Pre-riding course Etiquette?

A possible solution (other than peeps waking up and employing more common courtesy) would be to mark everyone's calves with their category with their wave number. Works well in the mtb world. If the refs choose to do so, this would make it readily apparent to them whether a rider was racing proper or just warming up. It is better for us to police ourselves, though, so the simple ability to tell if the guy/grrl ahead of you is at race pace or just cruising would help immensely. Also, calling 'track' when you're passing is common in the fat tire world and would work wonders if used in our skinny fat tire world. My two sense [sic].

http://303cycling.com/ACA-Colorado-Cyclocross-Changes-for-2011

How about a couple course marshalls out there pulling race numbers from anyone blatently obstructing racers, or at least not making an obvious effort to pull out of the way IN A TIMELY MANNER when being overtaken! I've had guys move over at a snail's pace and at the last minute even when I'm screaming my head off- though I'm sure they mistook MY relatively snail's race pace for someone warming up! If this is indeed a major safety and conduct issue then it needs to be resolved.
I've always been terrified that some blunder of mine would cost someone his or her race so I get out of the way WAY in advance of racers and am ALWAYS looking back for racers approaching.

Rant much? Where are your solutions to the problems you perceive? Keller crashes out and offers solutions. You did neither.

C'mon man. If you're gonna rant, rant. But it makes you sound a bit like a crybaby when you don't offer a new or better way to handle the issue of warming up on the course.

As a second year newbie riding 35+,4, I like the idea of having predefined period for warm up laps and a ban on being on the course during races. In absence of that, it seems like having the 35+,4's go before the SM3 is also a very good idea since it would reduce traffic on the course.

Rules, courtesy and awareness aside, the sheer numbers of riders is going to cause issues when people warm up on the course during a active race. No matter how or if that is addressed in the rules now or later, there is one thing that can minimize conflict and still allow warm ups on the course right now.

- Start your warm up behind the START of the race previous to yours.
- Ride 2-3 laps at "fast" pace
- Get off the course (Finish the warm up on the street or trainer..)

Jumping in behind the start of the previous race gives a large clear area to ride in, which works well till the race spreads out. once that happens it's hard to "stay out of the way" without "hyper-vigilance", especially the 35+4s with the fast 35+ opens racing.

Maybe a rule that allows warming up for the first 2-3 laps of each race? Not a complete fix, but would minimize the issue after the race spreads out, keeping people out of the "gaps".

Part of the problem without any rules from ACA, the newer people are clueless about etiquette, imho.

Another example with the problem is the combined groups like the 55+ going with the Cat4 Women - cat4 men are always warming up during them. The 55+ guys get bent out of shape when the cat4 w lapped riders don't move over fast enough, but it's hard for them to tell who is who when the cat4 guys are constantly riding up to them, sitting on their wheels and sometimes passing. Now that's great for motivation and confidence DURING a race - some dude riding by you like you are standing still and he's not even racing.

No offense intended to any parties, just wish this was prohibited. I tend to warm up very similar to Greg's suggested schedule - at the end of the race of two groups before me I scout it out, and get one more lap in at the start of the next group. Pull off, and do a higher intensity pre-ride after the following group. Getting to the race just before your race and pre-riding during someones race is rude in my opinion. Typically there is enough time to get 3 laps in without overlapping.

Granted no one wants to be the one who gets injured but by and large I don't think this is a huge deal. From my observations, the pre-riders are courteous and aware of racers on course and over-eager to get off the course. I've seen more close calls with spectators than pre-riders.

I'd be curious to see the stats on "incidents" instead of rushing to judgement based off of the unfortunate circumstances of one popular and vocal local crosser.

Though I don't live in Colorado anymore and don't even remotely know the ACA rulebook, nor did I know it when I lived there (just moved away this past summer) it seems to me that you should not ride the course at all during any category's race whether they are Cat 4's learning the ropes, Master's A racers, Non-Master's A racers, Women's categories, etc. There are typically a few moments between each event in which you can hop on the course and hit a couple of laps while they are staging the next race, there are no racers on course and you don't belong there if there are. It's not your race.

I do like the suggestion that Greg Keller made on mudandcowbells.com recently with pre-ordained warm up periods. Though it might make the day longer it allows racers to achieve more time to look at the course and figure out the lines making the first few laps safer in bunch situations.

Regardless, do not pre-ride during someone else's race. It's a respect thing, you don't want them on the course while you're racing so don't get on the course while they are racing.

my two cents.

Kris, you nailed it with "what are the official rules" as its obviously fuzzy for most. Every article on pre race prep includes pre-riding courses. I saw one last week that gave an example of riding the course up to four times. Now take 100+ 35+4s (beginners) who read these articles and put them right after the 35+ (elite) and it's a recipe for disaster. They of course are going to pre ride during the 35+ race because this is the only time to do it. Not all of us are going to abide by the unwritten rule of "get out of the way" all the time as its just a matter of statistics. It seems simple enough, but obviously this lack of policy or clarity isn't working. It’s not just the 35+4s either as even they scream their heads off at people to get out of the way. I think Greg's proposal of dedicated times throughout the day for course recon is spot on. This is how it is done on the east and west coasts and apparently Europe as well.