me on the inside and run wide and hit me, and somehow I'd avoid going down. I had one guy ram into my rear wheel, he crashed and I didn't somehow. Did one race where 4 of the 6 guys on my team were taken out by newbies running wide in corners. They'll see everyone else setting up for the correct line and they dive to the apex early without slowing down and then run wide on the exit.

Ben

[bigred875]

Originally posted by OreoGaborio
and what happens when the squid is behind you, you don't realize it's him since you're concentrating on the road ahead & he's geared up like your buddy, he makes a dangerous inside pass, slides to the outside & takes you out? contrary to what seems to be this boards popular believe, some things are indeed unforseeable & unavoidable

that is why you want them in front of you.....

if it is an unknown squid then that is a diff story..but if you are ridding in a group....keep them in front.

[elaineo]

it's really hard not to become fixated on the rider in front of you, especially if they are riding in a noticeable manner or smashing into a truck.

The other day I was riding with a guy who kept crossing the centerline cuz he was riding too fast and running wide, and i found that i couldn't keep a decent line because i kept looking at how he was riding into the opposite lane. damn target fixation! stupid brain!

[Borislav]

I really hate hearing something like this. WOW.

[tooks954]

I hope this image is seen by all who have a hard time respecting the machines that we love to ride.

[Thrill]

More reason for you to ride like the group you are riding with, so if you don't like the way they ride then ride with another group of riders or don't let the "deathwishers" ride with your group. You are responsible for the compay you keep one way or another.....