I have written an article on my blog about riding your motorcycle with a group of other riders in a pack. You can find the article here: http://www.bikerlawblog.com/index.php?blog=3&title=all_about_motorcycle_pack_riding_use_cau&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Sometimes it is not all about the cager!

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Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.
Biker and Motorcycle Lawyer Blog
www.bikerlawblog.com

A huge factor in the safety of the group is how big it is. If you have 15 bikes in a proper formation on a multi-lane roadway then the group is blocking car traffic from moving to the lane they might need to be in. You know they are going to force their way into your group creating a serious problem.

 A better way is to divide up into groups of five. You all get to travel the same road, see the same things and go to the same destination. Another great thing about small groups is that each one can move at a different pace.

That's a really great point!  I really don't like riding with more than 5 or 6 people.  I've riden in some much bigger groups... upwards of 300... and honestly it made me pretty uncomfortable. 

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Only a biker knows why a dog hangs his head out the window.

I agree that breaking up a pack into small groups is much safer than having a large pack. I have experienced cars breaking into small packs too. It is a matter of common sense and experience. If your distances between riders are too great, the cagers will break in. If the distances are too short than you do not have time to react if someone in front of you breaks hard or eats it.

Pack riding can be fun, but caution should always be exercised!!

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Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq.
Biker and Motorcycle Lawyer Blog
www.bikerlawblog.com

vstar_pilot:

That's a really great point!  I really don't like riding with more than 5 or 6 people.  I've riden in some much bigger groups... upwards of 300... and honestly it made me pretty uncomfortable. 

I know what you mean...  I was riding in the "West Coast Thunder '06" rally on Memorial Day this year, a run out to the Riverside (CA) National Cemetery.  There were some 5,000 riders, two-abreast, for miles.... Talk about feeling uncomfortable...!

For the most part, the various city police and sheriff's unit directed the traffic but having that many bikes trying to move along together was a challenge.  It was a GREAT event, and I plan on riding again next year, but you've got to keep your hear "up and swivling" around to make sure you keep it safe.

 

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J.W.

vstar_pilot:

That's a really great point!  I really don't like riding with more than 5 or 6 people.  I've riden in some much bigger groups... upwards of 300... and honestly it made me pretty uncomfortable. 

I know what you mean...  I was riding in the "West Coast Thunder '06" rally on Memorial Day this year, a run out to the Riverside (CA) National Cemetery.  There were some 5,000 riders, two-abreast, for miles.... Talk about feeling uncomfortable...!

For the most part, the various city police and sheriff's unit directed the traffic but having that many bikes trying to move along together was a challenge.  It was a GREAT event, and I plan on riding again next year, but you've got to keep your hear "up and swivling" around to make sure you keep it safe.

 

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J.W.

I've done a couple of the Rides for Kids, and yeah, it's pretty scary with a thousand riders two abreast. First year I did it we hadn't made it a full mile when someone wrecked out.

My local sportbike group does some big rides in the mountains. We used to do pretty much everyone together, now we break it up into groups of no more than 10 or 12.

Quote: "I was once riding with a gal who had her own motorcycle. We made a left-hand turn from one major street to another. Since I was in the left position, I was leading the ride. After making the left turn, I then put on my right hand blinker and gave a hand signal that I intended to pull into a bank parking lot on the right hand side. Instead of watching my movements, and accelerating slowly through the turn, the gal accelerated way to quickly and did not give herself time to react. When she saw my signal, she panicked, locked up her brakes, and crashed her motorcycle. This accident would not have happened had the gal kept a proper distance, and not accelerated like a mad woman out of the turn. Had the gal not crashed her motorcycle, she would've most certainly crashed into me."

End Quote

 

Your example points out one problem with group riding that seems to always get ignored.

 

All too often when the group either stops or negotiates a turn that requires the group to slow significantly, the leader of the group rolls on their throttle and accelerates back to cruising speed the same as they do when riding alone. By the time the third or fourth rider can begin to accelerate the front of the group has left them in the proverbial dust. The poor rider in the back of the group has to exceed the leaders speed by 20, 30, or more MPH to even begin to catch up. 

 

In addition to not paying attention; the rider in your example was probably conditioned to accelerate rapidly so that she would not fall behind when riding in a group. Because she anticipated the need for hard acceleration based on past group riding experiences she automatically accelerated too hard and rode herself into the proverbial box.

 

I have yet to see any riders safety courses address rapid acceleration when group riding. I was fortunate to have someone that set a good example of how riding habits have to change when group riding.  I was taught to accelerate normally if the cruising speed was less than 35 MPH. However when the cruising speeds will be higher and especially for highway speeds that I should accelerate normally to about 40 MPH and then hold this speed until the last rider in the group has negotiated the turn or stop. At this point I can begin to SLOWLY accelerate up to the desired cruising speed. This allows the riders in the back of the group time to get back into formation without having to break the sound barrier to do so.

 

It is so frustrating to follow a group leader simply rolls on their throttle and never looks back leaving the back of the pack either strung way out or having to ride at unsafe speeds in an attempt to catch back up to the group. Often and especially when I have my significant other with me I either drop out of the group and proceed alone or if I am not tail end Charlie I wind up as the leader of what has now become two groups vice one. I have decided that the risks are not worth the desire to maintain the group.

 

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"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Donhun,

 That is excellent advice and definitely not something that really gets taught anywhere.  Group riding, in any form, does not seem to really get the attention it deserves.  I can't tell you how many times I see groups, or have ridden with groups that are just riding in an unsafe manner.  I just took the test to get my license a little over a year ago, and I know that group riding is discussed in the book, but that information seems to go right out the windown as soon as the test is over.

 With the exception of people I ride with very often (hubby and a couple other friends) I will not ride with people who don't follow the "rules".  Someone zooming right up next to me continuously will assure that I leave the group immediately.  I have no urge to be killing by someone else's stupidity.

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Only a biker knows why a dog hangs his head out the window.

As a leader in the West Virginia Motorcyclists Rights movement I have been called on to lead more group rides than I care to repeat. My way of handling things has always been a riders meeting before the ride starts. Most of the behavior I see on group rides could be averted if the rules were explained before the ride. Though I very seldom see this meeting taking place before the big rides start.

I have of late refused to do large organized rides. I prefer groups of 10 or less. I still hold the Riders Meeting regardless of whether I organized the ride or not. I seldom have problems with riders in groups that I lead. When I do, the problem child is ejected from the group immediately. Stoopid Hurts! But it's not gonna hurt me, or those riding with me if I can help it.

When riding with groups here in the mountains I have instituted a rule that I've not seen in too many other places. It's called "Ride Your Own Ride". I realize that not everyone rides the same as I do. When I ride, I'm out to have a good time safely. At the riders meeting I explain this fact, and tell all the participants that they should not try to keep up the pace that I set if they feel uncomfortable with it. I explain that we will be waiting for stragglers at the next major intersection. I've had really great results with this method. I get feedback on every ride about how much this is appreciated. The riders usually get sorted out by the first stop into two distinct groups. I will generally appoint a ride captain for the slower group at that time. The rest of the day I know who is where, and don't need to worry about the slower riders unless they don't show at the next stop in a reasonable amount of time. We still wait at the major intersections to keep the groups fairly close,and to be able to talk at each stop.

The best safety precaution with group rides of any size is good communication about the route, and what is expected of the riders.

"DUCK" WV

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"DUCK" WV

Group or "pack" riding is like all apects of motorcycling a risk based activity and as you alluded to in your blog one that requires your utmost attention. We as members of GWRRA ride in groups most of the time as it is generally nicer to go with a bunch of folks you know. GW offers some excellent safety programs around group riding and skills development. The most important of which is group numbers, one member recently expressed his displeasure in us getting away from one tenet and that is keep the group small, because small groups are easier to manuver in traffic and at the same time are more noticible. It is also important to develop road captains who know how to control and aid in makinga group ride enjoyable. We have an annual event around Mardi Gras here in Mobile where the Shriners have a bikers ball, the culmination of which is a ride to downtown Mobile the last time I rode in this it was so un organized and then the event persons would not groups form up together all of which resulted in chaos and a truly stressful ride, which goes back to your comments around knowing who you ride with. Good blog though.

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Freddy & Doris Wheeler
Motorist Awaness Division
Alabama District Coordinator
Gold Wing Road Riders Assn.

My views of group rides (and why I generally avoid them). 

Groups should be laid out in this fashion.  Your best riders are in the back of the pack, with the very best, most skilled rider in the very back, and the least experienced/known rider in the position right behind the leader.  The only exception of this rule is that of the lead position rider (the ride captain).  This person should be the most trusted rider (remember that the best is still in back, which usually makes the leader of the pack the second best).  The lead rider has to decide pace for the PACK not just himself.  Every time that he accelerates those behind him need to go even faster to keep their position in the pack.  The leader must NEVER make a turn without his group in tact.  The lead rider decides the setup and formation of the pack (single file and staggered).  The pack being laid out (Except for the leader) worst to best allows the leader to keep the pack together the easiest because he sees directly behind him the rider who will have the hardest time keeping a fast pace and will immediately telegraph the need for slowing the pace.  Those deeper back have greater ability and it is not as bad for them to have to keep up.  The better riders are also in the best position to observe the other riders and make on the spot correction.  You are trusting the leader to not lead the pack into trouble, and if trouble develops after the leader you have your most skilled riders in the back to "have to react properly”. 

Another side note.  Most all ride captains go to single file on the twisty roads, but also remember not to trap staggered on poorly kept roads.  Don't trap your pack in pothole hell, let them use the whole lane if necessary.

Good luck and ride safe,

Mike

 

Hi everyone. I have been on several group rides, as I am a member of a riding club, and the good rides are the ones where there is alot of communication going on between the riders, usually initiated by the group leader- lots of hand signals, to demonstrate need for single file, etc, and also pointing out road hazards to be avoiding. Of course the staggered formation is best... But I agree, smaller groups are safer... but it doesnt always work out that way.

As an MSF instructor, I do want to point out that there is a training module on Group Riding that is available, and anyone can teach it. Like I said in another thread- our point of being here is to get together and DO SOMETHING. So, if your organization would sponsor this program, and pay for it, perhaps you and some of your other members could go out into your local riding community (riding groups, etc) and put on this program, to help increase awareness. This would be great for chapter meetings...

Here is the link to the program, for only $30:

The MSF's Guide to Group Riding Kit includes one Leader's Guide, 10 student workbooks and a DVD. This kit covers information you need to know to put safety first whenever participating in a group ride event including how to prepare, communicate with the rest of the group while riding takes on a larger significance.  Thanks- Laura

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"The destination is only the excuse" - Daniel Meyer

https://store.msf-usa.org/Store/MoreDetails.aspx?pid=2397

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"The destination is only the excuse" - Daniel Meyer

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