Der folgende Artikel wurde zuerst veröffentlicht in den Southwest Cycling News, February 2009, S. 3, und wird hier abgedruckt mit der freundlichen Genehmigung des Autors, Phil Hallmark. Und auch wenn er speziell auf die Situation in und um Austin Bezug nimmt, so enthält er m.E. doch eine Reihe wichtiger Informationen, die sich auf's Radeln überall in den USA anwenden lassen.
Ride Safe, Ride Smart
Tips to Keep It Together on Group Rides
by Phil Hallmark, LCI # 1656
Riding your bicycle in a group can be one of the most satisfying aspects of cycling. Follow the suggestions and tips below to enhance your enjoyment and reduce the odds for mishaps.
Be Prepared
Do your homework and be sure you know how long you will be in the saddle and then bring the appropriate fluid and fuel. Roughly one water bottle per hour and one snack item per hour should be sufficient, assuming you arrive well fed and well hydrated. Most long rides include a rest stop at a convenience store for restocking. Limit snacks to simple carbohydrates; avoid fats.
Most group riders will forgive you if you do not know how to change a flat at the first time. But the group participant who arrives with no extra tubes, no patch kit, no tire change tools and no pump will not make many friends. Make a trip to your friendly local bike shop and become acquainted with the basic tools and techniques for simple on-road maintenance. Flats are by far the most common repair you will face.
Arrive early, with your bike in good working order. The 15 minutes before the ride starts is no time to discover that your brake pads are worn out or your tire tread is shot. Arrive early enough to unload your bike and get ready to ride. Ten minutes is not enough time. Fifteen minutes might just do it. Make it 20, and you'll hardly ever be the one whom everyone is waiting for before the ride starts. This is just simple common courtesy. It shows everyone that you value and respect their time.
Communicate
Communication is crucial for successful group riding. Good communication begins the moment you arrive. If you are new to group riding, or new to the group, let one of the ride leaders or old-timers know. A competent ride leader will welcome you and make sure you are taken care of during the ride. If you get a bad vibe, or someone cops an elitist attitude, find a new group. Austin is a friendly town, life is short, and there's no need to waste time with bike snobs. Ride leaders, be sure and ask if anyone is new or has questions, even if this is a ride you have done a thousand times. Try not to assume that all riders know the logistics and the course as well as you do.
Group riding requires extra communication between riders. Signal all turns and stops well in advance. Verbal warnings from the front riders are important when slowing down or stopping to avoid pile-ups. Riding in a group limits the view of road hazards or debris for those riding behind. So as you pass a hazard or debris, point down at it and make a circular motion with your hand. Backing it up with a verbal warning is even better. Call out "Rock!" "Pothole!" "Tracks!" or whatever is appropriate.
When passing other riders, always pass on the left and clearly announce "on your left." Passing on the right should be avoided, but if you do, make sure you announce clearly "on your RIGHT."
Visibility of overtaking motor vehicles is limited in a group, so it is common for riders in the rear to announce "car back" when they see a car approaching from the rear. On narrow roadways with tight turns, front riders can also announce "car up" when a car is oncoming.
The general rule is the more communication the better. Does every single rider in a tight group need to announce a hole or debris? Probably not, but everyone needs to be made aware of its presence.
There is one habit of communication that is best to avoid, and that is yelling "clear" when passing through an intersection. Sure, it may be clear at the moment for you, but the riders behind you need to make their own judgement about the safety of proceeding. Yelling "clear" can cause riders behind to turn off their brains and proceed on your word. It's best to communicate only warnings of things that pose dangers.
Ride Predictably
Riding predictably is necessary to avoid crashes in groups. This means you must make changes in your speed or direction as gradually as possible, and only after signalling/verbalizing your intent. Being aware of riders around you is also crucial before changing your speed or direction. Scan behind you often, and consider using a rearview mirror to increase awareness of your surroundings.
If you suddenly come upon a road hazard, use the "rock dodge" maneuver to go around it. This is a quick twitch of the handlebars left and then back right. With practice it will cause a very subtle move of the front wheel around the hazard with very minimal deviation from your line of travel. This is crucial in a tight group, where wild, large movements will take you and those around you down. This maneuver will save you from a front tire blow-out, which is almost certain to cause a crash. Your rear tire may hit the hazard and go flat, but you will be able to maintain some control with a rear flat.
Riding in a paceline is a highly advanced maneuver that should only be done by experienced riders or by less experienced riders only after getting permission from the rest of the paceline. This is a maneuver in which several bicylists ride in a line, following within inches of one another. Although it is a proven way to increase the efficiency of the group, predictable, controlled, skilled riding is essential. There is also a general etiquette for being part of a paceline. I will leave that as an exercise for the reader to learn online or from a seasoned group rider. Never come behind a stranger and "ride their wheel" unless you ask permission first.
Be Mindful of Other Road Users
Riding in groups takes extra vigilance to make sure you are safely sharing the roadway with motorists. It is a good idea to keep in mind that you are a bicycle ambassador anytime you are out on your bike. Causing unnecessary delays or causing near crashes with motorists will not score any points with the general public. It only takes a few inconsiderate cyclists to set us all back in the eyes of the many motorists they encounter.
It is illegal to ride more than two abreast unless the road is closed to motor vehicle traffic. In a big group, it is best to break into smaller groups of three or four riders, with plenty of space between the groups, so that motorists can more quickly and more easily pass the smaller groups. If there is room to share the lane with motor vehicles, ride single file when you allow a motorist to pass. If you must stop for some reason, pull completely off the road.
At intersections, it is necessary for each cyclist [or pair, if doubled up] to follow the traffic control devices and yield appropriately. If you are at the rear of a group and a traffic light turns red, stop for the light. A clot of cyclists is not a whole organism that can stop and proceed through a stop light as one.
Riding in shoulders or "breakdown lanes" is legal for bicyclists in Texas. However, be observant when you approach an intersection while riding on roadways like Loop 360, RM 620 and Parmer Lane. It is common for the shoulder stripe to disappear and the shoulder to become a right-turn-only-lane. In that case, if the light is red, single up and move to the left, straddling the line between the nearest through lane and the right-turn lane. This will leave room for motorists to move into that lane to your right and turn. It is very annoying to be stuck behind cyclists who are parked in a right-turn lane at a red light, oblivious to other road users. Keep an eye on this column in the months ahead for a thorough discussion of riding on shoulders, including those challenging on-off ramps on 360.
These general tips are good for the many rides around Austin virtually every weekend. If you are planning on doing one of the big organized rides like the MS 150, be sure to take any special training classes that are offered for those rides. Those rides are great fun, but extra caution is required because they attract people who hardly ever ride a bike. With training, you will know what to expect, allowing you to enjoy the ride that much more.
These issues and many more are covered in the Smart Cycling "Traffic Skills 101" courses, which we offer at least once a month. Check elsewhere in this issue for a class schedule. Traffic Skills 101 is driver's education for your bicycle, and it will make you a better, more confident, more competent street cyclist. For the latest information, go to http://www.austincycling.org/classes.
