Disappointing lack of response on safety from Audax organisers

[jefmcg]

Certainly not a "busy body" as has rather disappointingly been suggested

Mea culpa. Let's be clear. I wasn't saying you were a busy body, but the letter would read like it was written by a busy body. I literally can't think of a way to draft that email that wouldn't sound like a busybody.

Which is why I wrote this

What exactly did you say in the email?

Hoping to draw you out on what you actually wrote. Can you paste the body of the email here?

But now I see that the organisers email didn't work, and you wrote to a general club address. It's probable that no one saw it, or the person who saw it decided not to pass it on. If you don't know the organiser received it, I really don't think you can complain about the response to your email.

But (2) I am a little shocked that the email address provided for an organiser of an audax bounces. That is something to complain about.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Did you try this contact form or their Facebook page or Twitter account? There was no organiser email provided for the event.

https://clarioncc.org/groups/north-cheshire-clarion/contact/

 

[nickyboy]

Did you try this contact form or their Facebook page or Twitter account? There was no organiser email provided for the event.

https://clarioncc.org/groups/north-cheshire-clarion/contact/

Thanks for trying @YukonBoy but I've kind of lost my initial motivation to be helpful, particularly bearing in mind the opinions of some posters here.

 

[Pale Rider]

I agree with @jefmcg, whatever you write is unlikely to go down well.

You might as well drop the helpful attitude and adopt the persona of an angry motorist.

"Unless you stupid buggers learn to control your bicycles one of you will end up starfished on the front of an artic."

Not replying to you is bad form, although I imagine the organisers will be wary of your motivation and what might happen next.

Still no excuse for not composing something suitably neutral such as: "Thank you for your email, all ride feedback is welcome and will be considered at the planning meeting for next year's event."

 

[mmmmartin]

"Unless you stupid buggers learn to control your bicycles one of you will end up starfished on the front of an artic."

You might find that they already know that. As indeed, does just about anyone who can ride a bike. Those who ride audaxes tend to ride quite a lot of miles and perhaps know that more than many cyclists.

I'm with @jefmcg, think there's no way of expressing your thoughts that won't make you look like a busybody. Which you are. Given that it's a narrow lane was it not a good idea to get down it one bunch quickly and get out of everyone else's way? No one fell off, there was no accident. They might not have been riding as you would wish, obvs, But who are you to tell them they were going too fast? Too fast for what? Too fast for you? They were obviously in control and their bikemanship was obviously up to the task of getting them down that hill. Some drivers were mildly inconvenienced by having to stop the car for a few minutes.

A few minutes search provides the address of the organiser for the previous year's event: you could post a letter to him. There's an email address as well. But before you complain about an event that had 81 riders you might want to consider how much time and effort the organiser has put into getting it off the ground, navigating it through the Audax UK checking process, setting up the route, riding the route, sorting out two controls plus food and drink for 81 finishers.

 

[nickyboy]

You might find that they already know that. As indeed, does just about anyone who can ride a bike. Those who ride audaxes tend to ride quite a lot of miles and perhaps know that more than many cyclists.

I'm with @jefmcg, think there's no way of expressing your thoughts that won't make you look like a busybody. Which you are. Given that it's a narrow lane was it not a good idea to get down it one bunch quickly and get out of everyone else's way? No one fell off, there was no accident. They might not have been riding as you would wish, obvs, But who are you to tell them they were going too fast? Too fast for what? Too fast for you? They were obviously in control and their bikemanship was obviously up to the task of getting them down that hill. Some drivers were mildly inconvenienced by having to stop the car for a few minutes.

A few minutes search provides the address of the organiser for the previous year's event: you could post a letter to him. There's an email address as well. But before you complain about an event that had 81 riders you might want to consider how much time and effort the organiser has put into getting it off the ground, navigating it through the Audax UK checking process, setting up the route, riding the route, sorting out two controls plus food and drink for 81 finishers.

I think the accusation of being a busy body etc should be directed at me, as OP, rather than @Pale Rider

The fact you're willing to dish out insulting stuff like the above says rather more about you than it does about me and on that note I'm out

 

[Pale Rider]

I think the accusation of being a busy body etc should be directed at me, as OP, rather than @Pale Rider

The fact you're willing to dish out insulting stuff like the above says rather more about you than it does about me and on that note I'm out

Fair play for pointing that out Nick, but knowing you as I do, I'm not surprised.

I have some sympathy for your view point.

On Tour de France weekend in Yorkshire I was driving up one of the big climbs.

Some of the visiting club roadies were descending in such a manner they couldn't keep their bicycle on their side of the road.

Fine in a race when everyone is going the same way, but doing it when they did was stupidly dangerous.

I braked and swerved a couple of times, probably not avoiding a collision, but had I wiped out one of them I would have been cross at being put in that position.

 

[jefmcg]

I think the accusation of being a busy body etc should be directed at me, as OP, rather than @Pale Rider

And you could answer it by POSTING THE TEXT OF YOUR EMAIL.

(Sorry for shouting but it's the 3rd time I've asked)

Martin and I will read it, realise you didn't come across as a busybody, apologise and take up pitchforks and follow the crowd to the lynching.

 

[Pale Rider]

Sounds like you should have stopped until they had gone past. Your last statement is quite extraordinary.

Stopping on all but blind bends would risk a rear end shunt.

Preferable to injuring a cyclist, even a reckless one, but I prefer to aim a bit higher.

Safe passage for all road users.

It's not hard, just stay on your side of the road and the overwhelming likelihood is all will be well.

 

[frank9755]

I think the accusation of being a busy body etc should be directed at me

I salute your self-awareness!