Group ride sticky

[Crisis management]

In the survival skills section (did I get that right?) there is now a group ride sticky obviously about how to organise and participate in a group ride......I've had a read and can't say as it thrills me and puts me off organising rides a bit.
Worth a read and a think about as the fact it exists possibly puts the onus of responsibility (and liability) more on the organiser. Having spelled out how rides should be organised I wonder if that then makes the organiser more liable ie: can't claim to not have any knowledge of how a ride should be organised if its written down in the forum?
Personally, I prefer the loose arrangements we have had to date.

Is there a disclaimer we can use?

[MXNUT]

I just wont read that sticky and will go with the ignorance is bliss theory ( has worked ok for me so far ) .

[rosie631]

I think the arrangement we have now is fine. Feel like a ride post it up and meet up with some like minded people. I've been on a few informal rides from here and there have been no problems. Life has too many rules already. Some of us ride to get away from that.

[CookMySock]

The only person responsible is the nut on the bars.

Steve

[cooneyr]

As organiser of a few rides now the legal liability bit scares me a little but it would seem that our informal arrangements are probably OK. I just make a point of sticking to known legal roads or get permission to cover myself from that perspective.

When it comes to keeping the group together etc that can be more than a little stressful. Most of the people I normally ride with have an understanding and use one of two methods:

• Lots of Gates = leapfrog, you open a gate you close it.
• Open going = you keep an eye out for the person behind and if you slow down the person in front should too. If gates are few and far between then regroups are at gates.

We also tend to regroup every hour or so for a rest stop depending on the nature of the ride i.e. less stops if a more endurance based rides with few known riders.

Things that I find stressful as a ride organiser are

• When somebody takes off in the lead and they have no idea where they are going
• If somebody gets lost (really has no idea where they are going) and for some bizarre reason and they keep ploughing on making them very hard to find
• When somebody buggers off during a ride and they don't let the others know

The common issue here is that people just don't bother to learn the route and then don't acknowledge that (in their own heads). The easiest way around this is that the larger the group the more cruisy the ride with more regroups. Problem with this is that you generally get no where fast.

I reckon that the roadies methods are not the best for Adv rides so I'm keen to hear how do other ride organisers run their adv rides? Corner Man system? What else?

Cheers R

P.S. Maybe I take on too much responsibility but having had to rely on others to get me on a chopper and out to safety I'm a strong believer in looking out for each other (doesn't remove the need for personal responsibility though!!!).

[junkmanjoe]

if your not happy about going on a ride DONT GO.
you think its out of your league......... DONT GO
there is no way im going to be held liable for a rider on my arranged rides.
you ride at your own risk.

as i arrange a ride, we wait for slower riders, and i stay back and help the less experienced, and make sure last rider comes through.

cant do more than that..

i go on arranged rides at my own risk.
every time i leave home on my bike is at my own risk.

on some of the D.O.C roads i use, i have to sign a waver, that removes any responceabilty on behalf of D.O.C. in other words...you agree to enter at your own risk, and your own safety.

my thoughts...

JMJ

[Motu]

Blame it on Iain sounds like the best contingecy plan to me.

[Virago]

Dealing with RULES !!!...

Rules? What rules...?

Get yourself a dictionary and look up the word "Guidelines"...

[Laxi]

the informal rides don't seem to be a problem, as we tend to choose who we ride with, it's the bigger rides that I think its aimed at. I dont think a few guidelines are gonna hurt anyone, still dont know if it will stop people turning up to a ride that their inexperianced for though

[JATZ]

I dont think a few guidelines are gonna hurt anyone, still dont know if it will stop people turning up to a ride that their inexperianced for though

Best way to get some experience is to turn up and ride with people who actually know what they're doin.

[Transalper]

I think it applys more to the sealed road rides.
When I read it I couldn't stop thinking of all the incidences that seemed to happen in the Christchurch Wednesday Evening Cruises over the last year or so.
It seemed to fit well with the way I remember them, and in fact repeats a lot of what the organizes of that run tried to implement to get people to get a grip.

Never seen a need to do anything different to what we already do in ADV rides. We already look out for each other etc etc.

[Laxi]

Best way to get some experience is to turn up and ride with people who actually know what they're doin.

fair call! if they're willing to slow down and baby sit you, other wise what tends to happen is a noob pushes his limits trying to keep up, happens on too many rides

[dino3310]

fair call! if they're willing to slow down and baby sit you, other wise what tends to happen is a noob pushes his limits trying to keep up, happens on too many rides

they dont baby sit me they just have a coffee at each stop waiting for me to catch up.

there are noobie rides out there but just not that often

[Laxi]

I'm not saying that inexperianced riders shouldn't turn up, just that having a few guide lines can only help them understand whats required from them to keep it a safe ride

[warewolf]

Adventure rides are generally better than the road rides for riding sensibly and looking out for each other. Helping/encouraging n00bs & regular re-groups is kinda the normal thing to do.

Pretty sure I read those rules/guidelines whatever you want to call em, can't say they were terribly memorable.