HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
@husparky Why? Because after experiencing some dodgy riding I prefer to ride on my own and in space? Or that I don't like unknown Wheel Suckers (which I must admit that I became one for the last two miles)?
Ride London Accident
- Thread starter Smokin Joe
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Stinboy
Über Member
This kind of behaviour is to be expected though at such a large event of this distance. The roads will be very busy, and people will get tired towards the end so will sit on a wheel.
Personally, I would either take it as a complement or ask them (politely
) to cut it out if it's making me uncomfortable
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
@Stinboy On hindsight (that wonerful thing) that wonderful thing I maybe could have explained to him more than the obvious gestures and signals. I tried to do that when I slowed down to get him to come alongside so I could verbally ask him to come through or back off but I didn't feel safe with his positioning to actually stop, perhaps I should have.
huwsparky
Über Member
- Location
- Llangrannog
I can't believe your asking that question!
If other peoples etiquette I a primary for you why choose to be in close proximity to some 40k riders in the first place.
What you've described would have been the exact same experiences of everyone else. Guaranteed you would have done something during that ride that would have had someone else saying the same about you.
e-rider
Banned member
- Location
- South West
from the comments on here (not the OP) it sounds like the worst possible bike ride ever! I like riding on my own or with the club of up to 20 riders. I have done sportives in the past but found that such events tend to attract the worst kind of cyclists/people - this ridelondon sounds like all the bad parts of a sportive multiplied by 100
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
@Husparky I didn't sit 2 inches off the back wheel of anyone for ovet 10 miles so I doubt I unnerved anyone for that long. Other folk sat on my wheel for a bit or past close momentarily which doesn't really bother me, its just some muppet doing it for over 10 miles and refusing to interact that does.
rugby bloke
Veteran
- Location
- Northamptonshire
From my experiences I would say that these reports are picking out the more extreme examples of "nobbery". I've ridden it for the last 2 years and enjoyed both rides. Yes you get a mixture of speeds and abilities and yes you get the occasional sad wannebe. In general though, the vast majority of riders (25k !) are sensible and looking out for each other. The way the day panned out this year was unfortunate as it both condensed the field and then dumped a load of quicker riders behind slower riders after the slower riders were diverted around Leith Hill.
Its not perfect but as a mass participation event offering both the freedom of closed road cycling together with a significant distance challenge to most of us its really not bad.
I'm sure the organisers will be reviewing the issues thrown up this year before planning begins for next year's ride.
velovoice
Veteran
- Location
- Between the City and the Sea
I have just dipped into this thread to see if there was any update on the conditions of the two riders injured on Sunday... after wading through several pages of OT "my own experience" comparisons and games of one-up-man-ship (?!).... I still don't know! Please - does anyone have any new information, i.e. as of this morning?? Hope they're recovering swiftly. Bad enough another guy had a fatal heart attack on the ride.
Racing roadkill
Guru
Oddly, I didn't have any issues with the guys / gals draughting me, they all seemed to know what they were doing, my biggest gripe was with some toolbox trying to hero pass me as I sat up to warn the idiot, that I had a guy with an exploded tyre, about to deck out in front of me, so I was coming right, quickly. Rather than hold his position, he thought it was a great idea to squeeze past, I'm just sorry that the faller didn't spin out into him.
Racing roadkill
Guru
33 riders landed themselves in hospital, 2 are still in a 'serious' condition (the guy from the Pyrford smash, and the girl who had to have her head held still by a bystander) the others are in various states of disrepair.
huwsparky
Über Member
- Location
- Llangrannog
I can see where your coming form, I honestly can. But at the same time the chances of people getting on your nerves on this kind of ride is going to be significantly higher than your average ride.
velovoice
Veteran
- Location
- Between the City and the Sea
Thank you! Very sad.
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
Well, it's much bigger than most. I've stopped doing sportives because I feel they're mismanaged, but Ride London is better than most because it's one of few that is held on closed roads and that tandems, trikes, recumbents and handcycles are permitted to enter.
30k near as heck now.
No news that I can find. If I find them, I'll update the summary on page 5. The main new story now is that Robin Chard's fundraising page is approaching £50'000.
Lee_M
Guru
It might sound a terrible day, but despite the crashes and delays, and being diverted round Leith Hill because of the congestion (we were well within the time when they were supposed to put the diversion in) it was abso-fScking-lutely brilliant.
I'm hoping I can do it next year and get Leith Hill ticked off.
I'm hoping I can do it next year and get Leith Hill ticked off.
Justinslow
Lovely jubbly
- Location
- Suffolk
That's exactly where we were waiting, 45 mins for us. When we rode past there was all manner of medical kit strewn around and the cops taking pictures of the bike and stuff. Very sobering experience, for a little while, then you have to put it to the back of your mind. It was possibly the first dicey bit of road- narrow, fast and a fairly tight bend.
Hope the guy is ok.
