Well, what a fun Friday morning that was. It seemed from the start that it was going to be a bit of a messy morning. Holden utes, Deraileur Hangers, Red light splits, messy roll throughs. Luckily no-one was hurt this morning (apart from some pride) and we all (hopefully) got home/to work safely. I thought i would post a couple of points that i noticed from the ride so that we can all learn from what happened this morning.
1. Bravo to everyone for waiting when two of our riders had an accident coming onto Bannister road. Everyone waited until things were sorted out, flat tyres were changed and taxi’s were called. (For the record, the only injury was a broken rear derailuer hanger, an inner tube, and maybe some pride)
2. I noticed from the back of the Shelley Roll Through, that there were a few people in the outside line not rolling through or calling people from the slow line to come through. Please remember that if you are not going to roll through, make sure you call people through so that they know, and the roll through can proceed a bit more smoothly. In general please make sure that you call “last wheel” when on the back, and “clear” on the front to allow the rider in front to come across.
3. After the Shelley Roll Through and on our way to the High St lights, there was an incident with a White Ute. Well done to everyone for keeping their calm. I have made an online Traffic Incident Report, and once I get the Report Number will post this for anyone else to add to. The more witnesses the better, even if nothing comes of it, at least there is a record of the drivers bad behaviour.
4. the other thing I noticed when taking off from traffic lights, is that we as a group are still taking off too quickly to stay together. Please remember when you are on the front, that even though you have clipped in, there will be riders at the back that are yet to even get their feet off the ground. Take it easy for the first 200m to let everyone get clipped in and back into formation.
5. The last lesson I learnt today was that when following The Flying Fynn up the Mill Point Road hill to the zoo, no matter how hard I try to stay on his wheel, I won’t…:P
Have a safe weekend everyone, and remember to enjoy the ride…
I have just recived the incident report number. Feel free to ring up and add a witness statement to it.
WAPOL Incident No. 110113 0806 86302
Well. I tried SO HARD to get up for my favorite ride of the week this morning, but I was a tad anxious that I wouldn’t be able to stay awake for my “evening out” later. Thanks to Jorgy, and the usual suspects for attempting to ‘manage’ the unruly mob in my absence!! Nasty to hear about said accident and ute nightmare, hope those involved were ok. Thanks Jorgy for reminding riders about the protocol for Shelleys. It’s great to have a “hit out”, but keep it tidy, LOOK before you pull out (even if told you’re the last wheel), and if you’re not rolling through (like me quite often), then stay left and notify those immediately in front of your intent not to roll through. Clipping in and taking off from the lights at warp speed from the front has become really irritating of late; it would be great if people could curb this habit so that the group doesn’t splinter into ones and twos along highways busy with impatient rush hour traffic . You’ll find the majority of the group can keep up no problem with reasonably quick speeds, as long as this surging doesn’t occur off the lights and the pace remains smooth and steady throughout ;0) Catcha tomorra ;0)
Great comments & I agree that by far the best course action with an ignorant or annoyed motorist is to try to manage a smile, wave apologetically & ride on… I also strongly agree with Lennies comment on the take offs: “Clipping in and taking off from the lights at warp speed from the front has become really irritating of late”. It seems to have become standard practice of late… what the?
Ancient surge-buster saying:
“We know who you are, but our lips are sealed!”
I wasn’t on the ride this morning but Interesting post on Total triathlon facebook page this morning looking for a white ute, I wonder if it could be the same one ?
“Being the target of theft is the worst thing and is not made easier by being a business.
Total Triathlon was this morning the target of a planned ram raid losing a number of high end bikes.
We ask if anyone did see a white ute parked outside the store between 6-7am, that they report any details to the police, or if you see any suspicious BMC’s or RS Slices being offloaded cheap you send us an email.
To all our great customers who have purchased bikes that we have of yours currently in-store, rest assured your bikes are safe.
Thanks
Dan & Chad”
Just some background to the mishap.
At the turn onto Bannister road from Willeri Drive I heard the call Bus back/left (whatever) so called stopping. Maybe I didn’t call loudly enough but I did pull up reasonably quickly. Suffice to say Ben didn’t hear my call and/or have time to pull up so he ran in to me and did a tidy somersault over his bars (7.5/10, points off for the landing) . Hope you’re not too sore Ben.
Moral of the story:
1. A good loud clear call and/or
2. Listening out for such calls and being prepared to react/stop in time
may have prevented this incident.
Ride cut short, bummer.
The usual thanks to all for stopping to make sure all was well.
Good coverage Jorgy of what was a generally memorable ride…for all the wrong reasons. Notwithstanding all the other items, the “F**kwit-in-the-Ute” was what I wanted to comment on. While it didn’t happen this morning, I want to really encourage ALL in the group to not antagonise f**kwits in their utes/cars/trucks when they have a go at us. This only winds them up and, as we have already established, they are a f**kwit. Rounding off at them only puts individuals and the group at risk. This morning’s f**kwit was a classic case, where, had we not kept our cool (and maybe a little bit of a nervy over-reaction from myself and Jordan to take the group off-route – X-mas Eve Monday is still a bit raw for me at least), the f**kwit could have got a lot worse. Bad enough what he did in terms of intimidation; at least he stayed away. Our best strategy in ALL cases, and for the safety of the group, is to let the f**kwits be f**kwits and not make comments/yell back/etc. Just hope they travel on their merry way comfortable in the knowledge that they have had their say….we all remain upright, no-one has to go to hosptial and everyone gets to keep riding the bike they started out with.
Hmm i’m still trying to work out if im in the f**kwit or flat category? Im definitely not a Flying Fynn!
Glad you’re ok Chris. Thankfully i think Ben only bruised his ego, im sure the 7.5/10 for landing will make him feel better.
As for the ute, I really do wish that the police would do more, i agree we should not antagonise, but what that guy did this morning could have ended so badly.
I’m just glad I didn’t have to go buy ANOTHER new bike.
Thanks for the kind words Jorgy..
I am sure you remembered the Rego of the white ute in question but it was: 7DOA 745.
I filled in an online form, TCF-15012013-000001 (a little late I know but back at work), probably a little hard to tie them together with your incident number, lets hope the police system can do it.
Happy things did not turn out any worse than they did, we come across these special people fairly regularly these day, one tends to take them with a pinch of salt.
Yep i did the same. I quoted Jorgy’s reference number in my description of the event.
For those of you not aware, we were on a right hand corner and the white ute tried to overtake us on the wrong side of the road. Once around the corner, the ute noticed a car coming the other way. The only place the ute had to go was into us! Thankfully the oncoming car slowed and the ute sped up, avoiding us. Was not an experience i wish to repeat. The middle finger out the window i can deal with, trying to run me over i cant.
I thought it was 1(one)DOA not 7. I just rang the Police and confirmed with them that the Rego number I quoted on my form shows up against a white ute, so the Rego IS 1(one)D(Delta)O(Oscar)A(Alpha) 7(seven)4(Four)5(Five).
I realise that I am a weaker rider, getting worse every day and have no right to pontificate or offer any opinion, but I will just the same.
Jorgy’s observations and support comments from Graeme reinforce what we see in M2 every week, sometimes worse than others.
Please may add some fuel to this issue for the purpose of making our rides safer and more enjoyable for all.
The ride leaders do their damndest to get the multitudes to listen and to:
• regroup where instructed,
• ride 2 * 2 in two lane situations and not three four or five deep up Ridge Hill, Kahuna or anywhere else
• to ride single file on roads like Williams a couple of weeks ago
• roll through and neither to then try and break the world acceleration record nor to stop pedalling and slow too much
• stop on red lights not like a suicidal SPR rider who went through cnr Albany Hwy and Shepparton roads many seconds after the light went red 10 days ago
When Peter is reading the gospel at the start or the ride leader is giving his ride guidelines the people who are most guilty of the above are generally talking instead of listening.
The committee and ride leaders give their time and effort and it cannot be that much trouble for riders to be polite first to listen and then to comply.
I could make myself less popular still by telling off those that need assistance.
Of course it would be preferable if this were not necessary.