Group Riding Tips

[rj2para (Bisto)]

www.dorset.police.uk/pdf/GroupRidingDorset.pdf

[Buzzin (^_^)]

Seems quite complete, but I did miss one thing we always life by: Always drive in staggered formation, not only in town centre. It is still good practice on the motorway and dual carriage ways, or any other road for that matter.
Only time to brake it, is in corners.
Well, at least that's my experience.
And don't be too upset if it's not 100% perfect, just remember the first and last bike should to towards the middle of the road so cars can see them better. (e.g. left on mainland, right in the UK)

I did read about the marker system, but I don't like it.
We always make sure that if we turn off, that you wait untill the person behind you has caught up, or at least you know 100% sure he knows where to turn off (don't count on satnav!), that combined with a very strict no overtaking rule should prove to be a failsafe.
Unless you get one of those t.wa.ts comming with the group like we did once.....we told him 4 times not to overtake, and he kept doing it.....he did deside himself to go a different route.....but that because he probably felt it comming that I was about to kick him out of the group (along with the others).
His overtaking had led to me and another helping a broken down NTV (also belonging to the group) being left behind, as the front drivers saw mr. stupid in their mirrors and asumed he would keep track of the people behind him....
Fortunatly I have satnav, and am capable of leading a group at near warp speeds (2 NTVs and a Hawk...NICE )

Right, back to the subject at hand
Riding in a group can be nice, but keep this in mind:
- Make small groups (4 to 6 riders).
- Make sure everyone knows the rules.
- Make sure everyone has all phone numbers
- Pity the poor Hawk, it only has a 9 liter tank...
- Stop often enough, when refueling, take the time...eat a snack, drink something.

This has gotten me through all group rides, without any problems.
The time the group was larger then 8 people it wasn't quite as nice, as you have to play catch-up to often.
Also, it doesn't help if the guy leading the pack is one of those stripes....you know, the blurry type of bike you only see as stripe as it passes you (ok, not that bad, but he did overtake anything in sight and didn't realy slow down for anything)

[edit] bloody profanity filter [/edit]

[De Graaf van Salland]

Hi Buzzin,

About the 'staggered' formation, from a KNMV-instructor I learned the following:
On motorways the first rider should be near the centre of the road.
On normal roads (traffic moving in 2 directions) the first driver should be near the side of the road.

The reason for this is that on motorways the 'danger' comes from behind; e.g. a car overtaking the group of bikers. When the first rider is near the side of the road, the car driver could easily not notice him/her and think that the second biker is the front rider. And then moving back into the lane of the group and thus pushing the front rider to the side.

On normal roads (2 way traffic) the 'danger' most often comes from the front. E.g. there's a lorry coming in the opposite direction. Behind the lorry is car that wants to overtake the lorry.
If the first rider is positioned near the centre of the road, then the car driver will not see the rider, because his/her view is blocked by the lorry. So a better position for this first rider would be near the side of the road.

Like I said, I didn't think of this myself, but learned it at one of those very good KNMV-courses.

Franklin

[Buzzin (^_^)]

Interesting, I hadn't heard that one, but it seems logical
You learn something new every day