Riding in tight formation at 75+ MPH.

[Easy Rider]

So don't ride in groups!
Just don't expect that everyone else should also avoid it.

Your logic took a left turn there and crashed.

I did NOT say that ALL riding in groups is bad.

Done wrong, it is bad. So is giving out bad information.

[Bob Denman]

VERY short sighted attitude. There IS something very wrong with it.

STUFF happens.......regardless of how skillful or experienced the riders are.

Not having a sufficient space cushion ALL around is just BAD driving in any vehicle.

On a motorcycle it is even more dangerous.

Sorry: I just don't see your distinction...
(Unless it's the part about not having enough space cushion? )
But that to me is a given... you always leave enough space between you and the people around you; or you'll become a statistic, and possibly an organ donor.

[Bob Denman]

Riding in "Close Quarters"?
These guys might have a thing or two to say about it.

[T.P.]

Riding in tight formation does help keep cars and trucks from jetting in and out of the group. Doesn't look like any of the contributors here ever have that issue
and no one has mentioned anything about that issue.

T.P.

[UtahPete]

Riding in "Close Quarters"?
These guys might have a thing or two to say about it.

Bob, where do you find this stuff? That's a great video.

[Peteoz]

Bob, where do you find this stuff? That's a great video.

That's actually Bob, bottom right, wearing the white helmet, Pete.

[UtahPete]

That's actually Bob, bottom right, wearing the white helmet, Pete.

Ah, didn't know they had selfies back in those days.

[ARtraveler]

Riding in tight formation does help keep cars and trucks from jetting in and out of the group. Doesn't look like any of the contributors here ever have that issue
and no one has mentioned anything about that issue.

T.P.

I have encountered that many times. We just let em in and regrouped when they got tired riding in the pack. Most of the time, we would slow down about 5 mph, and that would encourage them to part company. Never had a road rage incident over it.

[Peter Aawen]

Ah, didn't know they had selfies back in those days.

Not selfies, he hadta PAY someone to hang off a crane while they were doing the demo - and all the while that bloke was up there cranking away on the handle of the clockwork movie camera that was 'state of the art' way back then!! Poor bugga suffered from Oxygen starvation he was up there for so long!

[Bob Denman]

Bob, where do you find this stuff? That's a great video.

My crack Team of research assistants is the BESTEST!

minions.jpg

[Easy Rider]

Sorry: I just don't see your distinction...

And I don't understand what you are saying.
What "distinction" ?

[Dudley]

I didn't read every post, but I can see that there is no consensus to whether to ride or not to ride in a group. Do whatever you feel comfortable with. In the fifty years of riding I first rode in a group with the GWRRA. Our "Chapter" leader, on one of our rides stayed in the left lane of I-10 between Texas and Lafayette. LA, at 60 MPH! Another ride after doing coffee stop, pee stop hops from Houston to Lafayette I informed him that we were going to head straight home...we had an infant to take care of. His answer "What's the matter, you don't want to ride with us anymore?" Guess his question was his answer. That was the last ride. Move forward about 30 years and here comes the Spyder...we are now in California. Started riding with the SRA, SD Chapter. One day we are riding north on I-5, staggered formation, 3 lanes (75 MPH) riding in the center lane, when an SUV to the left of me gave me the feeling it needed to prepare for an exit sometime soon, so I let her in. She thanked me, worked her way to the exit lane, then exited. I pulled back into my "2-second" spot and continued. Low and behold at the place where we were having a group lunch, not by name, my letting the SUV in "our" lane was announced. The rest of the story...that was our LAST ride. I have survived 50 years of riding by riding safely and being courteous to others. I will not be dominated by anyone telling me I have to ride "His" way. So now my wife and I ride alone, and love it.

[Easy Rider]

I think a person has a responsibility to politely call other riders on their unsafe practices, especially if they are friends or club members.

In both of the situations you described, I think that others NEEDED to hear your side of the story.......then leave afterwards if necessary.
You might have been surprised at how many others would have supported you and made their future rides safer.

Trying to assert "ownership" of a lane is just foolish regardless of what vehicle you are in.
On a motorcycle it approaches suicide because you will never win a fight with a car.

[Bob Denman]

Calling you out like that was a classless act...

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

GWRRA team riding guidelines state that 5 is the optimal group size with 7 being the max. One of the reasons is just what was mentioned above. You need to allow for other traffic to move in and out of your lane without breaking into your group. The one and two second spacing needs to be increased whenever weather or road conditions dictate. The one time you often need to lengthen the spacing is passing semis. The three places on the road you do not want to be are, behind a semi, alongside a semi, and in front of a semi. You need to assess the traffic situation so all of the group can pass the semi as quickly as possible.

with Dudley. Courtesy is paramount for safe riding. The one time I let courtesy be secondary is when I'm pacing behind and to the left of a semi waiting for the lane to clear ahead of me so I can get past him as fast as I can. Sometimes that means not letting cars go by me while they see the open distance ahead of me getting longer and longer until it's clear for me to go by the semi.

[austin160]

I have yet to ride in a group with the Spyder, or any trike ever. In my Harley days, riding with a VFW group, we always rode in staggered formation around Huntsville. I actually felt a little safer doing it on the interstate, because it is easier to see a group of bikes than just one. If we had new members or new riders we would put them in the back, next to last so they could drop back if they felt uncomfortable.

Group riding isn't dangerous, if you use some common sense. Which with most of the groups I rode with used, except for the few times we had crotch rockets with us. They didn't seem to understand the formation and wanted to ride all over. I always left those groups.

[jaherbst]

As Clint Eastwood said, "Mans gotta know his own limitations". If you don't know yours yet don't ride in a group or play with sharp objects!

​Jack

[AeroPilot]

We used to ride in group rides on two wheels and still occasionally do on the Spyders. Was never a big fan of "pick-up" charity rides where you have little familiarity with your riding group. Last Tuesday was priveleged to ride with the Women on Wheels group of about 17 mixed bikes from 2wheelers, trikes, and Spyders, and due to light traffic enjoyed all 170 miles of the loop. We left together, rode together, stopped together and for the most part stayed in staggered formation except for 40 miles of twisties single file near Bishops Castle in the mountains. When we stopped for lunch, I told the group they were "on their own" the last 65 miles to return on the interstate, as I felt that was the safest way to get back to the hotel on July 4th. Great group of riders from Massachusetts, (about 10) chose to ride back in formation but the rest split up and enjoyed our own pace on the interstate. We arrived safely and a good time was had by all to my knowledge.

p. s. It is against the law for any driver to ride in the left lane on a multilane highway in Colorado unless you are actively passing another vehicle!

[Bob Denman]

As Clint Eastwood said, "Mans gotta know his own limitations". If you don't know yours yet don't ride in a group or play with sharp objects!

​Jack

[AeroPilot]

As others have said, it often comes down to the weakest link. Always have an out

[Ramg66]

http://www.ktvb.com/mb/traffic/crash...unty/458984265

[Bob Denman]

http://www.ktvb.com/mb/traffic/crash...unty/458984265

Such a shame...
And it was completely preventable.

[Machinegunner]

In the late 90's we road with our Governor from Madison to Springfield, ILL. Then back up to Champaign for the night. Next day on to Indy, Then to Columbus, and eventually to DC. There were 300 bikes and we were told to stay in the left lane at all times and to keep a 2 FOOT distance from the bike in front. We drove 80mph all day long. The experienced riders were scared to death. The new riders (and there were quite a few) thought it was a big thrill to be riding in such a large group. We only had a couple very minor problems. I still can't believe we did it. I still don't want to ride in big groups since.

[Bob Denman]

I'd call that ride: "Dodging a bullet"!

[wyliec]

I still do it the old way. One bike/car distance for every 10 mph.