mjr wrote: ↑31 Aug 2021, 1:32pm
PH wrote: ↑31 Aug 2021, 11:03amNeither is there any abuse for trying new things! What sort of clubs are you basing that experience on?
Affiliates of both Cycling UK and British Cycling. Splits over such things as start times and locations (northeast edge of town, central or southwest edge!) have led to new clubs (not just new riding groups) forming. Ironically, the only group doing political campaigning seems to have the least internal politicking.
Abuse? Mainly online and those running the online groups seem mostly old cautious members who hesitate to delete posts and boot offenders.
Our mid-week day rides do start later, meeting in a café at 10.00 for a 10.30 depart, that's mainly to miss the worst of the work/school traffic and the same people riding at the weekend prefer the 9.00/9.30 starts.
So, not many of them are working full time? It's similar here for most groups. Riding times are mainly set by the people riding: that's inertia.
I'm glad none of the clubs/groups I've been involved with have been anything like so fractious, I've seen groups split, re-form and evolve, but it's all been amicable, or at least civil, certainly none of the abuse you highlighted. I hope your experience isn't typical, I don't see why it would be, people usually appreciate they have more in common than not and there's more than one way to organise groups.
Who is it you think dictates these start times? First you say it's the organisers, then it's the riders... what's this inertia? I'd hope they were run for the benefit of their members, isn't that the point of clubbing together? If some members want something different, I'd also hope the club considered that, isn't that usually the case? I wouldn't expect a club to make changes to suit a few that didn't suit most, why would they? I would hope they'd support and encourage anyone wishing to offer something different, that's usually been my experience, the only exceptions have been when someone wants someone else in the club to do it, as already pointed out that's not how volunteering works. I also reject this stereotype of the conservative old guard, that isn't my experience either, some of the most initiative ideas have come from those with a long involvement, looking for something new, or re-visiting something from the past which will be new to most.
What was question about mid week day rides? It's a safe assumption that a large proportion of people not working mid week will be retired. Though not exclusively, some are self employed, or work weekends, or have childcare responsibilities, or a day off... The majority of those riding our weekend rides are working mid week, though there's a fair few who ride both.
As already said the least popular of the local MG's club rides were the after lunch series we ran for a couple of years, I was disappointed they weren't more popular, I was the instigator so had a vested interest. I don't know why that was, maybe another time and place might have a different outcome.