The Group Ride Guide

[The Stranger]

There is much debate on the merits of staggered formation riding and it appears divisions run deep on this one. Below are the pros and cons. If the organiser doesn't advise in their pre-ride brief you decide what you are comfortable with.

Pros

The ride presents a greater frontal area which may help reduce the "I didn't see you factor" from other motorists.
It allows additional braking distance. You should be maintaining safe following distances at all times regardless of whether the bike in front is offset or not.
It may allow riders a better view of the road ahead as view is not obstructed by a bike in front.

Cons

It contradicts the cardinal rule of group riding - ride your own ride. You are riding where someone else dictates.
Some bikes will be forced to use the left wheel track which reduces visibility and vision and puts them in line for more tar bleed and pot holes.
Many will hold stagger for entry to bends which means they start their corner from a sub-optimal road position.
It creates a false sense of safety and people often tend to close the gap as a result, thus creating a safety issue.

[The Stranger]

Learn to recognise when you are pushing too hard and back off when this happens. What are the signs you are starting to move out of your comfort zone and/or riding beyond your abilities or skill set?

You start going at a faster pace than you normally do when riding alone.
You start braking later into corners, with possible rear wheel lockup or partial front wheel wash out.
You start panicking and stand the bike up in corners, inevitably running wide or off the road.
Your bike starts to wobble and weave as you start pushing the boundaries and you are no longer riding smoothly for the pace.
The following happens to all riders when pushing things a bit but for a newbie or first time group rider they are a sure sign that things may be getting out of hand:
Breathing gets more rapid and at times you may find yourself holding your breath.
The adrenaline levels increase which also increases the sense of heightened awareness but leads to risk taking when overtaking, cornering and braking.
In colder weather you may find your visor fogging up as breathing increases; for some, this may even happen in summer.
You know in yourself that you are pushing harder, going faster and braking later than you have before or when on your own.

[The Stranger]

Failure to observe this principle is the primary cause of increased risk on group rides. What does "ride your own ride" mean?

Think for yourself. Don't just follow the rider in front and take their lines. Don't focus on them, focus on the vanishing point.
Ride at your own pace. Don't assume that you can safely do the same speed as the next person.
Cut the bungee cord - if the rider in front overtakes there really is no need for you to do so. Wait patiently for your chance; if you must pass, pick YOUR time to overtake.
If your head is not in the right space, don't do it (the ride, the road, the speed). Rely on your own judgement at all times.
It's not a competition. You're not competing against anyone. Save that for the track.
THINK FOR YOURSELF.

[The Stranger]

Group rides frequently tend to be of longer duration so please pay attention to your food and water requirements. Some points to consider:

Large meals draw blood to the digestive system causing a degree of tiredness and lethargy for a while.
Heat and wind will dehydrate your body quite quickly. The sweat may be removed quickly when at speed and you won't realise how much water you have lost. Dehydration leads to slowed reactions and dulled concentration - not so good when riding a motorcycle.
Alcohol is a diuretic and will dehydrate you more quickly than anything. See previous point re effects.
Alcohol is a disinhibitor. It will cause you to put aside those cautions your brain puts in place to protect you, resulting in you taking needless risks, such as: "Stuff it, I'll pass that bastard. Shouldn't be anything coming around that corner ..."
Alcohol is a depressant - it depresses your brain, resulting in slower and poor decision making.
If a group ride turns out to be Oktoberfest, consider your own safety; you may want to get out of there.

[The Stranger]

Stop. Park in a safe place.

At ALL TIMES your safety is top priority. Position someone, or your bike, back from the scene where approaching traffic can be warned and slowed down.

Make a quick assessment of the situation.
If there is an immediate danger you may need to neutralise this first. If emergency medical services will be required, the sooner they are contacted the better the chances of survival.

Dial 111 and ask for Ambulance; listen carefully and follow their instructions. If you shut up, listen and answer the questions, the call will be processed much more quickly. Amongst other things the first thing the call taker will ask is the exact address of your emergency...know this!! If nothing else gets through, this is the most important piece of information. They will organise fire or police as procedure, you just make one call.

Assess the rider / pillion / other patients

Minimise further injury
Unless they are in immediate danger, leave them where they are.
Only move them away if they are in further danger from something, e.g. traffic, fuel etc.
The same goes for any bikes, cars or debris involved in the accident. Leave it there! Positions of vehicles and debris may be important in a serious crash investigation.
It is OK to remove the helmet PROVIDED that it is done carefully, i.e. not roughly wrenched off their head. There is good information HERE (http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=46494&highlight=helmet+removal) about how to do this.
Keep the helmet for ambulance staff.
Keep the person still and calm.
Use CPR if required.

That out the way, lets move on to most scenarios where there is perhaps a broken bone of some sort at worst:

All you can really do is try and control any serious bleeding.
Do this by applying direct pressure to the affected area with whatever you have available ... a t-shirt or whatever.
Keep the person warm and calm, reassurance goes a long way here. Tell them what's happened, what's going on, and that the ambulance is on its way.
That's all you can really do unless there are medical professionals on the scene.
Get a good handle on what has happened so when the Ambulance staff arrive you can give them a good handover as to what happened, how many people involved, and who/where they are.

That's it really. To re-cap

Get safe
Dial 111
Try not to move anyone/ anything unless necessary
Control serious bleeding
Reassurance

Of course common sense also prevails - if it's a minor lowside into a gravel patch then just sort it out as you see fit.

[The Stranger]

If someone is following too close for your comfort pull over and wave them through. It is not worth becoming distracted or stressed by a rider behind you, nor is it a good idea to speed up in order to open a gap as you have just let someone else dictate how you ride and violated the cardinal rule of group riding (ride your own ride).

Besides, you may be unnecessarily holding someone up and causing them equal frustration. Either scenario is not optimal for you.

[The Stranger]

The following rider grades are suggested so that everyone attending knows what experience level is catered for:

Learner: All welcome but the purpose of the ride is to teach learners. More experienced riders will be expected to assist with this.
Intermediate: Riders are expected to have their full licence at least. More experienced riders are welcome.
Experienced: Riders are expected to have had their full license for five years and have five years recent riding experience.
All Welcome: This is not a ride for training learners.
Other rider grades may be developed to suit other circumstances (e.g., off-road or adventure rides).

[The Stranger]

The following grades are suggested for rides (so that everyone knows what to expect):

Easy: A jaunt up a main highway for a cup of coffee.
Difficult: Covering a lot of kilometres in a single day. 600km for an experienced rider is a snip; for a complete noob 200km is a stretch.
Technical: Say a Coro loop, 22 or the Forgotten Highway.

[The Stranger]

As a minimum, these things should be covered at the briefing:

Destination and route (can be covered in advertisement)
Explanation of the pointer system so people know they will not be left behind and, thus, feel the need to keep up. The lead rider appoints as pointer the second rider, who waits at an intersection pointing the way until the group and tail-end-Charlie have passed. The pointer then rejoins the ride. Any pointer system will at times fall down so it is important that people know the destination and route.
Fuel and catch up points. Frequent catch up points and rest stops help, in particular, slower riders to realise they won't get left behind.
Designate a ride leader and tail-end-Charlie, and ensure they each have each other's cell phone numbers.
Notice of any known hazards.
A general run down on ride etiquette, rules and expectations.

[The Stranger]

Where appropriate, consider splitting the ride along the following lines:

Experienced/fast riders, who are in it for an adrenalin pumping ride.
New/cruisy riders, who have come out to take in the views and enjoy the company.

People decide themselves which group they wish to participate in and experienced riders should set off first so they do not carve up the cruisers. Warn them to have consideration for the slower, newer riders and take the designated stops.

[The Stranger]

Group rides are a great way to meet and enjoy the company of like-minded individuals. Unfortunately, all too often they end in tragedy. Many are of the opinion that there is a far greater risk associated with group rides and experience would tend to bear this out. Some would go so far as to suggest that group rides should be banned.

Speed and stupidity play a part in many of the accidents occuring during group rides. It is not usually the front-runners who get into difficulty; rather those who stretch their ability to try and keep up. We urge the faster riders to consider this when setting the pace; you could still enjoy your ride at a slightly slower pace and, possibly, save a life too. The place for stretching yourself as a rider is on the track.

The ideal result from a group ride is to relax at the end of the day content with the day's events, having met old and made new friends, travelled some awesome roads, talked bollocks and enjoyed the company that only being part of the motorcycling community has to offer.

The following guidelines will go some way towards making group rides safer and more enjoyable for all concerned.

Organiser's / Organisers' responsibilities

Organisers must take their responsibilities seriously as they may incur a legal liability if things go horribly wrong.
If you are not comfortable with running a large group ride, consider not advertising too far in advance. You are likely to have a smaller turnout if you advertise seven days in advance. You may prefer to set a limit on the number of riders accepted on the ride.
When advertising the ride:

provide as much information about the ride as possible, e.g., route, duration and terrain. The more people who know where they are going the better and the less you have to cover at the briefing.
indicate the type of rider you expect to cater for - Learner, Intermediate, Experienced or All Welcome
grade the ride/roads - Easy, Difficult or Technical and list the approximate distance.

Consider the types of riders involved and to splitting the ride into two groups, each with a leader and tail-end-Charlie (TEC), where appropriate.
Pre-ride banter should not be condoned online or on the ride. That harmless "I'm going to own you" comment could lead to two or more people starting a cock fight that ends in misery or death. Consider reporting offending posts to the mods if things get out of hand.
The organiser should give a pre-ride briefing covering destination, route, pointer system, fuel and catch up points, leader, TEC, notice of any known hazards, and a general rundown on etiquette and expectations.

Riders' responsibilities

Register your interest in attending a ride so that organisers can gauge attendance and plan accordingly.
If you would like to develop your riding skills and would like the advice of a more experienced rider, please have a word with the organiser well before the ride. They should be able to organise a buddy for you.
Perform a pre-ride check to ensure your machine is up to the ride and that you are ready to leave the assembly point with a full tank of fuel.
Obey all road rules at all times
Ride your own ride!
No undertaking at any time
Before overtaking check that no one else is already doing so. This will necessitate a head check!
No overtaking on corners
Keep to your lane at all times except when overtaking
Leave plenty of room for panic braking and space out accordingly
Read the road conditions ahead of you and ahead of the rider in front of you; don't fix your sight on the rider in front.
After overtaking a slower vehicle, move towards the left side of the lane to allow room for the rider following to pass safely too.
Fuel and water are necessary for the rider as well. Unlike your bike, however, you do not need lubrication (alcohol).
Treat all vehicles (including ride participants) as being controlled by an idiot out to get you. Afford other ride participants the same care, respect and attention as you would any other road user.
If someone is following too closely for your comfort pull over and wave them through to make your intentions clear.
Discourage any silly behaviour that you observe on a ride or during breaks. Politely reprimand riders if necessary.
If for any reason you leave before the end of the ride advise the organiser, ride leader or tail-end-Charlie.
You should know what to do if an accident occurs
Learn to recognise the signs that you are pushing too hard and back off
Staggered formation riding should be reserved for parade or procession rides. On the open road you should ride your own ride.
Remember, it's about the journey and the friendships developed, not the speed.
If in doubt ask! If you are unsure on the destination or route, ask. If you are unsure of the pointer system, ask. If you are unsure who is TEC, ask. If you are still unsure - ask again. Chances are if you are uncertain on any point other people are too.


NOTE: These guidelines are, by necessity, general in nature. Common sense should prevail.

NONE of this should be construed as suggesting or recommending that you ride contrary to the Land Transport Act or any other laws which may be applicable.

[The Stranger]

Legal advice obtained is that it is highly unlikely that the organiser of a social group ride could be held accountable for the ride or the actions of others on the ride. Legal challenge would be more likely to come from a private prosecution.

However, you needn't be found guilty for it to ruin your day. Simply having the threat of a court case hanging over you can be extremely stressful.

[The Stranger]

If for any reason you leave the ride please take adequate steps to advise the ride leader, organiser or TEC. It is important that the ride leader and organiser gets the message, so TEC, if someone advises you, please pass it on ASAP.

Text or phone means they can get the message when they next stop.

If there has been a crash or breakdown it may be necessary for a rider to ride on ahead to advise the leader at the next stop.

Failure to advise the leader can result in bikers spending many hours scouring the countryside looking for you and potentially putting themselves in danger as a result.

[The Stranger]

Tail-end-Charlie or TEC: Designated last bike in the pack/ride. The job is important because they act like a huntaway - they keep the stragglers moving. TEC must know exactly where the ride is going (all roads and turn offs etc). The slower riders will have a sense of security in knowing that there is an experienced rider behind them, always. TEC will/should have the cell phone number of the ride leader/organiser in case of incident (flat tyre/bike fault whatever). TEC is also back marker so a pointer knows that job is finished and may leave the post when the TEC passes.
Staggered Formation: Bikes riding in procession - one bike in the left wheel track, the next in the right wheel track and the next in the left again, etc.
Head Check: Turn your head to check for vehicles which may present a danger to you or you to them. Mirrors invariably have blind spots and do not have sufficient coverage to allow full view of all danger areas. You should turn your head to check for vehicles beside or behind you before changing lanes, prior to overtaking, at motorway on ramps and exit only lanes etc. This is a basic driving/riding skill.