So, I live in a small neighborhood where the people there like to do fun weekend challenges. Last weekend, a group of neighbors suggested a bike stunt race down a hill close to our street. It sounded like fun, and most of the other neighbors were really hyped.
However, when I checked out the route, it was obvious that the hill had dangerous curves and loose gravel patches. I spoke up and decided not to participate because I didn’t want to risk injuring myself or anyone. I also suggested a safer alternative route, but most of them dismissed it and said we were all adults who should just do it.
They still went ahead with the race and unsurprisingly, one person fell and scraped themselves pretty badly. They were fine, but they later said I was being overly cautious and that I was ruining the fun since I refused to join or participate.
I don’t feel bad about standing my ground, but now some neighbors are kind of giving me side-eyes at community events.
AITA for choosing safety over fitting in with a risky challenge?
NTA.
You didn’t tell anyone they couldn’t do it, you just chose not to put yourself at risk and even suggested a safer route. That’s literally the responsible adult thing to do. If someone got hurt doing the thing you warned about, that kinda proves your point.
Wow! What a compliment to you! No one can have fun unless you participate. You must be amazingly entertaining!
NTA. Your presence has no bearing on this.
Love this response, it was mine also. How did her saying “no thanks, seems unsafe” ruin it for (checks notes) all the people who still did it? LOL.
NTA they say that they’re all adults and yet they act like children. There’s nothing wrong with being safe. You were polite and mature. You simply let them know about the safety issues, and made the decision not to risk it when they decided to go ahead with the activity.
They’re just upset that you’re capable of thinking for yourself. Ignore it.
Hard NTA. I would suggest getting new friends but it sounds like they won’t be around long enough for it to matter. Not sure what the ages are here but this sounds like something drunken frat boys would do. You are NTA for not wanting to get seriously injured over something so minor and could be done without a high FAFO factor. I hope the ones who did it at least have some decent life insurance policies.
Can you copy and paste the post about the race? I ask because I’m curious if this was billed as a mountain bike single track style race and then others decided to join in with their beach cruisers, kids on bmx bikes etc and it got out of control. I have a full suspension mountain bike with hydraulic brakes etc that would have made light work of that trail.
And you are always within your right to not do anything that you don’t want to.
You’re NTA but your neighbors definitely think you’re a wimp now, hence the side-eye.
Info: Were you saying “I told you so” after the fact, or something? If so, YTA. Accidents happen. Anything called “bike stunt race” sounds a little risky. If the only injury was one person who got a little scraped up but was fine, then it seems like casualties were within acceptable parameters and you were being excessively cautious. That said, you can be cautious about yourself (and/or any minor children in your care), we should all know no respect our limitations, but you can’t be the judge of that for everyone else. Unless you’re an expert in bike stunt race safety? But then you would have been able to speak from authority, which people respect much more than someone trying to superimpose their limitations on everyone else.
Is there an HOA you could bring this up to?
NTA. Welcome to small towns that can get very clique if you don’t go with the flow. I am the last person that really cares what other people think of my choices, so i’m comfortable with neighbors that side eye. Don’t play into it, or they’ll see that as a weak spot anytime they disagree with your choices.
NTA. When they start pushing at people to join in to anything they don’t want to do, for whatever reason, that’s a bridge too far. Anyway, the last thing I’d ever do is join “community” activities, but that’s me.
YTA, but only because you’re bragging about how virtuous you were.
NTA and now you’re getting side-eyes here. It’s just what people do. It sounds like you were right to sit the “challenge” out.