Tulsa Bicycle Club -- Ride Leader Rules
- The Tulsa Bicycle Club disclaimer form is legal protection for you and the Club. Before starting out, ask any non-members to sign it. Return any signed sheets directly to a Club officer.
- Know where you are going. Drive or ride your course at least once on your own shortly before the scheduled ride. It is not uncommon for the state to close roads or throw down coarse gravel on a route just to annoy ride leaders.
- Communicate your intentions to the group. If there is someone new, try to paint a picture in his head of your route. Use maps if you have them. Ask if there are any questions before you depart.
- If you know of particularly hazardous or confusing sections of your ride, announce them. If you have a ride map, mark the hazardous sections plainly. Use inserts to enlarge detail if your map scale is too large to eliminate confusion at risky turns and intersections.
Special Rules for Leisurely Ride Leaders
Leisurely rides are sometimes difficult to lead because of the varied skill levels.
If there are one or more riders lagging behind, they may panic if they lose sight
of you. To prevent this:
- Designate an assistant to ride in the back of the ride.
- Stay within the club speed limits for your ride.
- Slow the group down to the point where everyone can stay together.
- Have pre-established points where the group will stop to wait for slower riders. Announce these before the ride begins.
- Use a marked or mapped ride.
- In any event, you must remember that No one will be left behind on a Leisurely ride. This means you must try to be aware of where everyone is. If this is impossible, your concern should be with the slowest, as they are often the most dependent.