Summer 2020 COVID-19 Effects on Rides and Races Kevin Bessett
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PerspectivesVolume 32 • Issue 2 Summer 2020 COVID-19 Effects on Rides and Races KEVIN BESSETT he last five months have been The COVID era has led to significant may happen in early August. The nothing short of surreal, strange, changes in how the club conducts Wednesday evening ride is not likely Tweird, scary, and thought rides. The first change is that you to happen this year. provoking. The world has more must pre-register online for each ride. than enough problems as it is, and This is for tracking purposes and I On the racing side, TTs may start in throwing a pandemic onto the heap of will delete the information collected the second half of July, but it is not challenges is not helping matters. after 30 days. You will find the looking promising for any practice details in the ride announcement crits this year. Here in Vermont we are fortunate on the Listserv. You must practice to have the virus mostly under distancing of at least six feet before, Please remember that rides/events control (let’s all try to keep it that during, and after rides. Lastly, we are dependent on two factors: way) and some outdoor activities ask that you carry a face mask or Volunteers and the State’s COVID-19 around the state have started up. covering on the ride. There are guidance. Some volunteers may Included in this are VP and touring several reasons for this. Some stores understandably feel uneasy about rides. Getting to this point required require masks, and if you have a the possible exposure to the virus, a surprising amount of work (tons of mechanical and need to get a ride and if replacements are not located, emails, research, website updates, back to your car, the driver will likely the club will cancel the event. The etc.). Thanks to all who helped with appreciate you wearing a mask. same will happen if the State puts the that--I cannot imagine what it has kibosh on allowing the gathering of been like for some business owners As for other club rides, the only groups. and managers as they restart their other one likely to start is the businesses. Tuesday evening training ride. That Be healthy! Please remember that rides/events are dependent on two factors: Volunteers and the State’s COVID-19 guidance. PHOTO CREDIT: TOM BROIDO TOM CREDIT: PHOTO Out There on the Road KEVIN BESSETT oad riding can lead to some right (three mph or less). If you are the bike. On an empty street, create great experiences, especially going faster and a car suddenly pulls virtual hazards and steer around R on new-to-you roads, but to the right, you’re screwed. I have them, or try stopping quickly to see being on the road comes with some seen it happen. If only five to eight what that feels like (use both brakes inherent risk. The key thing to know cars are backed up, merge into the because the front brake provides up and remember is that you have a large queue. Drivers will respect you for to 75% of braking power). Start out say in mitigating those risks. I’d like this. Use a hand signal first! with light maneuvers or braking, and to share some ideas on doing just work your way up to more abrupt that. I hope you them helpful. Even Make friends! Waive to drivers who avoidance/stopping. When braking seasoned cyclists can use reminders. give you a break. When you hear/see hard, move your rump to the very back a vehicle behind you, visibly move of the seat and lower the torso. This Crucial items that may save your life: right (if safe to do so), even if only six changes your center of gravity and will A mirror and front/rear flashers (at inches. This shows the driver that you greatly reduce the chance of going a minimum, have a rear one with a are sharing the road, and many will over the bars (i.e., flipping). bright pulse). return the favor. It really works! Cornering. Corners at speed tend Think safety. A helmet and eye Take the lane. If you are near the to scare people and many crashes protection are must haves. Avoid speed limit, take the lane. Doing so happen when cornering. For more heavily travelled roads, especially gives you the greatest visibility, and confidence, try this: (1) First, complete those with little shoulder. Use hand preserves you a spot in the lane. This braking before entering the corner signals, stop at stop signs/lights, is very important when going downhill (braking in corners can cause share the road, and learn to recognize – image going 35 mph and a vehicle crashes); (2) Shift your head and look sketchy situations so you can be from behind squeezes by you with towards the exit/end of the corner prepared to act quickly – have a plan B. oncoming traffic. This is a bad scene, (don’t look down); and (3) really push and it happens. A GMBC member was down on the outside pedal and on Be the center of attention. Bright severely injured in a situation just like this. clothing helps you stand out. Flashers the inside handlebar (this stabilizes take it to the next level. the bike when in the arc of the corner). It helps to be Be aware. Listen and watch on in the drops, too. It takes for traffic, dogs, and people. practice, but works. Anticipate cars pulling out or turning in front of you. Always Riding with others. question your visibility to Communicate! Yell out drivers. Scan the road surface hazards that you see, for debris and hazards. when you are turning or if a Sometimes avoiding a crash turn is coming up, and yell comes down to milliseconds. “braking” if you need to slow down for any reason. This Know what’s behind you type of communication will before moving/turning prevent crashes. Always be left or right. Never pull out gentle on the brakes when into the lane or turn around someone is behind you. without looking behind you Riding two abreast is legal (a mirror makes this much so long as the cyclists are easier). Use a hand signal for BROIDO TOM CREDIT: PHOTO on a section of road with a a few seconds prior to making clear line of sight and are not the move – holding the signal impeding the “reasonable flow Look forward. If you tend to find buys you a little extra time in case you yourself looking just five or 10 feet in of traffic.” You must share the road missed a vehicle or rider behind you. front of you, you will miss hazards and even in the heat of battle. Irresponsible will crash someday. Even when riding riders irritate motorists, and tragically, Be responsible. Stop at stop signs/ cyclists have been targeted and killed traffic lights (or at least slow down to behind someone, look beyond that person. by drivers who’ve flipped out. I know of a crawl at a stop sign). If you come to several incidents locally where drivers an intersection with backed up traffic, Practice your bike handing. This flipped, but luckily no riders were slow way down when passing on the is a great way to gain confidence on seriously hurt. 2 GMBC Perspectives Socially Connecting in a New Environment BRIAN KINSMAN has too fast a group and got dropped, I’d body has to come in last. Likewise been be lost because I had no clue where bouncing through the groups helped GMBC a part I was or where any of the roads went. me meet more people. At some point, of my life for as long as I can remem - If I went out with too slow a group, my I started meshing with the same group ber. Over the years I’ve done TT’s, ego might be damaged. I decided to on Tuesday and a different group on Wednesday training rides, backroad humble myself and go out with a 13- Thursday. On Tuesday’s ride, Don was rides, touring, and VP rides. Each 14mph group. This proved to be about the leader. I later found out he was the of them soon turned into fun social the right place for me to start. Later, I club VP, so I guess that was the “VP events as I got to know people. But sort of got complimented in my choice, ride.” I joked with Don that I liked rid- how does it all get started? What as the regulars see many people ing with him because I felt if anything would it be like to be a newbie again? come down and jump into groups that happened, they’d all come looking for Well, this winter I got to find out. are too fast. They do well for a few us, because he was a club dignitary. miles, and then someone has to drop He didn’t seem to think so. A woman I started spending the winter in No- back to ride with them. On these rides, in our group was always saying friend- komis, Florida. Part of the choice to the different groups will often take ly hellos as we passed by pedestrians winter there included some Google different routes, so it’s not always as or other cyclists. It was really special. I reconnaissance. I found that the great- simple as dropping back to the next asked her why she did it and she said er Sarasota/Venice area had at least group.