"The whole idea is to be free as a bird and do your own thing, have fun."

This thread is about group riding, not riding solo, doing your own thing.

 

I'm OK with a group of 2 otherwise I go last.

 

I`ve ridden with groups that stay in line and take their turns. I`ve been with groups that do what ever they want, pass on the right, slam on the brakes, zig zag, spread out over multiple lanes.

The only solution is to find a group you`re compatible with. You won`t change the way people ride or their attitude or behavior. Especially by sending them an email.

And personally, I can`t ride behind someone. It puts me to sleep, I just find it boring. I like group riding but only when I`m leading. Well that`s not strictly true, I like group riding with small groups of 3 or 4 and I can follow along. Just don`t like being 10th in line.

 

This thread show why group riding is dangerous. Everyone has their own ideas of what to do. I generally ride solo but will ride with another rider on occasion.

The other day I was 2nd behind a buddy of mine. I was staggered in the right part of the lane. Another bike came up behind us. I put up my pointer and pinkie finger indicating we were riding in a staggered formation. Luckily the guy behind me knew what it meant and moved into the left part of the lane. We all stayed in formation for the next 8 miles or so of back roads before the guy behind us turned off. Funny enough he rode better than my buddy who was ahead of me that tends to wander in the lane a bit.

I really don't like group riding. It's not relaxing. I certainly wouldn't put up with those that would put others in potential danger.

Your safety is much more important than their feelings. As a matter of fact, if they can't understand the group rules, they're too selfish to ride with. The needs of the group are more important than the wants of an individual in the group.

 

In my club, I am Road Captain, if we have newer riders they go in the middle but usually towards the front, I guess I should say first that as a club we are pretty aggressive, we like the twistys and normally I am in front, gives me a chance to test everyones skill but I have to watch my mirrors.

A couple times, with really new riders we will place the newer rider with a mentor, that way we can talk about things or we can show them what we want them to do while riding with us, we have several incredibly talented riders in our small club so setting a newer rider up with a mentor is very easy.

I think its important that as a rider if you want to ride with a group, find a group that either rides like you want to or is willing to adjust to your skill level, of course if you get into a large ride, then you kinda become a group within a group, we have a large ride coming up in a couple weeks, several hundred bikes, there is no way we will be riding like we usually do so you simply ride in your position the length of the ride, once its done then its time to have fun.

I have had a few large rides with a few who just made things dangerous, in those cases I took issue with those riders directly, I will not have them put my club in a dangerous position, they can go ride somewhere else.

We are all trying to have fun, if someone wants to ride in a large group dangerously they can do it elsewhere, we ride staggered in large groups but that does not mean we wont ride side by side, its just a matter of ones skill and comfort level within our club those who have ridden with each other and trust each other, in a large group things can go pretty bad pretty quickly, so spacing in a large group is typically bigger then it would be if it were just our club.

For me large rides are more for support of the rides cause, whatever the reason, I enjoy Poker runs as we normally do them as a club, and riding with my club is a lot of fun, but like I said we ride pretty hard through the turns, I'm on my second set of floor boards, I try like heck to give those Dynas a run for their money!! Love my Heritage. Large rides can be boring but its for the cause.

 

Ride tail end charlie or if there's a guy that you trust riding next to, the two of you ride at the back. This is a disaster waiting to happen and the yahoos aren't going to follow the rules even if they're written down.

 

Then it's a good idea you don't ride in groups!! It is more dangerous to ride in a group then alone. I have seen too many people messing around in a group ride cause an issue.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions. The email isn't going to come from me but from the guy who leads the group. He didn't start the riding group but has evolved into Road Captain this year when the original one had health and family issues.
I'll pass on some of the 'cheat sheets' to him.
If things don't improve then I'll start riding in back, a distance from the group, with a couple of the others who have gotten nervous/fed up. If that doesn't work out then my boyfriend and I can meet at the starting location each week and then ride to the breakfast location by ourselves.

 

Is he not entitled to an opinion?

 

My guess would be the two riders that ride way in the back have the most experience or are at least the smartest of the group