Do You Critique Other Riders?
 

While going up Lookout Mountain today, I caught up to a cruiser rider. On the several curves I was behind him, he took at least a half-dozen corrections to get around each one. It was kind of scary seeing him jerk the bike around. Now I'm not real fast, but I am smooth. Finally, I couldn't stand it and passed him.

Coming down, I caught up to another cruiser who had a passenger. On one tight switchback, I could see that he held in the clutch while going around the entire curve. His brakelight was on, but I didn't look to see if he was using the front brake. I thought it was just a fluke, but he pulled in the clutch on the next curve too. These were sharp, steep curves, but what if he let the clutch out too quick? With the engine idling, he could have locked the rear tire and disaster.

Some riders, such as those you speak of should really recieve a little criticism. constructively of course.

I try to do this with sme people I know well on rides.

some people will never listen...

No. Because who's to say the guy riding like a jack ass isn't just fucking around?


When I'm out for a jaunt, I sometimes ride like a dick head and do things to amuse myself. That can me cutting corners at the last minute to get some serious lean angle through it to weaving in my lane to amuse myself.

Often times ill notice somebody behind me while doing this, then I just open it up and take off to give them a buffer.


So, who's to say you won't be giving unnecessary advice and come across like an ass?

Never. I dont want critiqued by some two bit jabrone when I'm out so I dont do it to anyone else. The way they ride, for better or worse, is their own business. I just put distance between myself and shitty riders.

I never do but I'm a 'noob' anyway. My first time through the Gap I was followed by a guy on a motard (who said he rides that road every day). He stayed fairly close but gave me plenty of room as I was uber nervous on my V-Star. When I stopped at the store to gather my wits he complemented me on my smoothness and speed (for a cruiser).

I thought it was very generous of him to say those things since I was working VERY hard to do it right! :)

I don't critique other riders openly but notice the way they ride. It determines whether I'll ride with them again or not. It's a sliding scale. :idk:

Often, I ask a faster rider if he wants to stay behind me for a few miles just to see how i look to them and have them critique me after we finish the ride. There have been a few times where riders I don't trust say something to me about my riding when they are behind me and I just ignore it though.




I think everyone does this subconsciously. I do nonstop. We have a pretty tight group of friends locally, and if someone new joins the site and goes for a ride, people who didn't make it will call people they trust who were on the ride to see what they were like and if they should ride with the new guy.

Sure everyone critiques the people they are riding with. My theory is this: Why should I take advice from some guy that followed me down the mountain? I dont know him from a hole in the wall. What makes his advice valid? I take advice from a few trusted individuals.

I think it is only natural to notice the riding style / habits of someone nearby.

I usually only offer advice if asked.

Only in my head.... I've only brought something up if I know them - and if they do something redardedly dangerous.

Same here. I just do it in my head. About the same for cage drivers actually.

I never do unless someone asks but I'm quick to ask others to critique me.

I've asked a few trusted friends who also happen to race to help me out with my riding at times. I have issues with people telling me what to do unless it's solicited.....so don't always take kindly to random advice.

Exactly, most people don't.

No, but I have asked other riders to critique me.

If I am riding with the person, I will offer help or ask for it myself, but I don't tell random people how to ride better unless for some reason they ask.

This.

It's very rare that I critique people on their riding unless they ask... but if it's someone I know and I see that it's a safety hazzard or a really bad habbit that might get them into trouble I try & give them a heads up about it.

Tips from more experienced riders is how I learned up until I started doing track days and I still learn that way to this day... and now that I have some credentials as an instructor & RiderCoach, people are usually receptive to what I have to tell them.


If it's someone I don't really know well, I usually strike up a conversation & try to work it in somehow w/o coming off as arrogant or condescending.

Unless I'm misreading the thread, the OP is asking if you take note of how others ride, not chase them down and give them advice.

I always look at how others ride, especially if they are handling the road/track better than me. It's interesting to compare other peoples' habits to your own (good and bad) to see where you can improve.

Only my wife. :lol:

No I usually do not critique other riders unless they are doing something that endangers me.

This is true for me as well. Unless they are a hazard to me or others, I wont venture my thoughts, or unless they ask. When I become a riding God, maybe I'll change my mind...:lol:

I always like to watch random people riding and see if any other riders around who are also watching make a comment. That is really how I learned a lot of things. By listening to Moira talk about some dumb ass move someone made on a ride. Then I would just make a mental note not to do that. :lol:

:lol:

Same here.

If I like the way someone rides, I like to ask them to critique me. I can always learn from others. :yes:

I like watching the way people ride and critique them to a certain extent, but indirectly. The only time I went riding this year I commented on this girl's foot position. I said it nicely and we were on the subject anyway so I took my chances. Otherwise I keep to myself.

When I corner work, it is my job to critique people. I call in whatever the person is doing and then the instructors decide if it needs addressed to the individual or not.

I don't ask Erik to correct me because I know he will respond with, you know how to do it. Any of my instructors at the track, I definitely want to know where I can improve. I know my weaknesses and work on them, but just not enough.

I don't give advice unless someone asks for it, but I gather a quick assessment of any rider I see, and I often think about what I might say if they asked me about it.

I watch out for myself but keep an eye out for people who could lock up their wheels mid-lean so I can avoid them

I critique everyone...for everything!