Club runs today Sunday 20th please read

Stef

Hi. Did any of this mornings Club Runs travel along the Ashwell Hinxworth Edworth road and encounter some horses on the road?

Reason for the question is because we've had 2 complaints detailing what sounds like some very inconsiderate and dangerous cycling around horses this morning. Now both complaints do say that they can't be sure it was CCA riders, and from what they describe I don't think it was one of our club runs. But if it was we need to clear the matter up quickly so please let me know stef@ccashwell.com or post here/whisper.

If it wasn't us, does anyone know of any events (a sportive maybe?) that took place on local rides today, or did anyone see another club or large group of cyclists out this morning?

Although as I have replied CCA has always acted very courteously and respectfully to horses whenever I have been on a ride, it is a good reminder that we need to think carefully about other road users, especially horse riders and runners/pedestrians when we are out and about.
Thanks

Jane

Sorry to hear this Stef

I was on the 9:30 ride and confirm that we didn't take that road

After the ride, as I left Ashwell I passed one non-CCA cyclist who had a number on her bike, implying there had been a local event of some sort

Hope you manage to smooth things out. Horse riders have just as many difficulties with other road users as we do, so I'd like to think we can be allies rather than causing each other more problems

BR
Jane

IainF

Hi Stef
i was driving through the village just before 9.30 and passed a group of riders heading out towards hinxworth or Newnham. No suggestion it was them either, but they weren't CCA and had a mix of non club jerseys on.
Iain

geoffg

All you can do Stef...we aren't the cycling police so as long as it's not CCA then move on.
Unlike up here in Durham where I have seen really steady and capable riders and horses completely unphased by anything many of the riders down south really shouldn't be allowed on the roads. Nervous riders make nervous and dangerous horses. Too many affluent riders with more aspiration than ability.

JeremyP

Unacceptable that horse riders received a tough time today.

Sounds like CCA wasn't involved here. Agree with Geoff we should move on.

wilburtrump

The 9am ride consisted of myself, Tom T and JMac. We went the other way...

Jane

Geoff, I have a few horse riders as friends and some of them are as critical about cyclists as you have been about them!

Unfortunately, there are plenty of less than competent and not always considerate cyclists about and we (CCA members) are regarded as part of that group. As one of the best known clubs in the area, it's our job to set a good example and certainly when I'm out, I see CCA members being very respectful of horses. Long may it continue. It also means that CCA is the first place that local horse riders complain to when they have an incident and that's our (actually Stef's) chance to build bridges

Stef

thanks all, i never thought it was CCA, the description didnt fit and we've always behaved responsibly in my experience.
when people see riders near Ashwell they assume it is CCA. plus as more and more take up the sport we are all assumed to be representative of the whole cycling community.
but as i said even if it wasnt us good opportunity to remind ourselves of our responsibilities

will.. well done on the sub 20 pb by the way

geoffg

Jane, I hear what you say. We all have horse riders as friends. Some less able than others unfortunately. Same with cyclists. This isn't about me though you nearly always post immediately after my posts.
It's about CCA. Stef has the club at heart and is diplomatic with it. We need to move on.

tduckett

Ok, This was almost certainly not us, but as Jane has said it is us that are often in the spotlight. Those of us that run the club often get emails regarding cyclists behaviour. We get emails along the lines of.. ( and this is genuine) " there were a load of cyclists coming past my village this morning making loads of noise and it woke me up, it wasnt CCA but can you tell them to be quiet"

We cant be responsible for all cyclist on the road, but what we can do is make sure that we, in our CCA kit, with our website on the back are awesome. I noted that Sheltons van has one of those great " cyclists, stay awesome" stickers on the back. We need to make sure we are always awesome as we are the public face of cycling today.

Shaun

Geoff, you kind of make it about yourself when you write crass comments on our forum: "'Unlike up here in Durham where I have seen really steady and capable riders and horses completely unphased by anything many of the riders down south really shouldn't be allowed on the roads". Just how did you think that sentence would make a helpful contribution to Stef's post?

Regards
Shaun

geoffg

understood Shaun..see the point. Was trying to emphasise that it seems those who ride up here are generally a different sort of rider. More uniformly professional or very serious amateur rather than the eclectic mix of horse riders down south . Down there quite often the rider profile is more diverse and from years of experience many riders seem very keyed up and insecure on their horses. We all know of those riding because it is the thing to do but aren't really up to riding on the road. Was all I was trying to highlight. Don't think it was a crass comment, but clearly needed a little more context to be understood. Chill.
hope you are fully recovered from Paris Nice. Think I am now.