Metro Chapter #1362 Group Riding Policies

Metro Chapter #1362 Harley Owners Group

Group Riding Policies

All Chapter group rides will have one primary objective: To arrive safely at their destination. The principles set forth should help achieve this objective and provide a fun ride for all.

1. Arrive at the designated starting point of the ride appropriately dressed, sufficiently funded and with a full tank of gas, at lease 30 minutes prior to departure time.

2. If not previously designated, a Ride Leader and a Road Captain will be appointed from the ride participants and introduced prior to departure. They will review the route and destination of the ride with the other ride participants. If Chapter-elected Road Captains are present in the ride participants, they will by default assume the Ride Leader and Road Captain responsibilities with the Road Captain position being the first position filled. The Ride Leader will lead the ride from the front inside position (nearest the road centerline), while the Road Captain will bring up the rear.

3. The participants shall ride in a staggered formation. Sufficient spacing can most easily be determined when one can see the face of the rider in the next position forward in that rider’s mirror. Another method of spacing is to be one second behind the rider filling the staggered position in front of you (one position) of two seconds behind the rider directly in front of you (two positions). The most stable positions in a group ride are from the middle of the group forward. New riders should ride wherever they feel most comfortable. If anyone has questions about where they should ride of questions about the ride in general, ask the Road Captain(s). In certain siruation, it is safer for the group to ride in single file. The single file formation is best used when more room to maneuver might be needed such as on narrow and/or curvy roadways, or in any other situation where more space cushion is needed. By riding single file, each rider in the group can more freely use the entire land and choose their own line through a turn. As with riding formations, keeping an adequate space cushion between riders and adjusting it to suit changing needs is important.

4. The Ride Leader shall pace the ride and participants should not move forward or backwards within the group during the ride. Riders should maintain their positions within the group.

5. To change lanes, (on a freeway or interstate) the Ride Leader will first signal with hand and/or turn signal. The rest of the ride participants will subsequently signal with their hand and/or turn signal. The Ride Leader and all other participants will stay in the current lane until the Road Captain at the rear moves into the new lane. Once the Road Captain has made the lane change, the Ride Leader followed by the rest of the ride participants should move into the new lane. The same pattern will be followed for returning to the original lane of traffic, all riders will stay in the passing lane until the Road Captain has cleared the vehicle being passed and has signaled with their hand and/or signal and returned to the original lane. On a two-lane highway, when passing slower traffic such as construction of farm vehicles, the group should pass one at a time.

6. If the group becomes separated for some reason, the Road Captain at the back of the group shall move forward to lead the separated riders. Please provide room for the Road Captain to assume this position. During this period of separation, the rider bringing up the rear will temporarily assume the Road Captain responsibilities.

7. If a rider experiences a problem and must leave the group, the Road Captain will accompany them. The rider left at the rear, after the Road Captain breaks off will, at the first available opportunity, notifies the Ride Leader. In order to do so, it may be necessary for the rider to move out and around the entire group and the Ride Leader, moving into the outside position (nearest the road outside edge) and then slowing down to take up the number 2 spot to the right and staggered behind the Ride Leader. Please provide room (the outside riders should slow down and move back one position) should this maneuver be necessary. Once again, the rider left bringing up the rear will temporarily assume the Road Captain responsibilities. However unnatural, do not pull off with a fellow in distress, the rest of the group will continue until the Ride Leader can safely stop at a location where the group can wait for the Road Captain to rejoin and inform everyone the nature of the problem.

8 It is the responsibility of each rider to pay close attention, observe traffic laws. And to be courteous to fellow riders and all vehicles sharing the road. Automobiles from time to time will merge into and break our group. Do not resist this. No motorcycle has ever won that battle. Most autos will not be comfortable remaining amidst a group of motorcycles and will move out momentarily. It may not always be possible or wise to try and ride in a group formation while riding in cities, towns or in highly congested areas. During traversing of these areas breaking up into smaller groups of 2 to 4 bikes may be the only alternative. The group can reorganize upon exiting these areas. Do not force the issues of lane changes and the crossing of intersections! Always let safety, courtesy and patience be our principle virtues.

Ride Safe - Have Fun

Question: If you immediately pull out onto the street and accelerate up to 55 mph, how much time will pass before the last bike, who’s nineteen bikes behind you, starts to move? Well, if there aren’t any other vehicles on the road and the riders manage to follow you exactly 2 seconds apart, the last bike will be sitting in the same spot for 38 seconds. At 55 mph, you’ll be 3,078 feet down the road before the last bike even eases out the clutch. What’s more, if you maintain 55 mph, each following rider will have to go faster than 55 to catch up with you. If the last bike throttles up to 110 mph, he can catch up to the group in maybe 30 seconds. If the last bike is willing to risk only 80 mph, it will take him about a minute and a half to catch up assuming you hold 55 mph. So you shouldn’t be surprised if the last rider is approaching meltdown long before the lunch stop.

Think of a group of motorcycles like a train, with the cars hitched together by 10-foot bungee cords. That’s why a sharp ride captain pulls out slowly and creeps along at 30 mph or so until the last bike gets rolling. Once the entire group is rolling, you can pick up the pace to cruising speed. To avoid holding up other motorists, its wise to maintain at least the speed limit or the average speed of traffic if the road is busy. You don’t want to encourage other motorists to attempt passing the group two or three bikes at a time.

When approaching a slower speed zone, a clever captain decelerates the group well before the speed sign, so that as the first bikes arrive in the slower zone, the last bike has also slowed and isn’t having to stand his bike on the front wheel to avoid jamming it into someone’s muffler.

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May 6, 2002