A Primer on Group Riding
Safety Rules and Etiquette While Cruising With Your Pals
by: Bill Schwartz
ISRA#: 597

Introduction:

There are reams of paper on which has been written everything you ever wanted to know about safety and etiquette when taking part in a group ride with fellow motorcyclists. Some of what is penned here, therefore, will be familiar to many riders, but there are scores among us who have not experienced the excitement that accompanies riding with a group. It is for those who look to the more experienced riders for helpful tips that this is designed, but old-timers, perhaps, may be reminded of things that they have forgotten.

And, likewise, there are probably as many doctrines of proper group riding, as there are styles of bikes. Every group who rides together with any amount of regularity will develop its own set of rules and expectations. It is our intent here to keep this discussion and its tips as simple as is safely feasible, to allow a diversified ridership to easily conform to a comfortable pattern.

Overview:

An organized group ride rarely comprises riders with exactly the same abilities, experience and attitudes. A successful ride is one in which compromises have been made and met. To a degree, the ride must cater to those who are new, yet at the same time, be enjoyable to those who have gone tens of thousands of miles on two wheels. The middle ground can be difficult to find and just as hard to maintain. The group organizers and ride leaders need to understand the limitations and expectations of the members and strive to keep a balance.

With that said, most of the responsibilities in making the compromise work lie in the honesty and respect of the participants themselves. The rookie should be able to admit his bounds and the rider who has been around needs to be able to control his urges to "go to the edge." The cruising style is considered by most to be somewhat different from the racing style of sport bikes and the miles-devouring style of tourers. There is a place for these other types of riding, but not in a group ride for cruisers. For those riders who tire of what they may perceive as restrictions, it is far better for them to depart from the group than for them to jeopardize the rest of the riders. It is not uncommon for riders to drop out for those reasons and it should be most acceptable with no hard feelings from either the rider or the leader.

The Key Players:

It is important that certain individuals taking part in the ride are assigned particular roles, and that they fully understand their responsibilities. It is generally accepted that there is to be a ride leader, or "road captain," whose function is obvious by the title. He or she is an experienced rider who has knowledge of the route, preferably has ridden it beforehand, and will see that the group stops when and where planned. The road captain needs to be aware of unusual circumstances and road hazards and needs to be prepared to make unexpected stops in a safe manner. It is also advisable, but certainly not necessary, that the road captain has a map showing the route, should any last minute changes be presented. The person serving as road captain should do so for the duration of the ride.

Another important position is the last rider in the group, also known as the "sweep" or "tailgunner." This person should also keep that position throughout the ride. The sweep has some unique responsibilities to the group. This is the rider who makes sure everyone stays together. This is the rider who will stop if any of the other bikes drops out for an unexpected reason, whether it is mechanical or physical. If there is a rider who drops out, the sweep will stop first to see if it is a life-threatening situation. After assessing the problem, and if another rider has stopped as well, the sweep may assign the other rider to stay with the problem bike, and rejoin the group. A biker who has dropped out of the group for any kind of emergency should not be left behind. At the first opportunity, the road captain is made aware of the situation and will make the decision of what steps to take.

When possible, two-way radio communications between the road captain and the sweep can be an invaluable asset.

The Group:

The placement of the rest of the group should be mixed according to the abilities of the riders. It is frustrating to have a cohesive group starting out, only to find the pack splintered a half-mile down the highway because all the rookies were lumped in the middle. By spreading the experience around, the group is not only safer, but the new riders are able to learn by watching the more experienced rider next to them.

Every riding group has its own ideas about how many riders should be in one group. Without the luxury of being a sanctioned parade-style ride, complete with police escort, the size must be kept down to a number which is easily managed by the road captain and the sweep. Once the group reaches 20 to 24 bikes, many group leaders decide to split it into two groups. The ride can then be conducted by placing a secondary road captain in the middle to handle the second group if they become separated, with the last rider of the first group then becoming its sweep. Or, it may be ridden as two separate groups, which meet up at each stop along the route.

The Plan:

Group riding can span various amounts of both time and distance. How much of either a group can cover depends a great deal on whether the riders are familiar with the riding styles of the others or whether it is a newly formed collection of riders. The amount of difference in experience between the person with the least and the one with the most is a major qualifier in determining how far a ride can go in a given time frame. Also, the more bikes traveling in the group, the lower the speed-distance factor. It is generally agreed in most circles that taking a break of at least 15 minutes every 60 to 75 miles works well. Often, there is at least one rider who will need to make a "pit stop" at that interval; some have rather small capacity gas tanks and will need to refuel more often than others. But in most cases, where the ride is expected to last several hours to all day, the stops provide an opportunity for the riders to get off and stretch out, limber up, and fend off fatigue. Stops can be added or spaced farther apart as conditions warrant - there are no hard and fast rules. The important thing is to make them neither more nor less often as necessary. A good way to plan the stops is to work them around interesting sites or scenic vistas. Meals and, as mentioned above, fuel stops are other opportunities for taking longer breaks. The well-planned ride will have at least these last two types of breaks figured into the ride plan.

The Ride:

By far, the safest configuration for bikes traveling in a group is the "staggered twos." The road captain will place his bike in the left portion of his lane, thus being highly visible to oncoming traffic and able to see ahead well. Each subsequent bike is on alternating sides of the same lane of travel. Just as with good car driving techniques, the appropriate distance must be kept between the bikes in front and behind. The reason for the staggered formation is to allow as much of the lane as possible for evasive maneuvering, should the need arise. In areas where traffic comes to a stop, such as on town or city streets, the formation should be closed up, bringing each pair of bikes abreast with each other. In this manner, space will be conserved, and the group can perform as a unit better enabling it to stay together. Whenever the rider's position in the lineup changes, he should also adjust his lateral position in the lane according to the bike directly in front.

Whether the group is unusually large or has been split into smaller segments, there often arises a problem with getting everyone through intersections, especially if the rider is behind someone who has gotten too far ahead to know which way the group is heading.

A safe way to conduct a group through intersections is to use the "second rider out" indicator method. In this situation, rider #2 will pass through the intersection behind the leader, pull to the side of the roadway and stop, positioning his bike in the direction of travel of the leader. Each rider then passes through the intersection, as he is able. If the road captain has passed from view, the riders still know what direction to go by the position of the "second rider." When the second rider sees the sweep he will know all the riders are safely on course, and will pull back in the group just ahead of the last bike. For this reason, everyone should be able to recognize which rider and bike is the sweep.

Another popular, but not recommended, method is for the group to use what is referred to as "road guards" or "blockers." It is mentioned here because, invariably, riders in a group will encounter its use at some time. Road guards, in essence, are riders who close off the transecting roads at intersections, stopping oncoming vehicles, and thereby allowing the entire group to ride through. The problem with this method is that it is illegal in most jurisdictions, it places the guards in unsafe positions, and it means that at least some of the last riders may be illegally riding through the intersections. There are likely to be a few situations in rural areas where it may feasible to use this tactic. When used, the road guards sometimes take that role for the entire ride, moving alongside the pack to the front before reaching the next intersection to be closed. Alternatively, the second and third riders take the role of blockers as needed and then fall into place ahead of the sweep.

It is very important to remember that, although each rider is expected to be watchful of his fellow rider, each is ultimately responsible for his or her own personal welfare.

Lane changing on multiple-lane highways has several schools of thought. There are those who say that the best way for the group to make a change is for the leader to signal a change and everyone execute it at once, thus keeping the group intact. In some instances, such as when there is traffic that attempts to pull alongside the group before the change is made, the sweep will "close the door" by moving into the new lane at the same time as the leader. This, in effect, creates a pocket for the rest of the group to move into. Again, this is more easily accomplished through the use of CBs or two-way radios. Others profess the proper way is for each rider to approach the change as an individual, when it is safe to do so, and then regroup after making the pass or exit.

Signals:

Left Signal

Right Signal

Stop Signal

Roadkill Signal

Much has been written about the use of hand signals when taking part in a group ride. Some systems are very elaborate, requiring a study in all of the intricate finger, hand, and arm positions and their variations. For the most part only a few simple signals are necessary for the rider to concern himself with. Many are common sense signals most of us learned to use when we were kids on bicycles. The standard left and right turns can be used to accentuate the bike's signal lights, as can the signal to stop bring attention to the brake light. Usually, but not always, a rider will use these hand signals to reinforce the electric signals of the bike because of situations beyond what might normally be expected, such as a hidden turn or one that may be confused with another nearby turn. Perhaps there is something ahead that requires a stronger braking attitude, such as a slow-moving farm wagon or unexpected traffic light.

The signal to slow down is one that should be understood by all riders. It is simply a "patting" motion with the palm open and arm extended. Another universal signal that is very important to know and use on a group ride is the "pointing" indication that there is an obstacle or impairment in or on the road surface where the trailing bikes are likely to come into contact. Common examples of this situation are "road kill" which still has enough mass (or mess) to cause a problem if hit, loose gravel, sand, standing water, oil slicks, or other material on the roadway, potholes, or any other type of foreign object which must be avoided. The rider simply points in the direction of the problem area, and the following rider can adjust his tracking accordingly. By employing the staggered formation, there is less danger of impinging on another bike's space. Each rider has to keep in mind, however, that if he would put himself in danger by attempting to give a sudden signal, he is better off to maintain control of his bike and skip the signal. A variation of this signal is for the rider to point to the object with his foot, enabling him to keep his hands on the handlebars. This is less satisfactory since many riders simply stretch their legs to "shake out the cobwebs" in this manner.

A few other easy signals can be used if the group decides. One is a circular motion over the shoulder by the road captain, which tells the other riders he is ready to move out. This may also be used by the sweep when the group gathers at a stop in traffic or at an intersection to indicate to the leader that they are one unit. Taking that a step farther, if the occasion arises where the group is separated and the leader pulls off to wait for the rest, he can watch for that signal from the sweep as he approaches.

Some organizations have many more exotic signals for making the above-mentioned lane changes and for forming a single file line and many other maneuvers, but they are usually not necessary for smaller group riding events, as they tend to cause preoccupation with the signals and a distraction from all else.

The Slinky Effect:

There have been mathematical explanations for what is known as the "Slinky effect" or the "rubber band effect" in group riding. To summarize those studies, it is what happens within the group of riders when the road captain accelerates and slows. Because of the combination of reaction time and execution time by each subsequent rider, the group tends to stretch out as the change in speed passes back through the formation, each bike needing to speed up more than the one in front of it, to catch up. The reverse happens on braking. When in close succession, it can play havoc on the safety of the group.

The solution to minimizing the Slinky effect is for the leader to accelerate and slow down gradually, and for each rider to be patient in closing the gap rather than be hasty in his reaction.

The Conclusion:

The primary goal in participating in a group ride for most riders is the exhilaration and camaraderie that comes with it. Yes, it can be daunting at first, but after a few miles with fellow riders who are willing to help him learn the ropes, even the novice can be cruising with the "pack." He'll soon be leaning into the twisties on beautiful mountainside two-lanes with their 15-mph switchbacks, or high-tailing it across the interstate to beat the big storm coming up from behind. New riders need not be afraid to ask questions of the ones who have been around awhile. Neither do they need to take everything that they are told as the only way things can be done. The main thing is to saddle up and join the group.

The first view from the sweep's position, with a couple dozen bikes stretched out in front, is one that never completely fades from memory. The first time as road captain, with that many riders following your every move and virtually placing their destinies in your hands, is not soon forgotten. Many great memories will be in store on future rides as long as the rider remembers to ride safely and with the proper amount of etiquette to others, knows his limitations and when to stop, and respects the space and decisions of his riding companions.

Disclaimer:

Hopefully, this short discourse has given the rider who is new to group riding an idea of what may be expected. It is not intended to be the book of knowledge on motorcycle group riding. Additionally, there are other resources that go into more depth about managing extra-large groups, multi-day rides, motorcycle camping, what supplies to carry on extended trips, and other topics. All views expressed herein are the opinions of the author.

©2000 J. WILLIAM SCHWARTZ WITH CERTAIN EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS TRANSFERRED TO
THE INTERNATIONAL STAR RIDERS ASSOCIATION^TM
Contact the author by e-mail for permission to reprint or distribute.