Biker Etiquette or just plain courtesy.

[connie9003]

In every group of riders you will have different types of riders. Some "stronger" than others we will call it. When you make a verbal commitment to meet riders " at the other end of the road" or what ever term you want to use. YOU SHOULD HAVE THE COMMON COURTESY TO BE THERE! If you decide you want to be more agresive then the people you are riding with simply let them know you will be breaking off. Dont just leave them in the dust. Imagine how i felt when i got to the meeting point and no one was there? I could have been bead in a ditch or lost who knows. I am a big girl and i can take care of myself but i will tell you this I will never intensionaly leave a rider behind! The people who have this much disrespect are the same people who leave stranded bikers on the side of the road as they drive by, because then ten extra minutes of their time is to important to them. I only have one word for this person KARMA.

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree: Group rides means that everybody is always checking on everybody else. Nobody leaves without letting folks know what their intentions are...
And nobody is EVER left behind...

 

[North Idaho Rider]

Both!
Biker Etiquette and just plain courtesy. I work a Search and Rescue gorup in our area and I never send out anyone alone. We brief everyone before our rides. A Meeting point and time are just that MEETING POINTs. If your not there were looking for why and if you need help. Same goes for riding. Break downs, hurt, lost, how are you to know. Worth telling anyone you ride with to please let the other rides know if there breaking off from the group so your not wasting your time looking for them. Happens all the time with snowmobilers. We tell them to play by our rules or play by themselfs.

 

[EnjoyingTheRyde]

Same with sledding...

I treat group rydes the same way I treat group snowmobiling. If we are "on" trail, we wait at the next intersection for everybody to gather. You can rip it up if you want but be at the next intersection when we pull up. If we are off trail, we keep a tight group so as nobody is digging out alone...

 

[Illinois Boy]

Is there more to this story? Seems like there is... or should be. Were you so slow to hold-up the group (not that this is a reason to abandon you)?

I agree that a group that rides together, sticks together.

However, there is also a responsibility of each rider to know when they are a detriment to the group -- whether it be a safety issue, or simply that you are "dragging" the group's ride, thus hindering their enjoyment. No one wants to babysit. No offense, but it is true. Their time for enjoyment is just as valuable as yours.

A person causing the above mentioned, needs to tell the group to go on and split-off. Just my opinion, which I am sure is shared with many others who have ridden most of their lives.

Having said this; I am not a big fan of group-rides. Done that, saw that.

When first riding, it seemed to be an exciting thing to do. However after years of riding... it no longer holds the appeal it once did.

It is important to only participate in group-rides that meet ones skill-level and preferences on rides (i.e., tourist rides with frequent stops; or rides that ride hard all day without stopping).

A mix of these two types of riders in a group-ride tends to be a less than enjoyable experience for all involved.

Again, group riders should ride with those of equal skill levels and similar riding "likes"...

Otherwise do everyone else, and yourself a favor by respectfully bowing-out...

 

[Bob Denman]

I agree that a rider that can't keep up is an issue; but you've still got to decide what to do about the situation together, before just cutting somebody loose with no discussion... :shocked:

 

[Jeriatric]

I agree that a rider that can't keep up is an issue; but you've still got to decide what to do about the situation together, before just cutting somebody loose with no discussion... :shocked:

:agree: Strongly!

 

[Marker]

In our group rides ,riders that cannot keep up are put second in line behind the leader. The leader paces himself accordingly. No one ever gets left behind ! Its the same for when we are snowmobiling. No person yet in our group rides has been painfully slow. There is a speed limit to obey :thumbup:

If I got left behind in a group ride , I would find another group to ride with .. JMHO

 

[EnjoyingTheRyde]

Painfully slow

In our group rides ,riders that cannot keep up are put second in line behind the leader. The leader paces himself accordingly. No one ever gets left behind ! Its the same for when we are snowmobiling. No person yet in our group rides has been painfully slow. There is a speed limit to obey :thumbup:

If I got left behind in a group ride , I would find another group to ride with .. JMHO

We do have a snowmobiler in our group that is quite slow, but still, we wait at all intersections...

 

[bruiser]

I usually ride tailgunner in our RC. We have a standing rule, if someone pulls off, the rider behind pulls off with them. The whole group will then slow down for the others to catch up or pull off at the next suitable area to wait. Also, the person pulling off can either give a thumbs up or wave off. Had this happen a few weeks ago. One of our members needed to pull off and gave me the thumbs up to let me know he was ok and for me to continue with the group. He joined us at our next stop. Good communication is a must in group riding. Respect for all abilities is a given.

 

[Wormie]

I ride in groups often and when we have CB or intercome we put one up front and one on the rear. If we have a larger group we try to place them at different points in the group. That way you have someone at locations through out the group that know what route you or taking and can advise if someone made a wrong turn. I gree if you are going to break off some where someone should know. We were riding a group of about 25 came to intersection knowing that part of the group would go left toward there home and the other go srtaight. We had a new rider with us that wanted to bring up the rear explained why we wanted a CB on the rear and he rode in front of me. As we made that left turn he went off the road and down the bank. As I saw what was happening all I said was we have a rider down. I got off my bike and to the edge of the bank and watched as he stoped without hitting any thing or droping the bike. I made my to him to be sure he was fine no injury just a little shook up. As he and I looked up the bank every bike that had went in both direction was at the top of the hill, he said sure am glad you were able to let everyone know. We got enough people down the hill to push the bike back to the top checked every thing and saw it was fine to ride continued th 45 mile ride. We all need to keep an eye on each other and use what communication we have to our advantage.

Larry

 

[North Idaho Rider]

There may be more to the story but from a quick look at the riding Map it sure looks like experience is not the issue having traveled to 14 states. Doesn't matter whether it is or not. Have the COURTESY to let them know your moving on or not going to make the agreed meeting and time.

 

[Illinois Boy]

Again... I agree. A group that rides together, sticks together. I stated that in my post.

However... courtesy from all participants is a "good-thing" also.

If someone is going to consistently hold-up a group wanting to ride faster; or if someone wants to ride faster than the group, they should bring the subject up sooner than later in the ride. Don't be the outcast in a group-ride causing the group's majority to do something it does not want to do.

There is "courtesy" needed from both sides.

However, abandoning someone is never cool... no matter what -- period.

 

[Chupaca]

Wow..!!

:wrong: we always have one who rydes sweep. we also have ryders who are willing to stay back and ryde with those falling behind. In the end no one goes unaccounted for. If one will or cannot make it they call the leader to let them know or wave off. Group rydes although not races are in a sense time trials. Most have a destination and perhaps a reservation so there is a pace but many new ryders need to find that pace. That is no reason to run off and leave them. If this is upsetting do like the gentleman above and ryde alone or with a speedier seasoned group..wonder where they all got there start..?? :dontknow:

 

[Daisyjoe]

In every group of riders you will have different types of riders. Some "stronger" than others we will call it. When you make a verbal commitment to meet riders " at the other end of the road" or what ever term you want to use. YOU SHOULD HAVE THE COMMON COURTESY TO BE THERE! If you decide you want to be more agresive then the people you are riding with simply let them know you will be breaking off. Dont just leave them in the dust. Imagine how i felt when i got to the meeting point and no one was there? I could have been bead in a ditch or lost who knows. I am a big girl and i can take care of myself but i will tell you this I will never intensionaly leave a rider behind! The people who have this much disrespect are the same people who leave stranded bikers on the side of the road as they drive by, because then ten extra minutes of their time is to important to them. I only have one word for this person KARMA.

WELL SAID:agree::agree:

 

[connie9003]

communications

you are right there is more to the story. A discusion of the meeting point was made. A riding order of bikes were determind. If the individual didnt like the plan set fourth all they would have had to do was say so. I would have been more than happy to change my route had i known i was going to be left behind, after all i didnt pick the route! Im not going go give more detail because i dont feel its right to publicly trash someone regardless of the cercumstances. But my point to this thread is this. If you start out in a group treat that group and all the members in it with respect. If you find that you are not a good fit for that group for what ever reason, pull off let the people in the group know that you would rather ride on ahead. I have been riding for 8 yrs, in that time i have never encountered this or felt the need to "leave" someone behind. I am an average rider not a slow rider.I have no need to exceed the speed limits. On that note it will never hurt my feelings if a fellow rider says " i'm gonna take off i'll meet you there ". Atleast i'll know not to expect to see them when I come around the corner.

 

[Bob Ledford]

Ancient history

Back in the 90's a group of three of us had vacation time and wanted to do the Blue Ridge Parkway together. So we took off and stayed pretty tight until we reached the Parkway. Then one bike started dropping back on us. We compensated for his slow ride style by putting him in the middle. That worked for a couple days. Then they started playing drag butt on getting ready to depart. We compensated again. Finally on one afternoon they dropped way back and we took off on them. Left them 30 minutes behind because we stopped for a break at a fast food place and as we were suiting up to go back and look for them they showed up. None of us said a word about what were they doing or anything. But they were always right there for the rest of our time on the road. In fact we made several over nighters after that and they never fell back after that!

After that we always put a long range VHF ham rig in the front and rear and kept it real tight until we all went our separate ways.