The Dangers of Road Debris

[Vorpal]

That's one of many reasons that chain gangs pratice together, and why crashes in the bunch almost always involve multiple cyclists, even amongst those who have the handling skills of elite riders.

[[XAP]Bob]

A bit off-topic and as I don't/haven't done group rides, but the Highway Code goes to some length discussing stopping distance - the thing where your reaction time and brake efficiency combine to mean you cannot stop in as short a distance as many drivers think. Assuming lead and following bike have similar brake performance, should the lead bike have to brake hard when travelling at speed, would a close following bike be able to stop without running into the back of it ? (given the reaction time of the rider and that by the time the following rider had applied the brakes, the lead bike will have already slowed significantly and be travelling slower (all making it harder for the trailing bike to stop in time).

I ask only 'cos I really don't know, but you see some groups charging along following each other pretty close. I appreciate that on e.g. TdF, the bike in front will not be "emergency braking (normally anyway).

Ian

In general -no. Although the swerving cyclist in the video shows the normal response.

The issue is mostly that there are no brake lights, and therefore the only indication (other than a shout) that the guy in front has hit the brakes is that you've hit them (or are getting closer fast!).
If you both hit the brakes together then you should both pull up in the same (ish) space - the reaction time is essential to allow you both to brake from the same point on the road (actually you need to start braking one bike length earlier)

[hondated]

Bloody newbs, seriously what a douche, how the hell can you not see those VERY large sticks and why oh why were they riding in the gutter in the first place? The carriageway clearly is demarked by the solid white line, why the heck would you ride in the trash section, just asking for trouble.
Stupid is as stupid does springs to mind..

Oh come on Tony that finally comment is a bit harsh.Haven't we all done silly things.

I don't put my head down when in a group on what was clearly a fast section of downhill road, I don't jump from the carriageway to the gutter (& back again), never mind to do it without over the shoulder or under the arm checks, I keep my eyes open for hazards not jerking about like this bunch of idiots. They brought this on themselves by their own actions/inactions, the debris is relatively minor, it's a few large objects that could have easily being avoided even at speed but because they don't have either the riding skills nor the intelligence to figure out risk & hazard perception & why the crash happened they'll carry on making the same stupid errors. My phrase is wholly appropriate IMO.

Arrh the beauty of getting old and with it acquiring some wisdom !

[Tonyf33]

I'm 45 so I'm no fuddy duddy and basic stuff like looking/interpreting hazards and taking avoiding action like this is kids stuff, something I taught my son at 10 and held him in good stead when he eventually took his car driving test at 18 & passed his HGV licence at the first attempt after 2 weeks tuition.

This is a group of adults, not some 10/11/12 year olds on their first outing on the roads, the one who had the crash apparently had (according to a poster above) being cycling for 30 years, yet he and his group show ZERO understanding of hazards and ride through causing the crash..stupid stupid stupid.
Or what they could have done instead, see the hazard, ease off a bit whilst doing a simple over the shoulder check to ensure they can move out into what was clearly already a very quiet road, go around the debris and move back into the lane. That's not rocket science..

If they can't even figure out something as basic as that then god knows how they deal with multiple hazards in and around towns/cities, they are a danger to themselves (as shown) and are likely a danger to others as well.
If that is too difficult to grasp for posters on here then I suggest some of you start to learn roadcraft and do a hazard perception 'crash' course asap..jesus wept

[beardy]

I did Roadcraft thirty years ago, along with the IAM test. Then I did decades as a courier on motorcycles and later vans. Zero cycle crashes so far.
Just because somebody sees different angles and makes different choices doesnt mean they are a "newby" or incompetent. It may be they have actually learnt more than you.
One thing that I do know for sure, from road experience is that things dont turn out the same each time you make the same decision and that text book answers are best left for keyboard experts.

The difference here is that people are pontificating from a computer keyboard with the benefit of hindsight, making it oh so easy to be arrogant and correct when not being put to a real life test (without being given the answers in advance as is the case here.)

[hondated]

Removed comment as I decided its really better to let the matter rest as far as I am concerned. HT.

[Bikefayre]

When did spare car wheels become road debris? Are scared of blind bends and dark nights now, surely a cyclist killer if there ever was one as have huge feed and milk tanker lorries and mahoosive tractors and trailers to contend with.