Riding Etiquette

It is important to remember that when you are riding with DRCC, you are riding as a Group, not as an individual therefore there are basic rules/etiquette to be observed:- 

1. Always wear a helmet – sorry but you will not be allowed to ride without a helmet. 

2. Health -please advise your ride leader of any medical problems before a ride or immediately during the ride if you are feeling unwell. 

3. Respect the leader/backmarker – listen to their calls and do not ride off the front! 

4. Communicate – Call/point out pot holes, parked cars, runners, dropped riders etc. Ensure you pass it up/down the line so all riders are aware. See below for more information on this. 

5. Never overlap wheels 

6. Consider others - don’t brake suddenly, hold your line but if you need to move check behind you before moving within the group. 

7. Ride two-abreast when safe to do so. Single out when the leader calls it or if :- 

- Road very narrow/busy/coming to a blind corner 

- To let a car pass or pass a parked car 

8. Slow down and single out for horses or other large animals 

9. Climbs – riders go at their own pace. Regroup at the top of a climb or at the next junction (leaders call). 

10. Tell the leader/back marker if you are leaving the ride 

11. Carry a mobile phone and have Dynamics Ride number saved in case of emergencies 

12. Expect the unexpected and stay alert! 

Communication – standard calls to be used:-

- Car up - car behind you. Remembered as “up your bum”! 

- Car down – remembered as “down your throat”. 

- Slowing – warning others you are slowing for an obstacle/horse etc 

- Stopping – if you can see you need to stop/others are stopping infront. 

- Single out – it is no longer safe to be riding two-abreast. 

- On your left/right – if pulling alongside a rider to warn them. 

- Hole left/middle/right 

- Clear left/right/both – when pulling out at junctions and no cars are coming. 

- Car long left/right – when pulling out at junctions and there’s a car coming but it is some distance away. 

- Car left/right – as above but the car is close by and riders should stop. 

- Off the back- inform the leader/Group if someone is off the back. Make sure the message gets through and appropriate action is taken. NB. All group rides are “no-drop”, keep alert to the rider behind you and communicate with the group as required.

Changing up 

Where possible groups at all levels should work towards doing this so that all riders spend time “on the front”. Every 2/3 minutes, the rider on the front right of the group slowly overtakes the person to their left and slots in infront of them. The line of riders on the right all then steadily move up one position, giving a change of rider on the front right.