Sorry about having "the jerk" follow you

Last weekend I have "the jerk" follow me for awhile (unknown to me! GRRRR) and then get in front of me for awhile too.

He wasn't even part of our group to begin with!! Wasn't wearing a helmet AND had earbuds in! I really wanted to scream. He didn't ask to tag on, just jumped in when we passed him on the road. Obviously he was a decent rider, but UG! So inconsiderate!

Our group has a strict HELMETS MANDATORY policy and if it were ANY other way I would NOT ride with them. I've watched people die from severe head injuries. The long, drawn-out, emotionally draining kind of death at that. You ride with me you ride with a helmet (no exceptions; I've ridden away from really good friends before...), but there wasn't a darn thing I could do about it because he had HEADPHONES in too and I was in the middle of *MY* group (so if I dropped back I lost the group and I couldn't sprint away from him as I was boxed in).

I get the whole helmets are optional when you are riding alone thing (and I don't say anything as much as I want to), and heck, I wear headphones sometimes if I'm just cruising on a MUT alone. But in a group you don't know going down the highway at 22 mph average!?!?!?!? It's just rude and dangerous!!! We do a lot of verbal signaling... I was really glad when he decided we were too slow for him and swung out.

Really I have no idea how to handle that. I really wanted to yank an earbud out and yell "if you are going to be an inconsiderate jerk that doesn't care about your safety or anyone else's then at least get the F away from me", but he was in front of me, and well, yanking an earbud out at 22 mph is dangerous. *sigh*

I think next time I'll just fall off the back and loose the group. Of course that ruins my ride, but not as much as having to hold grey matter in someone's stupid head until the EMTs get there (I'm certified and thus legally obligated to respond *sigh*)