Topic: Safety in Numbers? Group rides.

[bluezboy]

  Another drunk driver killed 5 riders out west on Saturday.  I think this the second or third group accident this year. The road was out in the desert with not too much traffic. I know there's not much you can do when a car  is suddenly is headed right at you, but pray you have enough room to get out of the way. I haven't done a group ride yet and if I ever do, I'm going to hang toward the back and leave a big escape route around me I guess. What have your group riding experiences  been?

[malcolmgb]

A slightly different story.

Just over a week ago I went on my first group run ever, with the VMCC, there were 30 bikes and the ages of the bikes and so performance varied greatly. Because of this and the UK traffic the riders get separated easily, therefore they use the drop off system.

It may be well known to many on here but it was a first for me and great fun.

[Kong]

Well, I've been on hundreds of group rides, from small ones of a dozen or so to what amounted to just about parades with a hundred or more bikes.  For the most part I don't care for them, but as far as safety goes its much safer to be riding with a group, the larger the better, than it is to be out there alone.  When you're in a group at least the idiots can't say they didn't see you, which is the usualy excuse when they run over a lone rider.  There is the intimidation factor too I suppose, but then on the opposite side of that you know there has to be some maniac out there that just flies into a rage every time he sees a couple of bikes running together.  Maybe he suspects one of the riders took his girl, who knows, maybe one did.

The reason I don't care for the rides is that first off they always go too slow and second because they always splinter into subsets that are constantly either looking for or waiting for each other.  Whenever you get more than about a dozen bikes riding together you end up at the mercy of the slowest rider.

[tortelvis]

I hate group rides. It's dangerous enough out there without having at least one avenue of escape cut off by another bike right beside you. I don't ride a bike to be social; I ride because I love to ride, when and where I want at my own pace. I don't need somebody running into the back of my bike when I brake coz they are not paying attention.

[switchum]

 When I ride with my buddies and I happened to be the leader and separated, I wait for them to catch up at gas stations, where usually have enough space to park, needless to say, there is restroom and some refreshment, also gas stations are hard to miss. Some of my buddies don't wait for me. But that is okay. I would enjoy riding just as much regardless.

I think the drop off system is pretty neat and I did not know about it. I probably employ the system if I am riding with many many guys.  But I never liked riding with big group, though...

 Thanks for the tip anyway, malcolmgb.

  I am sorry for those who lost their lives by the drunk driver, but number of riders doesn't mean much in this case, I think....
 

[333]

I haven't done one in a while, but The Honda Ride For Kids can approach 1000 bikes.  But when you are in an organized ride, the cops are at every intersection stopping the cagers.  And then the cops line the sides of the road to keep the pedestrians out of the way on the mother of all rides, Rolling Thunder here in D.C.  The issue in both these cases are other riders who don't pay proper attention.  The riders start to "inchworm" where the line takes off, so you try to catch up.  When they slam on the brakes, you'd better be watching, or you will slam into them.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I've been on a few group rides. One situation I see is the whole group tends to "own" the space they are in. It is VERY difficult for the other traffic to deal with this sometimes. They can't get in or around and things can backup creating some very frustrated cage drivers and potential dangerous situations. One of the riders went down when a frustrated female attempted to cut in and pass from the "slow" lane. She barely clipped him. These groups need to get the hell out of the way.

Then you have the rear riders trying to keep up, too fast then too slow then running red lights etc. You really want to enjoy the ride but you can't because all your attention has to be on the bike in front of you.

[Brown Bomber]

     I heard someone say a long time ago, they wouldn't ride in a group larger than four, and I've found that every time I've ridden in a group of more than four it always turned out to be more work than it is fun. Just too many different riding styles, the slowest are too slow for the group or the fastest are too fast, so four is rule with me now.

     Had a nice ride Saturday with three other friends, and it turned out great. The fast guy lead the way, with second fastest to follow, and me in third, while the least seasoned rider stayed at a pace he was comfortable with, but not too slow. No waiting for anybody, but not too close to each other.
     I one section of interstate on our way to the back roads, we were in a well spaced group, yet some idiot cager felt it was necessary to force her way in between us, like so many other times I found "Safety in Numbers" doesn't work on brain dead idiots.

     As for large rides like a charity event, I rode in one with approx. 200 bikes, and that was enough. Too slow, and too many bikes bunched up, it sucked. I was stuck behind some clown that wobbled all over the place, and put his foot down in turns, he wasn't alone, there several posers doing the same stupid crap because they couldn't ride. The longest 100 miles I've ever ridden.

     A few years back, there was a charity ride (I was not in) and a teenager in a car crossed the center line, and mowed down several bikes, killing three riders. I don't believe "Safety in Numbers" works with motorcycles.

[bluezboy]

 Well you all have convinced me that I should stick to riding as a lone wolf, like one of you said, I ride for me, not to be social. I don't need the headache of worrying about keeping up with the fast riders or avoiding running up my pipes. I'm open to riding with 4 or 5 of you Atlanta riders any day though.

[Trav-i]

I agree numbers don't always help. Then again I don't mind a group ride or even a nice solo ride from time to time.  Fabricator and I have set up a couple rides this year in the great NEGA mountians, and no real problems at all.  Our turn out was usually around 5 or 6 folks, both guys and gals, and all differing levels of skill, also most of them are forum members here too.  We had a group of three of us ride to Barber this year, and as the weekend went the group got bigger (to around 6 or so) and we still had no problems.

So I guess it kinda depends on the people invloved with the group.  And we plan to organize more rides in the mountians next year, for all the Atlanta, southeast riders.

I'm also thinking that we need to do some sort of ATL area Christmas meetup somewhwere.  There's still lots of folks I haven't met yet.

[BeSeeingYou]

I would agree with Brown Bomber.  I have ridden on trips with 1-4 and that's plenty.  At least I know these folks.  I have no interest in riding in a large group where I don't have a clue as to the skill level of the riders.  I want some space around me not hemmed in by other riders.

[fmctm1sw]

We've done a few group rides, 6 at most during one ride.  Any more than that and it's too hard to stay together.  We ride in a staggered formation with 2 seconds between you and the bike in front of you.  I've been in front (on a 40 yr old 350F!) and in the rear acting as a sweeper.  We always go over the group order and hand signals before the rides.  Least experienced riders go in the middle.  I'm certainly no expert but I have brought a bunch of testosterone fueled 19 and early 20 something y/o's back unharmed each time.  We all have MSF safety courses too.  It's been a good time each time...  I have a picture of us on the last one in the "picture of you on a ride" or whatever it is thread...

[techy5025]

I've been on several group rides. When you get a lot of riders, it becomes a parade and not a ride. Everyone feels like they have to bunch up and that makes for uncomfortable riding....at least for me.

I do enjoy rides with one or two other people who have similar riding styles. One of my best rides was from Orlando to Barber with one other rider and to Key West with two. Very similar riding styles and no one wanted to ride dangerously over the speed limit.

I just rode the "Dragon" and in that case alone is perfect. Matching riding styles there would be a challenge! 

Jim

[Grnrngr]

Numbers didn't make it any safer for these guys...


http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/11/15/california.motorcyle.crash/index.html?hpt=T2

[dave500]

i just fang around by myself mostly,where i ride and live theres always bikes around to pace with or what ever your into,i wave guys by who are obviously on late fast sports bikes and im holding them up, my neighbour has a new vstrom 650,he had a gsx 750 for 15 years before that,we sometimes go for a ride together,sometimes with a couple of his mates,one has a couple of gold wings,the other has a trumpy t100,so its a mix of bikes from the newest to the oldest and the biggest,they mostly are double with there wifes,mine wont ride,im cool with that,maybe in bigger groups some riders are not paying as much attention to actually what they are doing but as to how they think the group perceives them and their pecking order within that group,and if there is a vast difference in skill level and experience thats when problems happen,as metioned the slower riders trying to catch up to maybe faster types of bikes with more talented riders on them and thereby staking their claim,getting hit by a car on the wrong side of the road is hard to deal with,a bunched up group is bound to have more trouble evading a head on.saftey in numbers?in the parking lot only.

[bluezboy]

I agree numbers don't always help. Then again I don't mind a group ride or even a nice solo ride from time to time.  Fabricator and I have set up a couple rides this year in the great NEGA mountians, and no real problems at all.  Our turn out was usually around 5 or 6 folks, both guys and gals, and all differing levels of skill, also most of them are forum members here too.  We had a group of three of us ride to Barber this year, and as the weekend went the group got bigger (to around 6 or so) and we still had no problems.

So I guess it kinda depends on the people invloved with the group.  And we plan to organize more rides in the mountians next year, for all the Atlanta, southeast riders.

I'm also thinking that we need to do some sort of ATL area Christmas meetup somewhwere.  There's still lots of folks I haven't met yet.

 Please make sure you include me in your next ride, it would be nice to meet some local riders!

[Grnrngr]

I mostly ride alone also, sometimes with a friend, but I have been on a few group rides with a larger crowd of locals and enjoyed it a lot. There's guys on fast bikes that usually leave the rest behind, but there are stopping places along the way where most of the rest catch up, then we all meet up again at the destination spot. Generally speaking we seem to get spread out quite a bit, so it's more like riding in a group of maybe 3-5 rather than the 20-30 (or more) who may have met up at the beginning. Matter of fact, the first couple I went on had several destination stops along the way, since it was in the early part of the year..gave folks a chance to get warmed up a bit or dry out, since it was cold and sorta rainy. Friendly folks too..if someone pulled out due to problems, some one or two others would pull out for assistance, but like I said, we strung out quite a bit, so no one was elbow to elbow, and everyone went more or less at their own pace. I could have gone a bit faster last time, but I sorta got into bein the very last in the pack and we all got back, no one got hurt or left behind, and it was more of a sight seeing trip so no pressure to "keep up". The route on that trip wasn't maybe as "well defined" as it could have been, so some of us took alternate routes, and there were a couple people in cages that seemed to want to play games, but eventually they got where they were going and pulled off. All in all, it was a very enjoyable way to spend the day. I'm down for it again, anytime, in fact...eagerly waiting for the next one, Paulages....just hope I can get the day off since I'm working Saturdays now...

[Trav-i]

I agree numbers don't always help. Then again I don't mind a group ride or even a nice solo ride from time to time.  Fabricator and I have set up a couple rides this year in the great NEGA mountians, and no real problems at all.  Our turn out was usually around 5 or 6 folks, both guys and gals, and all differing levels of skill, also most of them are forum members here too.  We had a group of three of us ride to Barber this year, and as the weekend went the group got bigger (to around 6 or so) and we still had no problems.

So I guess it kinda depends on the people invloved with the group.  And we plan to organize more rides in the mountians next year, for all the Atlanta, southeast riders.

I'm also thinking that we need to do some sort of ATL area Christmas meetup somewhwere.  There's still lots of folks I haven't met yet.

 Please make sure you include me in your next ride, it would be nice to meet some local riders!

No worries I won't forget.  We usually post the rides in the event section, with as much lead time as possible.  Usually we give a couple weeks lead, and post what the route will be.

[Really?]

I have riddin in some larger groups down to just two.  The most enjoyable ride was with two bikes.

The larger groups get boring, slow, the driving staggerd part gets old quick and bla bla.

Looks like they found the driver of that one in El Centro but are not holding him responsible for the wreck.

[74cb750]

Went to a charity ride in New Hampshire last year. I had the oldest Japanese ride.
Over a thousand bikes for a good cause but the idiots with the straight pipes made
it difficult to enjoy.
Don't think I'll do it again for all of the above mentioned reasons.