The Strava affect...is it dangerous ?

[Sully]

So, enjoying pitting myself against my previous segments and watching the times fall, however I'm starting to get abit...shall we say anal about it all, and recently things turned bad whilst peddling like a fool down a hill in pursuit of a "top ten" now I know what you'll say, "don't be stupid and ride to your ability" etc but it's easy to fall into the trap.

 

[Venod]

Yes I think it is, I have took lines through corners while chasing a time that I would not normally take. I have a love hate relationship with Strava, I love the challenge & the motivation it gives me to get out & ride, but I hate thinking about it when I am out & wondering if there is a Strava section on this bit of road, I have considered deleting all my rides from Strava & ignoring it but can't bring myself to do it, I think I need therapy.

 

[Rob3rt]

Not for me it isn't because whilst I use Strava for the social side of things, segment chasing is of no interest to me. I ride my bike as I had planned to do so, then upload the data to Strava for the social aspect, Garmin Connect for a backup and because it is a habitual action in my workflow and also into Golden Cheetah or WKO+ for real analysis.

I have nothing against people chasing segments but I do wish that there was some sort of filter or algorithm that would automatically remove ridiculous segments. Like a 0.1 mile long downhill section, through the middle of a town centre etc.

 

[fossyant]

If you are going to do silly things chasing a segment time, then it's you who will suffer. Don't.

There are many segments on my commute that I don't go for due to traffic, so I don't attempt it. Some segments are down right dangerous so don't be an idiot.

It's a bit of fun, and that is where is stays.

 

[Dan B]

I was very disappointed when the first segment I got a KOM on was a downhill. I'm not even a particularly fast descender, as anyone stuck behind me on Reigate Hill on an FRNttC will attest.

But there are almost no segments on my commute longer than about 400m that don't involve a traffic light somewhere along their length anyway.

 

[Ben M]

I've been thinking about this recently. This is because I nearly got taken out by a coach when chasing a downhill segment time. He decided that he fancied driving in the cycle lane which I was (foolishly) using to overtake him on (downhill 30mph road).

I've decided that I will only "go for" segments which are not full of traffic; are flat or uphill; or sometimes downhill segments which I know well and know to be safe.

On another forum someone posted a link to an article from a San Francisco local paper where it spoke about cyclists running stop signs and causing accidents when chasing segment times. Very scary.

 

[HLaB]

On another forum someone posted a link to an article from a San Francisco local paper where it spoke about cyclists running stop signs and causing accidents when chasing segment times. Very scary.

IIRC correctly in the states also there has been a case of a cyclist killing himself Strava chasing and his folks tried to Strava

 

[Pedrosanchezo]

I think Strava can be good if you live out in the sticks. Most are long flat segments, TT courses, and hill climbs.
Segments in cities etc can start to get a little sketchy. Especially if they include the 50/50 of a green traffic light!

 

[Hip Priest]

You've just got to be sensible. I choose to chase segments which I feel are safe, and ignore the rest. I see some which cross A roads. Not the sort of places where shaving off a few tenths should be a priority!

 

[HLaB]

When it (Strava) first started you had some good length TT segments or decent hill climbs now you've got a plethora of rediculous ones. The one I found crazy a while back our group went to a cafe but a couple needed to get back and never stopped and unfamiliar with the area missed the turning and ended up on the A14, guess what somebody had made a Strava segment there. Its not a KOM I'm going to chase

 

[bianchi1]

What are the thoughts about some sort of vigilante action! Flag rides that are dangerous or pointless?

Over the summer around where I ride more and more riders seem to be creating segments which roughly duplicate existing ones. On one hill up the malvens there must be 5 different starts and finishes. Some finish just before the top some 300m on the down side. The original segment was perfect, if people wanted there own crazy segments why not make them private.

The more people that join strava the more cluttered it will become, which will devalue it in my opinion.

 

[Tommy2]

I don't see a probelm with segments that have traffic lights on them, for instance there is one on my commute to the other work site that has 2 sets of light, nice long flat road.
Some days it's just not your day and you get stopped at every set of lights going but other days it just clicks and you're flying and every light goes green as you approach it. a little bit more exciting wondering if you'll get a row of green lights that day.

If it turns out to be a red light day then there's always tomorrow.

 

[TheJDog]

There's a segment called "Whoop! And the lights are green" in Regent's Park. They never are.

 

[HLaB]

I don't see a probelm with segments that have traffic lights on them,

In essence there's not IMO but you get folk thats easily led on (or what ever you want to call it) that'll RLJ just to get the KOM. However tenuous I don't want a) their death on my hands or b) to add fuel to the 'all cyclists jump red light' debate

 

[byegad]

I think it's dangerous too. IF the section they are riding has traffic and Give Way or Stop lines it is doubly so.