Re: Rider Leaving Early

["Nancy Mitts" <mitts_n@hotmail.com>]

Joe, 
Riders shouldn't be penalized for management mistakes, but if a rider 
KNOWS it's a mistake and takes advantage of it, they SHOULD be 
penalized. In your case it sounds like it was handled properly, at the 
next check, NOT at the end of the ride. I wasn't advocating a fixed 
rule, just mentioning the completion only option.
Nancy Mitts
Central Region
>On Wed, 30 Sep 1998 07:28:24 -0500, "Becky Huffman" <hhcc1@htcomp.net>
>wrote:
>>As a rider and a ride manager.  I agree with this.  Completion only or
>>disqualification for leaving the check early.  I, personally, feel 
that
>>there are too many variables and too much strategy involved to do
>>otherwise.
>
>But what about the case where the out timer told the rider to leave?
>This happened to me at the first vet check of a 100 mile ride.  By my
>watch I had two minutes left before leaving.  The out timer told the
>three of us waiting that we could go.  I asked, "Number 24 can go?"
>and the timer said, "Yes, number 24 can go."  So I went.
>
>The other two riders and I discussed it on the trail ... they said
>they were sure they'd timed in two minutes ahead of me.  So at the
>next check they reported it to ride management.  I agreed that I had
>been sent out two minutes early.
>
>The ride management said they'd just add two minutes on my time at the
>end of the ride -- to which I objected strenuosly.  I asked them to
>hold me two minutes longer at the second check.  I pointed out that
>two minutes at the 40 mile point meant little, but if I'm carrying two
>minutes of add time then all anyone has to do to beat me is to keep me
>in sight.  They agreed, and I was held the extra two minutes at vet
>check two.  An equitable solution.
>What I'm getting at is, why should the rider be penalized for a ride
>management mistake?  Rather than have some kind of fixed rule for this
>situation, I believe ride management should handle it according to the
>circumstances.
>Joe Long
>jlong@mti.net
>Business Page  http://www.mti.net
>Personal Page  http://www.rnbw.com
>
>


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