Having been leading a Group Ride for a few months now, flyers and sandbaggers who treat it like a race are super disruptive and can ruin the ride for those that want to follow the format.
I understand that the “old fence” that use to kick people out was a bit temperamental but would it be possible to make the “return to group” prompt more annoying and “in your face” so that riders simply can’t ride on ignoring it?
Maybe something like the Pain Effect or a flashing message that covers a significant proportion of the screen.
They should do the same way than in races when you push too hard for your cat.
Here it should be, as soon as you go over the fence, you can push as hard as you can, but you will be limited to the max w/kg the leader is allowing.
I agree with your assessment and the effects of these flyers, just not your solution. The real solution is to simply make the fence function properly. Given all the recent work on the proximity aspects in the new group dynamic “AI”, one may properly infer that Zwift “knows” precisely where a particular rider is in relation to the fence at all times, and that it is no longer the problem that it once was. There have been many other solutions proposed, including dropping those running off the front summarily to the rear of the group peloton, in effect making them sweepers, to bringing back the ability to “kick” flyers. I like that solution, too, as a first offense measure. So, as far fetched as this sounds, fixing the terrific fence feature is the real solution. There should be consequences for ignoring the Ride Lead instructions (or the group description), imposed at the discretion of the RL. Or perhaps even the ability to make the imposition of the consequence, optionally, NOT in the discretion of the RL, so there isn’t any ill will created. This is a “no-excuse” kick ride. Flyers who do not return to the group peloton and astern of the fence get automatically sent to the drop-in screen after a configurable time period… Clicking on Ride would bring them back to the group (during the first 30 minutes), properly chastised. Bravo! +1
EDIT: Image removed.
Edit: Content edited above and image (of footballer kicking a ball) rudely removed summarily, without the permission of the author, and without explanation, by System “editors”. A picture is a thousand words and adds vibrancy and impact to content here… Think!