The only two serious injury accidents, I’ve had on led rides, have been caused by crap getting jammed in hugger mudguards, on winter rides. One was a serious injury, the other one was worse. If I see hugger guards on a bike, on one of my rides now, they take them off, or don’t ride. Stand off guards or ass savers are fine though.
Far more likely to crash as a result of getting mud in your eye from not fitting mudguards. Mudguards are awesome.
This came across my 'desk' - an editorial 'mudguard polemic':
https://www.cambridge-cycling-club.org.uk/documents/newsletters/January2020.pdf
"There is space here, too, for opinions, polemical and controversial, if you like, and I’m happy to start the ball rolling. Unquestionably the most successful aspect of the club, at least measured by numbers of participants, is the Sunday clubrun and Sue Taylor, the Club Runs Captain has contributed an excellent overview in this issue, at the end of which, she includes a restrained and polite reminder about mudguards. Personally, I feel this is an entirely fitting subject for polemic rather than politeness, so I shall exploit editorial privilege by inveighing against those who regularly turn up for winter club runs without a full-length rear mudguard and a mud flap, which needs to extend to well below the level of the bottom bracket to be effective. Frankly, turning up on a January Sunday on a stripped-down racing bike just to ride to a café through muddy lanes at 16mph is an act of masochistic madness. It’s also selfish, since it leaves anyone riding behind you covered in mud. Short rear mudguards are morally even worse (if less madly masochistic) since they spray everyone else whilst protecting their owner. If this describes you and/or your bike, at least have the decency to ride at the back, where you’ll get an easy ride in the dry behind everyone else’s mud flap without ever doing a turn on the front. Your enlightened double-self-interest will thus be its own reward. A club run is no place for mad, selfish masochists. It’s time such people were made to feel like the pariahs they are.
Ride leaders are entirely within their rights to exclude them from the group and should do so, unless they are complete newcomers, when they should be asked to ride at the back. But preferably, for club runs on wet winter roads, if you aren’t prepared to fit full-length mudguards and a rear flap, ride on your own, or confine yourself to the company of other mad, selfish masochists. End of rant. Have a good 2020."
