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Post by Scott Baker on Feb 28, 2008 22:28:48 GMT -5
With the new time change format for daylight savings, the first Tuesday ride from Motion Makers will be on March 11th. I spoke with Kent, and we both agreed the start time on March 11th and 18th will be 5:45PM. Starting on March 25th, we will go to the standard 6PM departure time. The early starts on the first two rides will ensure returning by dark and allow for some slower rides since it is early in the season. Let's have a great season of Motion Makers rides! Subscribe to the MM calender if you use Google Calendar, or simply view it at www.motionmakersbikes.com/html/rides_calendar.html . |
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Post by irish on Mar 18, 2008 9:30:15 GMT -5
An impassioned plea from your Uncle Will:
What say we return to the way the Tuesday night used to be? By this I mean one group traveling as one unit at 15mph from the bike shop to The Hub. At The Hub if you want, hammer away.
Before the negative replies start, consider the following reasons why it might be a good idea:
Safety: Common sense suggests that one group traveling together, stopping and starting together when merging onto Skyland Dr. is safer than staggered smaller groups of riders. Motorists – many of whom aren’t exactly happy we’re on the road – will only have to negotiate one group of riders, riding uniformly in a predictable manner. Smaller groups of riders, riding at different speeds, with different skill levels, represent a number of different variables to which motorists must predict and react. Oftentimes this results in motorists merging into and out of the different groups, and this can be enough to exacerbate any ill feelings towards cyclists. Add to this the reality that many motorists are leaving work and, well you get the point…
Camaraderie: Riding out together allows us all to reconnect with one another. Personally speaking, shooting the poop on the way to The Hub used to be one of the greatest parts of the ride. This is the part of the ride where we get to eye up all the new toys people have, catch up on gossip, etc. Riders used to take turns leading the pack and then slowly work their way to the back while chatting it up.
Education: None of us were born with cycling skills, someone taught each of us what we know. New riders and those who lack group-riding skills learn from veteran riders by observation and positive feedback. The opportunity to teach others how to ride safely – indeed, better – is severely hindered when the most accomplished riders rocket away from the pack.
Growing the Sport: Again, common sense suggests that new riders will only be encouraged to ride more when a great group of cyclists get together for a weekly ride. New riders carry with them their stories of group rides – stories that are taken back to their homes in our area as well as to other locales. I don’t think it’s a stretch to assert that the sport already has enough aggressive, hammerhead-oriented group rides. My experience was that the Motion Makers ride used to be one that kept people coming back; one of inclusion, not exclusion. A ride that still incorporated it’s fair share of opportunities for friendly competition and serious riding.
Good Will Towards Motorists: Finally, if the Tuesday night ride returns to the old format and we ride in accordance with what is written above, the result can only improve cyclists’ tenuous relationships with motorists. We’ve all had bad experiences with jerks behind the wheel, and try as we may no amount of good will is likely to change their attitudes toward us. But, a well-organized and controlled display of cycling discipline during the only local organized ride certainly can’t do us harm. I suggest that not doing so is harming the local cycling community.
Like it or not, we as participants in the Tuesday night ride are ambassadors for all cyclists in the area. Fairly or not, our actions during this weekly event will be generalized to other cyclists as well. We can’t control what motorists do or how they perceive us, but we can control what we do.
P.S. I’ve cross-posted this in the General Chat and Regularly Scheduled Rides forums in order to maximize exposure
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