[fizzwheel]

Righto

it seems one of the issues with the AR is how the marking is being done.

I posted my thoughts on the matter in the big forum debate thread but one of the other mods has suggested that its getting lost in amongst the general discussion.

This is my thoughts on the matter

Personally speaking I led some of last years AR and I did TEC for most of it. I wanted a group of riders who I trusted would stop where I wanted them to. I felt this especially important, on the day I had 80 odd bikes behind me, one missed junction because somebodies not familiar with the drop off system would have led to utter chaos.

The idea behind the set markers was that.

There were 6 odd that have run the route before and knew it
The rest were made up with people who I had utmost faith in, i.e. I trusted them to stop and stay there till the TEC came past.

I've been on plenty rideouts where junctions dont get marked or somebody gets bored and decides not to wait. I've been on them, I've been mid pack and faced with a junction where I didnt know where to go. Its bl**dy annoying and frustrating sometimes.

I appreciate the point about being involved and that last year some people were denied that opportunity, but I feel on this point that its a necessary evil in order to ensure the rideout goes smoothly and people dont get lost.

I think its a credit to the system and the markers running with it that nobody last year got lost. Nobody feell off and everybody seemed to really enjoy it. We had a small issue with Messie and road rage that Grinch deallt with and some dodgy overtaking but that was about it from what I saw

So discuss. Does the system work. Do we mess with a system that has been run previously and proven do work. Is the removal of the opportunity for participation on this fair or not fair. Is the removal of participation so that the rideout progresses smoothly and nobody gets lost due to non marked junctions worth sacrificing some level of participation on.

I know that on AR08 when we started the 2nd leg out of Dorchester we could have done with a few more markers as some people that didnt have marker vests on stopped and marked the junction.

Just because theres a dedicated marker system in place, my thoughts are that it does not prevent anybody from stopping and marking a junction thats not been marked or that the feel needs marking.

But... marking is not an excuse to ride like a complete moron and bully your way through the pack whillst making a series of dodgy / dangerous overtakes...