Requirements for safe group riding are: Predictability, Communication and Concentration. Saturday’s lesson was in Concentration, specifically the consequences with the lack of it.
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| Great BBR Turnout! |
By 09:45 there were only three of us in Di Paolo's chatting over coffee and no sign of any Pre BBR returners so it looked as if the freezing conditions in the early hours had put people, off despite the blue skies and warming sun. Just before ten o’clock five Pre BBR riders appeared after a hard ride and bit of a slog into the wind back to Bexhill to swell the numbers to 14 in the cafe. Unusually we decided to put the start back ten minutes so the Pre BBR crew could have a quick coffee and everyone could have a quick chat and catch up, especially as Stuart Crabb had got there later than usual and wanted to catch up with Ollie – great to see him out again with us for the first time since October.
Ten of us set out from the café with one more joining us on the road. We kept pretty well together until Little Common. The run then spread out and regrouped a few times at the usual places such as the junction just north of Hooe where we turn right for one the winter routes (summer routes go left and then the rough lane to Horsewalk) and the garage by the Bulls Head Boreham Street, where group photos were taken. We took the lane direct to The Lamb Wartling where we agreed the next regrouping would be in Pevensey Bakery, the idea that those that got there first bagged a table since it can be pretty busy.
After we split it was an opportunity for Fabien to practice holding my wheel, calling "on" when I had eased off and he was back on my wheel and "ease off" when I was going a fraction too fast. We got a good routine going across Marsh.
We went through Pevensey then turned left over the crossing and turned left at the roundabout before the Crem, except for Tom who had thought it was the roundabout after the Crem so he did an extra mile or so on the way to Pevensey Bakery where most of us stopped for a drink and bite.
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| Chris Finds A New Use For Old Inner Tubes! |
With the lights at Pevensey and negotiating the roundabout we were well spread out on the run home with several forging ahead. Mid way to Spookey Hill I was last of a loose group of four of us and could see Malcolm easing off ahead so the riders behind could pick up his wheel and he could then set the pace. I was not closing the gap that quickly but a combination of losing concentration and my good eye watering in the wind must have caused me to misjudge my position. I had gone inside the next rider and overlapped by quite a distance before touching his wheel. I must have braked too hard and steered away from the ditch resulting in losing control and going over the handlebars to land very heavily on the top side of my left shoulder. I was quickly up and pulled the bike out if the road. I lifted my arm and was pretty sure the collar bone was OK. Malcolm straightened the bike out and I rode home slowly. So lesson learned, concentrate at all times and note to everyone: keep both hands firmly on the bars when riding in a group and wheel touches will not usually cause a problem. The rider I touched wheel with was safe and firmly in control, unlike me ……….
I watched the rugby then had a painful drive up to Stonegate, choosing a route with the fewest gear changes. Late in the evening Pippa got back helped pull off my tight short sleeve top, I shouted out in agony. May be the collar bone was broken after all?
So it was over to Pembury A&E Sunday morning making use No, 23 of an inner tube: The Arm sling. I was out after less than two hours with the X-rays not showing a break Top marks to Pembury A&E for an excellent service. By Thursday a garish yellow bruise had appeared on the shoulder and upper chest, but I will spare you a photo of that.
Enjoy this week’s BBR without me!
Chris Parker
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