'Car up', 'Car back' & 'Car down'?

[Fab Foodie]

most of the group riding I do is on roads in Surrey ,Kent, Sussex, Berkshire etc. a high % on roads without central white lines and where cars are very often few and far between Informing the group that a car is coming up from behind or down from the top of the group is an important safety factor.

I don't disagree where there is a real safety implication, but ONLY then.

 

[screenman]

I don't disagree where there is a real safety implication, but ONLY then.

Have you thought about running the teaching sessions yourself?

 

[screenman]

Not always. A cycling holiday was almost ruined for me by one very old bloke who insisted on shouting CAR at every single vehicle - including parked ones! When asked by several of us to stop it, he said he couldn't because if someone cycled into the back of a parked car and broke their neck because he hadn't called it, he would feel terrible. He was a ghastly old bore and very full of himself.

My point was if it was perfect before the new members, then the new members were not trained in the way of the club.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Have you thought about running the teaching sessions yourself?

I simply don't have the time as I'm rarely around in the weeks either.
We try not to do 'Teaching' or be prescriptive in that kind of way. If I'm leading a ride I will ask to keep the shouting to the bare essentials. But others find it impossible to do this it seems. The reason our group is gaining membership at a goodly rate is because of the lack of rules and an emphasis on fun and social whereas other clubs beat their riders with rules, lot's of shouting and other so-called advice.

 

[Fab Foodie]

I simply don't have the time as I'm rarely around in the weeks either.
We try not to do 'Teaching' or be prescriptive in that kind of way. If I'm leading a ride I will ask to keep the shouting to the bare essentials. But others find it impossible to do this it seems. I'm sure we could have an endless debate at committees etc. but that's not our way.
The reason our group is gaining membership at a goodly rate is because of the lack of rules and an emphasis on fun and social.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Not always. A cycling holiday was almost ruined for me by one very old bloke who insisted on shouting CAR at every single vehicle - including parked ones! When asked by several of us to stop it, he said he couldn't because if someone cycled into the back of a parked car and broke their neck because he hadn't called it, he would feel terrible. He was a ghastly old bore and very full of himself.

.... and that's part of the problem, like Helmet Rools etc. Some people won't or can't let these things lie.

 

[Milkfloat]

The rides I generally go on are very quiet roads and we spend most of our tIme 2 or 3 abreast. These roads are not wide enough to allow a car to safely pass either direction, so the calls are used to move us into single file.

 

[T4tomo]

Not always. A cycling holiday was almost ruined for me by one very old bloke who insisted on shouting CAR at every single vehicle - including parked ones! When asked by several of us to stop it, he said he couldn't because if someone cycled into the back of a parked car and broke their neck because he hadn't called it, he would feel terrible. He was a ghastly old bore and very full of himself.

You should have ridden him into the back of a parked car, that would shut him up.

 

[screenman]

I simply don't have the time as I'm rarely around in the weeks either.
We try not to do 'Teaching' or be prescriptive in that kind of way. If I'm leading a ride I will ask to keep the shouting to the bare essentials. But others find it impossible to do this it seems. The reason our group is gaining membership at a goodly rate is because of the lack of rules and an emphasis on fun and social whereas other clubs beat their riders with rules, lot's of shouting and other so-called advice.

That is a major part of the problem, in the days long gone new people were shown the ropes, I know I was. Nowadays everybody is way to busy, just shows you how wrong Tomorrows World was.

 

[Apollonius]

Totally agree about the insufferable constant commentary some people seem to want to give. Only shout when there is an unexpected danger. There are always cars (up, down, round and round) and holes in the road.

 

[PK99]

Totally agree about the insufferable constant commentary some people seem to want to give. Only shout when there is an unexpected danger. There are always cars (up, down, round and round) and holes in the road.

Some time ago, riding solo, heading down a narrowish twisty bit of road (Markedge Lane toward's Fanny's Farm), a group I had passed re-grouping at the head of the lane, came up behind and were clearly anxious to pass. At one of the bends, just as the lead man was pulling out to pass i spotted a car a bend or two ahead and called "Car", pass aborted the lead man said "thanks mate".

Knowing 'group riding' calls is an important part of riding skills - even when riding solo.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Some time ago, riding solo, heading down a narrowish twisty bit of road (Markedge Lane toward's Fanny's Farm), a group I had passed re-grouping at the head of the lane, came up behind and were clearly anxious to pass. At one of the bends, just as the lead man was pulling out to pass i spotted a car a bend or two ahead and called "Car", pass aborted the lead man said "thanks mate".

Knowing 'group riding' calls is an important part of riding skills - even when riding solo.

I don't think anyone disagrees when there is danger to be averted, but I don't think every car that overtakes the car is worth a 'Car-up' and now we also get 'Car-passing' ....

 

[mjr]

in a tight group you want to be looking forward not back!

I agree but KLWNBUG is a pootleton, not a tight group, which is also why you might want to look back before moving up to change the group order and chat with someone else for a bit, as we're not constantly rotating the order like some groups do.

I also agree that it's daft to call everything on busy roads, but out on the fen roads, through the brecks and near the coast, cars are still blissfully rare, so it helps. Similarly, pointing at potholes is helpful on generally-good roads, but not if it's patched to hell... and I've once asked someone to stop pointing and calling every drain grating...