AR Marking Discussion

Would work better in groups who know the route well, and know/trust everyone else riding in that group.

[Messie]

IMHO everything that can be said about the different ways of getting a large group of bikes through a long route has been said. perhaps this thread itself should have had some sort of marker system because it seems to be going round in circles!

Can it be accepted that there is more than one way of doing the marking for a large group rideout successfully? In this case, AR09, the system has been decided, primarily because it has worked before. It is clear that the feathers of one or two people have been ruffled, but in the grand scheme of things, it's only a case of who stands at a crossroads for 15 minutes! Marking junctions is not the biggest part of the event. As ArtyLady said some time ago, it does not make you wealthy or more attractive to the opposite sex!
Whoever organises next year, if anyone is that brave or foolish, will no doubt look at this thread and take the opinions and suggestions into account.
Put it into perspective guys! As far as I'm concerned willy waving isn't needed here

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by hovis

i just dont see why everyone that wants to do drop offs cant

Like someone pointed out to me earlier. There's nothing to stop someone who isn't a marker hanging about at a junction for a bit.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Like someone pointed out to me earlier. There's nothing to stop someone who isn't a marker hanging about at a junction for a bit.

Yeah then they can be a psuedo marker

[yorkie_chris]

Originally Posted by ArtyLady

Yeah then they can be a psuedo marker

Well yeah but it gives you a way to get back to the back of the ride if you are getting bored at the leaders pace. That was basically the only disadvantage I could see to the designated marker method, and a simple way around it.

Originally Posted by Messie

IMHO everything that can be said about the different ways of getting a large group of bikes through a long route has been said. perhaps this thread itself should have had some sort of marker system because it seems to be going round in circles!

Can it be accepted that there is more than one way of doing the marking for a large group rideout successfully? In this case, AR09, the system has been decided, primarily because it has worked before. It is clear that the feathers of one or two people have been ruffled, but in the grand scheme of things, it's only a case of who stands at a crossroads for 15 minutes! Marking junctions is not the biggest part of the event. As ArtyLady said some time ago, it does not make you wealthy or more attractive to the opposite sex!
Whoever organises next year, if anyone is that brave or foolish, will no doubt look at this thread and take the opinions and suggestions into account.
Put it into perspective guys! As far as I'm concerned willy waving isn't needed here

Sorry Sally

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Like someone pointed out to me earlier. There's nothing to stop someone who isn't a marker hanging about at a junction for a bit.

sounds like a cunning plan

Mhm fag/food stop

[Spiderman]

Originally Posted by Messie

IMHO everything that can be said about the different ways of getting a large group of bikes through a long route has been said. perhaps this thread itself should have had some sort of marker system because it seems to be going round in circles!

OK, i'm taking charge Sallys right here. Earlier on i posted this so if we could please just keep the discussion on track based on the below.

Originally Posted by Spiderman

All the ARs i went on before this is exactly how i felt about the marking and organising. And tbh i still do.

I agree the "2nd man" system gives a lot more people the chance to participate, of that there is no doubt. But please bear in mind that some just want to come along and ride without the added requirment to mark any junctions at all.

My main concerns for the 2nd man system are these:

1. What about those who DONT want to mark at all. No one on the ride should be expected to partake of this activity unless they want to. Do we ask those who dont want to partake to stay in a pack near the back of the ride? Wil that be unfair and kinda spoil their ride/day?

2. How do we know who wants to participate without bibs? Clearly gonna be way more than i could memorise i know that much.

3. How do those who have marked a junction and are making their way back up thru those who dont want to mark know they are now "in the queue" to mark again without bibs?

As i mentioned earlier, on AR06 it was perfectly clear that me and the rider beside me were in this queue cos we were the only 2 directly behind the ride leader...yet a couple of hot headed bikes decided they wanted to force their way in front of us. And not very safely or politely either. They saw the whole thing as a game and tbh it really pee'd me off. If someone rode like that around me at any other time i'd be having some strong words with them about it. But its the AR and the last thing i wanted to do was have any bad atmosphere in the campground.

I'd hate to see say 80% of the riders wearing bibs to signify their marking and the other 20% not wearing anything, it'll make the group look wrong and again instill this sense of "them & us" thats been discussed already.

I know on our Soho rideouts we use the "2nd man" system all the time and it works flawlessly. However and i cant stress these factors enough...we ride together far more frequently than any of the other regions and our rides are normally a group of 5 - 15 or so. And the AR is far, far bigger than that.

Please remember the organisers want a headache free day, its a day for fun for them too and if it involves having to take people to one side to "have a word" about their riding it spoils the atmosphere for those involved.

If you have any answers to the above i'd love to hear them. Please aslo bear in mind that this discussion is not going to change the marker system for this year, that has already been decided. We want to add to this thread with more input following this years AR too, so please give some thought to your suggestions and dont just post "I like marking, can i join in please" or other pearls of wisdom like that or i'll have to get the mod stick out and start zapping usless posts.

Originally Posted by yorkie_chris

Like someone pointed out to me earlier. There's nothing to stop someone who isn't a marker hanging about at a junction for a bit.

ill probably be doing this for my 20min **** break that i keep needing on rideouts