SAFETY AND TEAMWORK
Riding in a tight group (pace line, peloton, bunch, echelon - call it what you want) is a lot of fun. It's an enjoyable social experience and you go a little faster. At KVC, we prioritize safety and teamwork when group riding. We ride as a unit, focusing on cooperation, rather than competition. To maintain a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone, we follow these fundamental principles:

• Front rider responsibility The front rider sets the tone for safety. She or he is the group's eyes, and must maintain consistent speed and direction, and avoid sudden movements.
• Communication Use both your voice and hand signals to keep yourself and the group safe. Short calls like "slow down", "gap",  "car up", "car back", "mechanical", " turn left/right", keep everyone out of trouble. Hand gestures are crucial for pointing out potential hazards on the road.
• Smooth Sailing Strive for a steady pace. Sudden changes in speed or direction can create enormous risks for the group. Predictability is critical to group riding safety.
• Overlapping wheels Avoid overlapping wheels with the rider in front of you. This reduces the risk of collisions and falls, especially in a tightly packed group.
• Clockwise Rotation When riding in a two abreast group, the rotation will generally be clockwise.

By following these principles, we ensure a safer riding experience for all members of KVC. Remember, our strength lies in our unity and mutual respect on the road.

Of course, the above principles are not the end of the story. There are many specific practices that generally need to be followed when riding in a group. Most of them are set out in Group Riding Practices page. If you are new to group riding, please study them. The degree to which particular practices are applicable will of course depend on the circumstances. However, you should still be familiar with all of them.