Road Rulz!
Safety Info and Group Riding Tips




General Info

There are probably as many opinions about safety related issues as there are riders. I'll attempt to shed a bit of light about universal items and group riding techniques we use when riding together. Group riding isn't as dangerous as it may sound, and if done properly, can be a very safe activity. The most important things are good communications skills (so everyone knows what to do), an understanding of hand signals, and some basic riding practices. There's nothing like rumbling down the road in a pack of motorcycles. Once you've riden with a large group, it's hard to ride alone again!

Oh, please bear with me a bit...there's a lot of content to read here, but not many pictures yet...But I'm working on that part!

Hand Signals

There are a few basic hand signals used when riding in a group. The most common ones are [Right Turn], [Left Turn], and [Slow Down]. In addition, [Road Hazard], [Car Passing from Behind], [Single File Riding Only], [Two abreast or Staggered Riding OK], and [Single File] are fairly common. Lastly, [Close the Door], [Change Lanes from the Rear], and [Block the Lane] are very helpful to the Road Captain (in the front of the group) and the Drag Bike (in the rear of the group).

  • Stop or Slow Down - Left hand extended downward and palm facing backward.

  • Right Turn - Left arm upright and hand extended.

  • Left Turn - Left arm extended straight out and hand extended.

  • A Turnaround Signal - Left arm upright and hand drawing a large circle overhead. This is used for group riding as well as signaling to an approaching rider to turn around and join the group.

  • Single File Riding - Arm extended over head with index finger pointed up (like the number 1) means single file riding, used for narrow, winding roads, road obstructions and hazards.

  • Staggered or Riding 'Tight' is OK - Hand straight up with two fingers extended (like the number 2). Staggered or 'tight' (riding side by side) riding is used on open roads and where there is plenty of room to drift in the lane safely.

  • Tighten Up Formation - Left arm moved in an up and down Motion (pumping) with fist closed. This action means tighten up or close riding formation, catch up and stay close. The Road Captain will use this signal to help keep cars from merging into the group, and to keep people from straggling too far behind.

  • Loosen Up Formation - An arm extended high over the Road Captain’s head while he shakes his hand with a limp wrist.

  • Road Hazard - Pointing downward is to warn fellow riders of pot holes and debris in the road (roadkill, etc).

  • Need Gas - Pointing to your gas tank means you have switched to your reserve. Blow horn to alert other riders of your need, and always pass this signal FORWARDS through the group to the Road Captain in the front of the group.

  • Your Signal is ON! - Hold your left hand above your head, extend all four fingers, then close them against your thumb over and over (like making a barking dog shadow figure in front of a light bulb) means 'switch off your turn signal stupid, you're confusing the hell out of everyone.' heheheheheehhe...Really, we all do it at one time or another, this is just a way of helping remind each other of it!

  • Car Passing from Behind - Ball your left hand into a fist, and 'rap' repeatedly against the side of your helmet. (Cars are 'hard-headed', so let them pass if they must!)

  • Policeman in the Area! - Open your left hand and pat the top of your helmet with your palm.

Good Communications

Good communications are essential for efficient and safe group riding. It's very important to have a group ride meeting before each ride, to familiarize new riders with hand signals and so everyone knows what the Road Captain expects of all riders. This becomes second nature with riders in short order, and isn't difficult to follow with a little experience in group riding.

An important part of communications when riding in a group is to pass signals back through the pack. Watch the group ahead of you, or the Road Captain (the Pack Leader) if they are in view, for possible signals. When the Road Captain gives a signal, don't assume that everyone else sees it...echo the signal to the riders behind you. Always pass signals from the front of the group to the Drag Bike in the rear of the group.

NEVER perform maneuvers in a group unless instructed by the Road Captain. I often see this, when someone in the pack decides to change lanes to help the group prepare for passing, but the Road Captain didn't have this in their plans. Suddenly, the Road Captain looks up and finds everyone else in the other lane...bad move. ALWAYS wait for the Road Captain to make the decision and give the signal _first_. They are supposed to make the decision, give a signal, and everyone else follow through with the maneuver.

Group Riding Techniques

'Closing the door', 'Taking the lane', and 'Changing from the rear' are neat techniques that really improve the flow of a large group on the road, and help keep cages (cars) out of our midst.

  • Closing the Door ...This is another of those "cage blocking" moves, designed to keep other types of traffic out of the group. It is most effective on 3 lane hiways, which seem to be very commonplace around NC. Hiway US1 is a good example. Many of you are familiar with 3-lane roads, where one side will have 2 lanes for a while, then the other side will have 2 lanes. While it might be an effective use of real estate for the lower use roads, it's a nightmare for a group of bikers. Here's what happens...you're tooling along with a group on a 3-lane. You find yourself in the 2-lane section for a while. A car in the back decides "Hey, this is a good place to pass". They start moving up the fast lane, and realize that their lane is running out and there are a lot of bikes ahead... What do they do? They merge right over and into the pack. This is _not_ a desirable scenario!

    Here's what you do: While cruising down a 3-lane and you find your group in the 2-lane section, the Drag Bike (in the rear) slips into the other lane. The rest of the group stays right where they are (do _not_ change lanes with the person who is closing the door!). The Drag Bike closes the door' until the road switches over and the group finds themselves in the 1-lane section again. Works like a charm!

  • Taking the Lane ...This is use when sitting at intersections, merging into a street from a parking lot, pulling out of a gas station, etc. While it always pays to watch the traffic and make a judgement based on safety, driving aggresively is a major player in handling a group in traffic. Very often, a group will be waiting patiently to enter the hiway, only to have cages not give them the time of day. Getting a group through an intersection or onto a hiway in one pack is actually a fairly easy task. Here's how you do it:

    The Road Captain pulls the group up to an intersection where a turn is to be made, pulls up to the parking lot exit with the group, etc. The group needs to turn onto the road and into oncoming traffic. The Drag Bike pulls along side the group and up to the front. When the Road Captain gives the nod to begin the move, the Drag Bike pulls out sidewise into the lane and raises his hand to the oncoming traffic. The Road Captain pulls the group out and onto the roadway. Once the last rider is on the road, the Drag Bike falls back in position in the rear. The Drag Bike doesn't have to be the one to do this, as it can be someone from up front, but they have to work their way back to the front of the group once everyone is on the road. Sometimes, if a turn is being made _across_ traffic, it requires 2 riders to pull this off...one in each direction of traffic. The persons who will handle these chores should be decided upon at the beginning of the ride.

  • Changing From The Rear ...This is a simple task, but is most often goofed up when one rider, who might not be familiar with the task, makes a lane change out of place...before you know it, everyone else has followed them over and chaos sets in.

    It's pretty easy to do correctly, and looks sooooo cool when it's done right. First, the Road Captain decides to change lanes, and gives a hand signal to do so...but the Road Captain doesn't switch lanes yet. Next, the rest of the group gives the same hand signal, passing it to the rear of the group...but none of the group changes lanes yet, either. Finally, the Drag Bike at the rear gets the signal, checks the lane, and moves over. Once the Drag Bike at the rear has made his move, the rest of the group can follow over into the next lane. This might sound silly, but the reason for this is very simple... it keep cars and other traffic out of the group, and allows everyone to move into a lane that's clear and safe! An added feature: it allows a large group to move into a lane that may be heavily loaded with other traffic... The Drag Bike takes the lane, thus blocking other traffic and allowing the group to move over. Pretty simple, huh? It's hard to remember at first, but becomes a good habit very quickly.

  • Riding 'Tight' ...This is when you ride with someone whom you are _FAMILIAR_ with their riding skills and habits, ONLY. Never attempt to 'Ride Tight' with someone you're not familiar with, and always ask if it's OK to ride tight with someone before you do it...some riders _do not_ like it!

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