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The answer is a resounding NO!
I’ve had the answer clarified over the last couple of weeks.
I caught up and rode and chatted with a couple of club riders, including a nat champ. During the conversation I was told that I should wear a helmet with anecdotes to support the argument. Assuming that I think I should have been impressed with the nat champ bit, I didn’t want to tell them who I’ve rubbed shoulders in the past with in the world of cycling, it might have got embarrassing. But equally that mindset of club rider in not one which I could be a part of.
Today really cemented my not wishing to be a club member position, and I am aware that not all clubs are equal.
I ride a fair bit on the local greenway, which is a shared path. On joining the path at Northgate Village, I had to wait for this sea of club riders as the barrelled down the path. Not a problem.
I joined the path and was behind them. The first observation was that they were carrying a lot of speed for such a sized group on a heavily used (by pedestrians) part of the path. Pedestrians were forced, in a wave of bell ringing, to stop as this group charged through without losing any speed, or ceding any space on this shared path. I can see why pedestrians have it in for cyclists now, they’re genuinely scared.
Further up, a couple of riders took a wrong turn. Remember, I was following them. Did he wait for me to pass so he could rejoin safely or cut across me? Of course he cut across me.
A little further on I decided that I wanted to pass the group ( I had warmed up and there were fewer pedestrians and this group were going quite slowly, in spite of what I said earlier) and let out a cheery “passing on your right” ( a couple of times) and was greeted with the lady of the group telling me that I wasn’t the only one who was using the path. I was now caught up in the middle of the group as it was still barrelling down the path, a couple of the club riders decided to close pass and cut in front of me in order to gain positions, I guess this is the club equivalent of sticking you cock on the table to demonstrate manliness, or how big a wanker you are, I’m not sure.
I was now in prime position to see and feel what it was like riding in a large group of arrogant wankers who thought that they had greater rights than other users on this shared path, and I was embarrassed. At no point was more than 2/3 of the path given up to other users, at no point did speed drop to take other users into consideration. Oncoming cyclists were shaking their heads, pedestrians were stopping and stepping off the path for their own safety.
At Mickle Trafford I sorted myself to do a u-turn at the gate, obviously one of the group decided that he’d stop, inspect the rear wheel and ignore my request to get out of my fucking way so I could proceed. He did.
At no point during this 5km of hell was there any conversation beween the club and myself, except a couple of barbed comments.
I’m well aware that the members from another club in that part of the world, North Wirral Velo, are absolutely sound, courteous and a pleasure to meet. I have have met this particular club on many occasions and know that this is not unique to this particular outing. There are a couple of other clubs that seem to ride in this manner too, but I have never had the pleasure of riding as one of them.
Why the fuck would I want to join a club and ride like a wanker?
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Simon E wrote:
So why the rant? People behaving inconsiderately on a popular shared path is unfortunately not uncommon.The only thing that strikes me as odd is that you clearly choose not to understand what was written, and I quote, “Today really cemented my not wishing to be a club member position, and I am aware that not all clubs are equal.”One minute they’re carrying a lot of speed, next you overtake as they’re going quite slowly and then you’re stuck in the middle of the group of “arrogant wankers” that was now “barrelling down the path”. Would it not have made sense to stay well back, take it easy and leave them to their confrontations?
Perhaps if you hadn’t ended the post with “Why the fuck would I want to join a club and ride like a wanker?”, or even changed “a club” to “a club like that”, then it would have been interpreted rather differently.
What ball?As for the Welsh bit, yes I’m proud of my heritage and equally proud of my geographical knowledge, but I’ll let you explain to the masses how much of the greenway runs through Wales. Get your fact rights before going on the attack for fear of looking like the wanker.
I’ll give you a tip, play the ball and not the man. That way you don’t have to invent things.
And who is the wanker am I supposed to be looking like?
There’s a wink smiley too. What’s that for?
I thought the section known as the greenway only went as far as Deeside. Also, you said you were at Mickle Trafford, which is some way into England. I clearly recall your one-eyed attack on English people visiting Wales so if you want to keep the English out of Wales then shouldn’t you do likewise and turn back at the border? I’m proud of my heritage too but I’m not xenophobic.
Do you ever ride in the other direction along Route 5? Nicer views, the air smells better and I suspect the ice cream tastes better too. I’d expect the path to be less crowded. Is it? I’ve been meaning to ride along there to Bangor for ages, I should stop making excuses and instead make it happen. If I do then what bike and clothing should I be looking out for? Just so I know it’s you.
What rant?
So why the rant? People behaving inconsiderately on a popular shared path is unfortunately not uncommon.The only thing that strikes me as odd is that you clearly choose not to understand what was written, and I quote, “Today really cemented my not wishing to be a club member position, and I am aware that not all clubs are equal.”One minute they’re carrying a lot of speed, next you overtake as they’re going quite slowly and then you’re stuck in the middle of the group of “arrogant wankers” that was now “barrelling down the path”. Would it not have made sense to stay well back, take it easy and leave them to their confrontations?
Perhaps if you hadn’t ended the post with “Why the fuck would I want to join a club and ride like a wanker?”, or even changed “a club” to “a club like that”, then it would have been interpreted rather differently.
What ball?As for the Welsh bit, yes I’m proud of my heritage and equally proud of my geographical knowledge, but I’ll let you explain to the masses how much of the greenway runs through Wales. Get your fact rights before going on the attack for fear of looking like the wanker.
I’ll give you a tip, play the ball and not the man. That way you don’t have to invent things.
And who is the wanker am I supposed to be looking like?
There’s a wink smiley too. What’s that for?
I thought the section known as the greenway only went as far as Deeside. Also, you said you were at Mickle Trafford, which is some way into England. I clearly recall your one-eyed attack on English people visiting Wales so if you want to keep the English out of Wales then shouldn’t you do likewise and turn back at the border? I’m proud of my heritage too but I’m not xenophobic.
Do you ever ride in the other direction along Route 5? Nicer views, the air smells better and I suspect the ice cream tastes better too. I’d expect the path to be less crowded. Is it? I’ve been meaning to ride along there to Bangor for ages, I should stop making excuses and instead make it happen. If I do then what bike and clothing should I be looking out for? Just so I know it’s you.
Take the Marxist approach to
Take the Marxist approach to clubs
Don Simon says “play the ball, not the man”. Laugh of the day
Madcarew, I challenge you to find one instance where I have robustly responded to another member when they have not deserved it, i.e. set the level by getting personal first. It’s quite funny how people are, they can dish it out, but shrivel like a cold penis when it comes back at them. I bet you can’t see it in yourself either.
And, of course, thank you for your valuable contribution to the thread.
Don Simon says “play the ball
Don Simon says “play the ball, not the man”. Laugh of the day
To suggest that all clubs must be full of arseholes because you annoyed members of a group ride (and/or didn’t like their behaviour) sees pretty odd to me. It’s perfectly possible to behave appropriate whether you’re a member of a cycling club.Equally, you can be a wanker without joining a club. You can ride in club kit, full pro kit, high-end kit, football kit or Sports Direct; clipless or flats; you can ride carbon, alu or steel; solo or in a group (though sheeple prefer to flock in groups and simply follow their leader). Wankers can do all these things, just like everyone else.
BTW since you’re such a proud Welsh nash why were you trespassing over the border? The roads and views in north Wales are surely better than Mickle Trafford and the lack of bilingual road signs must have been disconcerting. 😉
The only thing that strikes me as odd is that you clearly choose not to understand what was written, and I quote, “Today really cemented my not wishing to be a club member position, and I am aware that not all clubs are equal.”, and then you go on to invent something that clearly wasn’t written. Unless you were there, could you point out what it was I did that “annoyed members of a group ride”?
As for the Welsh bit, yes I’m proud of my heritage and equally proud of my geographical knowledge, but I’ll let you explain to the masses how much of the greenway runs through Wales. Get your fact rights before going on the attack for fear of looking like the wanker.
I’ll give you a tip, play the ball and not the man. That way you don’t have to invent things.
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