I lead a Sunday morning group ride. I have riders from all over the area join me since the ride is posted on a local online ride board. I have some regulars and sometimes, no-one shows so I go solo. That's OK too. I send out a blast email to about 12-15 riders the day before announcing time and place. The start is almost always the same, just the route changes.

Here the situation: Last night, a new guy calls me about the ride. I have corresponded with him via email several times in the last week becuase he wants to do our type of mileage (75-90 miles). At 10:30pm last night, he tells me he'll be there.OK. I tell him the ride leaves at 7am, so please be prompt. He asks for my cell phone # in case he is running a bit late since he's not familiar with the area. OK - we'll wait if you're running a few minutes late. Flash forward to this AM @ 7am...he doesn't show. He doesn't call. So, after sitting around for a while, I leave at 7:25. As it happens, it was going to be just him and me anyway.

I'm kinda POed. If he wasn't going to show, tell me the night before. Don't make a promise you don't intend to keep. At least call later that day with a reason. I would have gotten another 45 minutes of riding in.

So how long should I have waited??? I didn't have his number to call or I would have called him. What about next time he calls to ride with me (us)? I don't think I'll cut him any slack next time. Sorry, this just got me POed and put a damper on my first few miles. Besides, he missed a beautiful 70 mile ride in cool temps - his loss.

You waited 20 minutes longer than I would. He didnt call so no reason to wait at all.

Without having received a phone call, 5 minutes would have been more than adequite.

You said the ride leaves at 7:00. You owed him not leaving before 7:00. After that it was entirely up to you how long to wait. You chose to wait so don't blame the other guy for missing 45 minutes of your ride. That was your choice.

One ride I do waits up to 20 minutes, another leaves promptly 10 minutes after the scheduled time, one leaves exactly on time and I've seen them leave riders behind who were less than a block away. The point is there are no rules, do what you like.

I'll always wait ten minutes or so. It's just if you tell the group that we leave at 7am, but will wait for an extra 10 minutes, then everyone shows up at 7:10. You are right, next time I leave at 7:05 if no one has called.

AYH rides in St Louis are advertised as "Meet at 8:30, leave at 9:00." If you're pumping up a tire or tying your shoe at 9:00, you'd better be prepared for a chase or you'll be riding by yourself. I think that's fine as long as you do it the same way all of the time. If you decide to wait for some people but not for others, I think you're asking for problems.

Given the facts (he said he was coming, he had your cell #, said he would call if he was late, et cetera), 10 minutes is about how long I would wait. 25 is generous. Nothing wrong with that, just more patient than I. If the guy calls back, I'd give him another chance. Stuff comes up.

I wouldn't worry a bit. l had a ride planned this morning with an S.I.P. (somewhat important person) and I was 2 minutes from leaving him when he showed. I give 10 minutes tops no matter who you are...

I'll always wait ten minutes or so. It's just if you tell the group that we leave at 7am, but will wait for an extra 10 minutes, then everyone shows up at 7:10. You are right, next time I leave at 7:05 if no one has called.

That is more than reasonable.

If you consistently wait 10 minutes, then your start time is actually "promptly at 7:10." You train people that they can show up late and still make it. If you leave promptly at 7:00, you'll find over time that people show up just a bit before 7:00.

I would say that it is up to you the time you want to wait. I can't stand waiting for more than 15 minutes for anyone unless it is a really really attractive female rider. 10 minutes is pretty standard for most rides.

I like showing up late for rides because it gives me the opportunity to chase the pack, blow right by them, then have a bunch of egos chase after me while I ride them off my wheel.

Another point to add to what others have said - he probably didn't realize there wasn't anyone coming except him, and probably didn't expect you to be waiting that long. IOW, he didn't know that he was causing you any problems.

I do that all the time which, I suppose, is why I tend to prefer to ride alone. It is beyond me, however, to understand how people can be so thoughtless. I've even had people call and say they were just a couple blocks away and STILL not show up. Guess New Yorkers are just flaky.

If you consistently wait 10 minutes, then your start time is actually "promptly at 7:10." You train people that they can show up late and still make it. If you leave promptly at 7:00, you'll find over time that people show up just a bit before 7:00.
I totally agree with that. This is one of my pet peeves, and it's not unique to bike rides - church groups, club meetings, etc. all have a tendency to 'drift' 10, 15, 20 minutes past the claimed start time. By trying to be polite and wait a few minutes for someone, the group actually does itself a disservice. You can do everyone a big favor by recognizing that people have schedules, and beginning pomptly at the stated time.
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The no-show rider emailed me back. He "overslept" but he wants to ride again. I emailed back that he is welcome to join the group anytime, but I re-iterated that our start time is 7am so please be a the start at 6:50.

I won't wait next time. Maybe I'm just too nice. The ironic thing about all this is that I really wanted to ride alone anyway. I was truly dissappointed when he contacted me late Saturday night to "sign up". I guess I got what I wanted afterall.

leave promptly.

IME from leading rides for 3 years, you cannot wait (particularly if there are other people there, which it seems there weren't) for stragglers. it puts off the group and gives the ride a less than ideal image, which is important for a "budding" group ride.

however, if he was a friend/regular, i would have waited **if** he called or said the night before that he might be a tad late for the ride.

fwiw, people are like this--it's convenient for them to show when they want, or not show at all, or get to the ride just on time, knowing full well they still have to change clothes, pee, and fix a flat.

develop a "prompt, friendly, prompt, fun, prompt, did i mention prompt" reputation for your ride. if you are always the ride leader, **always** show, be early, prepared, and approachable. you may get two dozen or zero riders on any given day, but your reputation for being reliable and "predictable" will grow the ride, and be appreciated by all involved.

good luck.

-J

I totally agree with that. This is one of my pet peeves, and it's not unique to bike rides - church groups, club meetings, etc. all have a tendency to 'drift' 10, 15, 20 minutes past the claimed start time. By trying to be polite and wait a few minutes for someone, the group actually does itself a disservice. You can do everyone a big favor by recognizing that people have schedules, and beginning pomptly at the stated time.
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I ride with a club around here now and then and they are always are 10-15 minutes late getting started. So, I and others that don't like piddling around show up 10-15 minutes late knowing it will not start on time (but I don't call telling them I wil be there either). It's even stretches longer than 15 minutes at time. Perhaps they wait because they expect people to show up late. (see a bad patern here!) Often I just join up with them on the road so I don't have to wait. I just leave later and plan on catching up with them. I ride to the starts anyway and often just find an intersecting point along the way to join in.

Don't let this get started. Some folks don't mind piddling around wasting time chatting and such but others do. You will loose those people. Wait no more than 5 minutes and then go. If they show up late then they will know to be on time next time or learn how to find you on the road.

For myself, If anyone else was there, I would have left at 7:00. If I was alone, I would have waited till 7:10.
I have a high tolerance for thoughtless people. Two of the riders that I ride with usually show up at 8:00 for an 8:00 ride. I usually greet them with "Good Afternoon", but it does no good.

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I have a high tolerance for thoughtless people. Two of the riders that I ride with usually show up at 8:00 for an 8:00 ride. I usually greet them with "Good Afternoon", but it does no good.

Pardon me, but, isn't that right on time?

if you ride up on the bike, yes.

otherwise you're going to have to put shoes on, gloves, helmet, glasses, get the bike out of/off the car, etc...5 minutes which become 10 minutes very quickly.

as a general rule, particularly a considerate one, show up 10-15 minutes early to any ride.

I'd have waited a while too as I try to bring new people into my riding groups. I'm not saintly enough to wait that long without a call though.

I would have left at 7am as well. People who are not ready to pedal off at the
posted time show no respect for anyone else in the gorup.

These people are usually late all the time and waiting for them anywhere after the posted time only encourages their selfish behavior.

These people believe that their time is more valuable then yours. Pedal off!!

My regular group has a 5 minute policy. We're all family men and have things to do on our Sundays and, for the most part, respect eachother's time. I'm always 10 minutes early for everything, most show up on the money, we'll wait 5 minutes if someone isn't there on the hour. A previous poster remarked, "don't wait 10 minutes or that becomes your start time..." and it is true, people will abuse the buffer. And don't worry about leaving on them, it will be the last time they ever miss a start. If you don't want to ride solo, be on time.

If you consistently wait 10 minutes, then your start time is actually "promptly at 7:10." You train people that they can show up late and still make it. If you leave promptly at 7:00, you'll find over time that people show up just a bit before 7:00.

Not only that, but you're also indirectly saying that you think that the late comers are more important to you than the people who were on time.

Five minutes is long enough, ten minutes if it is a cute girl. We run an evening ride and it is important to start on time so we do not run out of sunlight. One guy in our club consistently pushes the limit. As he drives into the parking lot he is wearing his helmet and shoes and is moments from being ready to start. Most people pull into the parking lot and you can count on another 10 minutes before you roll out. One approach for latecomer is to have a second start point five miles down the road. If you are not ready to start pedaling at the official start time then drive on down the road and hook up with the group enroute.