The GCC always advertises a meet time for its rides. The actual departure time can be anywhere from 2 to 30 minutes after that meet time. It is always best to be at the ride start at the meet time, but if you plan on trying to cut it close, you need to know how the particular group you will be riding with normally departs. While the Gliders will usually leave fairly promply (within 10 minutes) the A Riders will normally sit around for quite awhile--but not always! In particular, on Tuesdays and Thursdays A Riders leave promptly at 6:32, 2 minutes after the meet time. Over the last few months, several A Riders planning their arrival for 20 minutes after the weekend meet time have found themselves alone (or with other late arrivals) as the summer heat has prompted earlier starts. And finally, if you are cutting it close and run into unexpected traffic or mechanical delays, you will be toast!
In a pace line, if you call out a condition affecting the group, such as FLAT TIRE!, the next person up will usually hear it, but those ahead will normally not! So if you hear something, pass it up to those ahead of you.