Group Riding Etiquette (How-To Properly ride in a group)

[Rider]

A post I found on another forum.

Ok boys and girls,
With each ride a leader or leader(s) will be elected. Most often it is whoever posted up the ride to begin with. This person is in charge of choosing a route, and choosing where we will stop for gas and food. Longer rides we may pick up additional riders at other locals. If this is the case that local will be used as a meeting point for anybody who falls behind, gets stuck at a light and the likes. We will do our best to keep the pace down and/or stop and wait for the stragglers at the next Stop sign or safe location to pull to the side.

A group ride with people you have never met before is not the place for you to try something new; for example: drag a knee, wheelie/stunt, go faster than you have ever before. We've all seen it and you wont impress us with anything. Go at your own pace. And for those of us who are seasoned at group rides, NEVER EVER get on someones case for riding too slow. Everybody has their own pace, and if you don't like it safely pass them using the following instructions.


Basic Recommended Gear:
Leather/Textile Jacket, Helmet(duh) and Gloves.
We strongly recommend riding boots and riding pants as well.

Basic Formations:
On highway or any straight road (staggered):


On back roads and when entering a turn:


When Passing a Car:
Speed up to the car, pass and move in front of it by at least 50 feet, give the guy behind you room to get in front of the car also. DO NOT: pass and slow down to the speed of the car at X, this will give the next passing guy no room to come back into the lane, just keep going at least 5-10mph faster than the car (you did pass to go faster). Also don't pass 1 car out of a line of 3, only pass if you can really get ahead and proceed at a faster rate of speed. passing for no reason is just stupid and the group gets all messed up.


Once you've passed:
Use this hand signal to help the next rider pass by indicating he has the clear of way (in other words no on-coming traffic) If you are the rider who is being helped you do NOT have to pass the car unless you feel 100% about it. If you are worried about holding up others behind you let them come upfront and drop back. We do not want anyone to feel pressured into passing.


Move out of the way:
First tell the ride behind you to catch up or get closer, this is also used for any "speed up" situation:


If you feel you want the guy behind you in front for any reason or you simply want to drop back, wave him up:
Newer riders...if you are feeling pressured please signal the person behind you to pass.


NEVER PASS ON THE RIGHT:
The only time is when you have your own lane to do so, DO NOT DO A FLY BY, make the pass easy (5-10mph faster than the other riders).


Speeds:
Even though a ride might be Slow/Mid(5-20mph over the limit), doesn't mean it will always stay that way. Leaders usually know the roads and want to enjoy themselves, thus they might speed up for a turn just to push the bike a little, YOU DO NOT NEED TO FOLLOW ON HIS ASS. If you feel you are going over your head/limits back off, the leader will always wait for you at the next straight away, stop sign or turn. Remember, a group ride is not the place to try something new you have never done before.

Other Hand Signals:
Left Turn:


Right Turn:


U-Turn/Turn Around:


Stopping (Fist at 90 Degrees):


Your High Beams are on or turn signal still flashing (open and close hand repeatedly):


Road Hazard, Debris:
Don't be afraid to signal with your feet.


Slow Down or Bumpy road:


COP/5-0 (tap on helmet):


I Need Food/Drink:
Remember that the group leader typically arranges for stops for Food, but some rides they may not. So come with a full stomach or be prepared to go hungry for a bit. But if you are breaking off the group...let us know by waving goodbye and making this gesture.


I Need Gas (Point at tank):
Remember that the group leader typically arranges for stops for Food and Gas at some point, but if you absolutely cannot wait...this is what to do.


Getting Pulled Over by a Cop:
The Group Gets Pulled Over
Everyone stops. You don't know why, you don't know where you don't know anything!

One Person Gets Pulled Over:
Member X did a wheelie and is now getting pulled over, let him, just continue slow to the next rest area, store, parking lot and wait for him to catch back up. If you are also asked to pull over do so but you don't know why, what, when or how member X did something.

Leaving a Group:
No matter what happens don't just split off and not tell anyone. As part of a group ride you are to double check once in a while on the guy behind you, if you split off the guys upfront have no clue what happened and might think you crashed, turn around, do a search and so on. So never just leave, let someone know somehow that you are splitting off.

Remember to Have fun and be Safe!

[the chi]

Great post and always rules to love by when riding with any group!

And never forget, if you dont feel comfortable with the group you are riding with, i.e. too squidly, reckless, etc, you ALWAYS have the right to branch off and leave. Never stay in a situation you feel is not right.

[Katherine]

Re-posted on local forum. Great find, Rider. Thanks!

[neebelung]

Here's our own Group riding Rules, as posted on our local board:

1. We will ride in standard staggered riding formation for the bulk of the ride (exceptions as noted in #7, below). Maintain your lane position, and keep aware of the position of the rider immediately ahead of and behind you.

2. When you change lanes, go to the far side of the lane so someone else can also change lanes. Example: If you are on the left side of the right lane, when you move to the left lane, go all the way over to the left side of the lane.

3. When passing, i.e. passing another vehicle as a group, move to the far right side of the lane (and continue accelerating) so as to leave room for the riders behind you to fall back in line behind you.

4. When coming to a turn on a regular road, drop into a single file line. You should communicate either before the ride or during the ride with the bike beside you about who is going to go first and who will drop in behind.

5. Learn the hand signals. The basic ones that we use are:
- Hand tapping top of helmet: There's a cop.
- Pointing to the ground with hand or foot: There's something in the road on that side.
- Left arm extended and bent 90 degrees with closed fist: We are about to make a
final turn in and stop.
- Left Arm extended and bent 90 degrees with open hand: Right turn.
- Left arm straight out: Left turn.
- Left arm extended out and slightly waving up and down with open hand:
slow down or possible stop.
- Someone flashing all five fingers of one hand at you: you forgot to turn off
your blinker.
- One leg extended to side of bike: That person is about to change lanes in that
direction. (Can be used in conjunction with, but not in lieu of blinkers; acts as
an additional emphasis for blinkers.)
- Pointing to the gas tank: I need gas.
- Pointing to your stomach: I need food.
- Grabbing chest with both hands at a stop: How about Hooter's for lunch?

6. It is not uncool to use your blinkers to change lanes (in fact, it's suggested).

7. When you're on a twisty rode with a group (even just sweepers), ride in a single file line. DO NOT ride above you're skill level! Don't worry if the group pulls away from you - We will stop at the next safe/possible area for the group to catch up, and will do a headcount. Take it easy, we will wait for you.

Single-file riding is also recommended for constuction zones and particularly narrow roads (i.e. residential areas, roads with concrete barrier walls, etc....)

8. Don't go flying by someone at high speed in their lane unless you know them and they have told you that it is ok. Pass in the passing lane/lane to their left.

9. If you want to stunt, please mention this before the ride departure, and do so well behind the group. Please make sure to leave enough room for error between you and the last bike of the pack, and bring your front tire down periodically to check the the status/whereabouts of the pack.

10. When you first ride with a large group or an unfamiliar group, please discuss your skill/experience level with the rest of the group; you might also consider staying in/toward the back until you are familiar/comfortable with the riding speed/style of the group.

11. When the group puts the hammer down and it comes time for you to decelerate, if you don't brake and just let off the throttle, make sure that you tap your brake a couple of times so that the bikes behind you will know you're slowing down.

12. Wear protective gear. At a minimum, you should have a jacket, helmet, gloves, long pants and closed-toed shoes/boots.

13. Make sure your bike is registered and you have a valid license with your M endorsement, etc..

14. Be gassed up when we meet (or if meeting at a gas station, leave time enough to fill up before appointed departure time).

15. While not required, it is recommended to have an Emergency Contact card with all of your contact data as well as that of whom you would like contacted in the event of an emergency.

16. Occasionally when turning across an intersection, one rider might pull out to turn, stopping to create a barrier so cars know to stop and allow the group to turn into the road.. be aware for this.....He/she will then rejoin as the last bike.

17. If you need to/want to leave the ride while in progress (i.e. not at a stop), communicate this to another rider in the group (and make sure they notice) so that we don't double-back to look for you once we've reached the next stopping point.

18. When following, do not focus on person in front of you keep them in peripheral vision and focus ahead (Don't Target Fixate!)

19. Riding while intoxicated/under the influence of drugs or alcohol will not be tolerated. If it is suspected you're impaired at ride-time, you may be asked to not join the ride.


If there is an accident...

A) Don't move the rider unless he cannot breathe, helmet is submersed in water, mud etc.. (helmet came off, something in his mouth).. If he/she must be moved, then keep the neck straight as possible.

B) Know CPR (or make sure at least one rider in the group does).

C) If the rider is impaled on or by an object (i.e. branch), do not pull it out as you may create more bleeding than if you leave it intact.

D) Know basic first-air, and how to use a tourniquet (or make sure at least one rider in the group does).

E) Call 911, just to be safe.

F) Search for emergency card inside jacket inside or under seat.

G) Turn off bike; block lane of traffic/place bike in lanes etc if necessary....

H) Find out where they are taking rider (specifically - not just name of hospital, but location). Make sure you know rider's last name in order to communicate information to others, and to be able to check status.

I) When Law Enforcement arrives at the scene, make sure everyone else is clear on the details of what happened. Enough said.

J) Again, do not remove helmet!! Make sure it goes with them to hospital.
If it is suspected they have suffered a concussion, keep talking to them and make sure they don't move/get up.

K) Use your head. Common sense and a cool head are your best assets in emergency situations.

[neebelung]

And here's one Chris found on "Sound Rider," a Pacific Northwest newsletter/web site.

Even if you don't agree with everything, there are some great points and tips here for group riding.

"How To Be Popular" by Dave Preston

TEN WAYS TO BE POPULAR WHEN RIDING WITH A GROUP

1. Always show up on time – or early! If the group has set a leave time of 10am – arriving at 9:45am will give time to chat and say hello. Getting there at 10:15am, just as the group has finished their pre-ride hellos and route discussion, has donned helmets, and has fired up engines, will make you unlikely to win the Best Riding Buddy award.

2. Always show up with a full tank of fuel. Although almost everyone likes to spend time standing around talking about bikes, there are limits. The rider who needs to stop in the first 20 miles to fill a tank will not see the teeth being gnashed – unless small snowflakes of tooth enamel wafting down from helmets is noticed.

3. Always bring cash and plastic. Some of the eating establishments motorcyclists favor for lunch breaks – small, out of the way, casual, and interesting – may not take checks, or credit cards or both. Having to borrow money from friends you may have just met is always a tenuous idea.

4. Clean your bike. This may ruffle a feather or two, but when you ride by yourself, I don’t care what your bike looks like. When you ride as a member of a group, your bike is part of the representation of the entire group. Many people take a lot of pride in the appearance of their motorcycles – and rightfully so. In the very polite Northwest, it’s unlikely anyone will make a disparaging remark about your bike showing up for a ride caked with last week’s road grime and mud, but it will be noticed, and possibly (probably) resented to a degree.

5. Be willing to compromise. Everyone has a different choice of pace. Every motorcycle has a slightly different "sweet spot" for a given gear and speed. In addition, all OEM motorcycle speedometers are inaccurate (intentionally) on the high side. Put it all together and you will have differing "correct" speeds among members of the group. This is not the same as "riding over your head " (See #7). As long as the leader’s pace is somewhere within reason, just go with it and adjust. If the leader is riding at a pace that you feel is dangerously fast for the circumstances, then actions such as slowing down and dropping behind, prior to leaving the group at the next stop, may be required.

On the other hand, you may meet a passive-aggressive person who insists on riding at his or her pace, no matter what anyone else is doing. Such people are attempting to control the pace of others from the back, and such is not the way.

6. Always ride your own ride, and at your own pace. This may seem to contradict the above, but it does not really. There are two circumstances to be avoided.

Riding "over your head" in an attempt to keep up with someone who is braver, more experienced or more foolish than you are. This is a sure route to a disaster – and sooner rather than later. As a wiser rider once told me – "Let the puppies go, David." He was right.

7. Avoid riding about 5 feet behind the bike in front. I have done this, and it’s very enjoyable with a good friend you’ve been riding with for years and years. The coordinated ballet of the two bikes, and the knowledge of where your friend wants to be in a given corner or situation, is extremely enjoyable and satisfying… and still a bad idea. With people you do not know well it is incredibly dangerous, and irritating to the person in front.

8. At an intersection, do not leave until the person behind you can see you clearly. On country roads bikes can get quite spread out – and intentionally so if you combine sport bikes and the dictates of #7 above. It’s your duty to look out for the folk behind and make sure the group stays, if not together, at least on course.

9. Thou shalt not abandon a colleague when things go wrong. Sooner or later, someone will have a problem. Perhaps a mechanical problem or a flat tire. Perhaps a speeding ticket. Or, rarely one hopes, some sort of a crash. If you’re willing to abandon the day’s ride to assist, you’ll be a hero for life. You may only need to use a cell phone and wait for a tow truck. Perhaps you can assist with getting the bike operable again. One friend hit an errant (!) last year on Whidbey Island, and the day was saved by the guy who made a shift lever for a CBR 954 out of a rock, duct tape, and a radiator clamp. In the worst of situations, someone being carted off for medical attention will remember your sacrifice in staying behind to see to the bike. There are always more days for rides, but friends you can rely on are rare and precious.

10. Volunteer to lead once in awhile if you know the route. Being the "leader of the pack" is not all that glorious, and is arguably the least fun position in the group. The leader has to consider the needs of everyone in the group. A good leader will perhaps delay a pass until the group has all caught up. When making the pass, the leader should accelerate long enough to make room in front of the vehicle being passed to allow for others. As experienced riders know, it’s much easier to be a bit back in the group. You no longer have to worry about the directions, for one thing. For another, the brake lights of those in front give you additional information about the corner ahead. And best, because you will get left behind at intersections and in some passing circumstances, you actually get to ride faster. So, if you’ve been enjoying yourself all day, know the route, and think the leader would like a rest, volunteer to break wind! (so to speak…)"

[NONE_too_SOFT]

always good to catch up on good group riding. i dont do it enough to remember all the signals, but the ediquette is pretty common sense.

[Trip]

putting someone competent at the back is always a good idea, so they can play sweeper should something happen.

[ceo012384]

I hate when you ride with a group and some people just don't get that once you get into the twisties, you shouldn't be staggered anymore. Having someone running up inside and parking in the corners in a staggered formation scares the shit out of me. I keep waiting for them to push the front and lowside and take me out.

Did I mention it was a busa?

[NONE_too_SOFT]

when you get into the tight twisties, ROE are pretty much out the door. Ride at your own pace and thats about it. if you dont like being as close to the guy in front of you slow it down, who gives a fuck if you get passed.

The people in the SV rally at the gap were crazy as hell last year, my first ride through it me and DP got caught in a mix of em pretty much riding front to back tire the whole way. Thrilling, to say the least.

[No Worries]

Riding in the twisties, even with only one or two other riders, you always get caught behind a slow car or SUV. The first rider passes at a straight, and then the second rider passes. Then it's your turn at the next straight and a car is coming in the other direction. The same thing happens in the next straight and then there are no more straights. And the car won't pull over. And your buddies are out of sight. And it's a double yellow. And a state trooper pulls up behind you.....