Due to the overwhelming response I'm getting from my friends about how untruthful I was about my previous post I'm going to reveal my thoughts about how the whole Night Cycling Trip was a failure. But anyway I wasn't untruthful...those were the facts just that I left out some "bad" parts of the trip...And here we go!!
The trip. It was horribly planned I must say. But before you start criticising me and telling me who I am to say all this about the planners let me tell you some history about myself. I've gone through my first Round Island with my sch PJC in 2000. 110km. I did 2 more R.Is with my friends in 2002 before I enlisted in the army. 120km each. Helped a grp of Ngee Ann Poly students with their Night Cycling Trip too in 2002. 70km. So now that you know I'm experienced in cycling matters i shall start my ranting.
First and foremost the organisers should have thought everyone HOW TO USE YOUR GEARS. This is the most basic and w/o the use of gears, pple suffer a lot when they cycle upslope and downslope. When pple suffer, their endurance level drops and are unable to go further. The amount of distance they can cover thus falls and this affects the entire group.
What is the point of putting us in groups if u want grp 1 to wait for grp 4? Doesn't that defeat the purpose? The POINT of putting us in grps is so that we do not need to wait for one another. Throughout the entire trip we were practically stopping every 30mins or so just to let the "rear enders" catch up. Grp 1 was always in the front and I bet they'll feel damn frustrated as it really destroys their momentum they have built up. Imagine going at 20km/h down the slope only to stop at the bottom of it to wait for the rest. Momentum goes from like 100 to 0. Get it?
How could this be done better? Simple. Have pre-determined "wait" points along the entire route. So grp 1 has 2 leaders rite? First man, last man ensures that the entire grp reaches the "wait" point safely before waiting for the rest. The points could be like at areas where there is a lot of space and wouldn't hinder traffic movement. INSTEAD, we were stopping like almost anywhere whenever the leader felt like it? Like at a bus stop? Imagine 50 bikes at a bus stop. And the road was like only 1 lane. Silly.
Girl falls down. I dunno how. We were just cycling along the curb when i see a girl fall down like flat on the ground. How in the world??! Wait wait wait wait wait. Girl comes along finally with her boy friend. Stops at the back of the line. For goodness sake u're already SLOW and u still wanna stay at the back?? U'll just be slowing everyone down!! BOY FRIEND = TOTALLY NO INITIATIVE U IDIOT!
Extra guys who bring their own bikes and have problems of their own. Like to stay at the back too and keep quiet. These guys piss me off I tell u! First of all u bring ur own bike and now u can't even fix ur own damn bike?? You bloody NOOB!! And because of ur problem with ur bike u make the entire grp wait for u. Thanks a lot. 2ndly u stay at the rear of the grp thinking "Why are these pple so slow? We could've completed this by now...." But it never did occur to them that they could've actually played a part in helping the grp move faster by teaching those who do not know how to change their gears. ZERO INITIATIVE.
Leader cycles from the front to the back to ensure everyone is alright then cycles all the way to the front again. Waste of energy?? OF COURSE!! Your main job is to ensure ur group is alright. NOT the ENTIRE grp. IF there are any problems among the grps, grp leaders settle among themselves first. IF unable to do so, contact Theophane. Instead u see him cycling back and forth a couple of times. By 2.30am, he's shagged out. Poor guy.
Safety van should always be behind to protect the cyclists from speeding cars. Have a big sign that says "BEWARE CYCLISTS IN FRONT". And wassup with those pple who cycle on the RIGHT of u and keep yelling "KEEP LEFT KEEP LEFT!!" YOU're the one cycling on the right and telling ME to keep left? Brains left behind somewhere huh??
Ahhhh okok enuf ranting. OVERALL I must still say it's a job well done by the organisers cuz not everyone can plan a Night Cycling Trip. Kudos to them!!! =) Rating for the Cycling: 5/10 Rating for the Chalet with ****** : 5/10 Rating for the Chalet w/o ******: 8/10
Point to take note: This was how, myself, as a participant of the event felt. Yes yes some stuff may not be wat it seems but that's how it was seen nonetheless. Dun hate me for it. And like I said in my earlier post I thoroughly enjoyed myself! Chill dudes!!
