Our Wednesday Night Rides ride style and culture is its own beautiful thing, but we’ve taken inspiration from the many group bike rides before us. In particular, the legendary San Jose Bike Party (SJBP) “How We Ride” guide offers a vision for how a large group of cyclists can have a great & safe ride through a city without causing havoc. Our “How We Ride” guide is based on SJBP’s, with a few modifications and additions:
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Risks & Responsibilities: You don’t need to sign a waiver to join a Wednesday Night Ride, because it’s an entirely voluntary & free group activity. But please keep in mind:
- Everyone rides at their own risk.
- Every rider is responsible for themselves, their behavior, and their bike.
- Keep your bike properly maintained. Here’s a link to a basic bike check.
- Cycling has inherent risks–you could crash, fall down, or get hit by a car, and get hurt or even killed–though we try to minimize these risks.
- If you have a health condition that could affect your ride or put you at additional risk, consider a) checking in with a doctor, b) letting us or a friend know, c) having a backup plan to get home if riding doesn’t work out.
- We always plan to have a sweeper, but can’t rule out that you could get lost, or that your bike could break down and you’ll need to find another way home.
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Everyone is welcome
WNR is for everyone! No matter how or how often you ride a bike, we’d love to have you join us.
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Stop at lights
Traffic lights are fundamentally different from stop signs. At a stop sign, everyone is supposed to stop (or in Philly, at least slow to a roll!). At a light, however, the traffic with a green is coming through at full speed. It’s dangerous to run lights and you generally shouldn’t do it. There are exceptions: if you can see far and clearly in both directions and no cars are in sight, you can proceed with caution. Use common sense and be safe. Hanging out at a red light is a great chance to talk with your friends, make new ones, or just look around at the city.
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Roll past conflict
We are not a confrontational ride. Do not swarm, block or trap cars, or engage with cars or people that are being jerks. Let it go, keep us all safe.
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Ride sober
The expectation is that you arrive at the ride sober, because it’s a bad idea to ride drunk with dozens of other cyclists in close proximity. Yes, we often end at a bar or restaurant – if you drink, please drink responsibly.
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Offer help, but keep moving
If you see a fellow rider in need of assistance of any kind (mechanical, flat tire, physical injury, etc), please do offer support. However, if it’s clear that person is already getting the support they need, we encourage you to keep moving. In many situations, having an unnecessarily large group of people standing around on the street, curb, or sidewalk can be a nuisance and potentially dangerous to other people on the street or sidewalk.
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Bring lights
After dark, PA law requires a front-facing white headlight and a rear red reflector or tail-light. This is a night ride, you need lights. They also look fantastic! Party lights for your wheels or frame lights are very worthwhile accessories – they make you much more visible and get positive reactions from passersby.
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Be nice
One of the best things about Wednesday Night Rides is the kind, friendly, feel-good feeling. Let’s keep it that way! Treat everyone with respect.
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Yield to pedestrians
See also: be nice. Bikes should yield to pedestrians, don’t be a jerk.
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Stay to the right
Unless there’s good reason to do otherwise, on most streets, take the right lane or the right side of the lane. Be predictable.
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Pack your trash
Self-explanatory. Don’t litter.
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Be prepared
You need water in the summer, warm clothes in the winter. A simple repair kit (multi-tool, spare tube, flat fix kit) is a great idea. Plan food, if you want to.
Photo Disclaimer
We may take photos, videos, and audio during our rides. We reserve the right to post these on our website, social media accounts, and other channels without expressed permission of those included in the photos/videos.