Group rides - Here's a question or two

[BuckBuck#1]

Group Rides – Total Strangers
How Do You Handle Safety Issues - What Is A Safe Group Riding Limit?

You front up at the gathering point about to set off on a ride, you look around and realise you may know only two or three people, and you know they ride faster than you. There are fifteen bikes parked up ready to go.

There appears little organisation, but someone [Joe Bloggs] says “Mannering is Captain of the ride and will lead off, and Jim Kirk is Tail End Charlie.”

Some one says “I’ve never been on this ride before.”

Some one else says “I’ve just got my Restricted and haven’t been on this ride before.”

Question:
How does Joe Bloggs reply?
Does Jim Kirk have a say if so what would it be?

[BigAl]

"last one to ..... Is a rotten egg"

[Lurch]

Joe Bloggs being a smart chap who actually likes having a strange and mysterious thing called 'fun' when out spending his precious few opportunities to ride says:

"Fuck you all I'm outta here, enjoy getting lost and causing accidents without me cock suckers!" and then promptly ditches the whole dithering, brainless and dangerous lot of them.

oh and Jim can be heard mumbling under his breath along the lines of:

"wish I'd fucken taken off before I got left with this bunch of squids, jerks and that guy who smells like my socks after the TT2000."

[Maha]

No one person is in total control of a group ride, its rediculous to suggest otherwise.
At best, a group ride organiser only supplies the venue.
I have put together well over 30 rides that range from 3-350 bikes...
Keep the rules to a minimum and hope for the best.
I/we now put all our energy into the Auckland Learner Rides.
The only thing I control really is the speed. (oh and the venue)

[newhere]

No one person is in total control of a group ride, its rediculous to suggest otherwise.
At best, a group ride organiser only supplies the venue.
I have put together well over 30 rides that range from 3-350 bikes...
Keep the rules to a minimum and hope for the best.
I/we now put all our energy into the Auckland Learner Rides.
The only thing I control really is the speed. (oh and the venue)

And you do a dang good job of it, just so you know

[tigertim20]

Group Rides – Total Strangers
How Do You Handle Safety Issues - What Is A Safe Group Riding Limit?

1)You front up at the gathering point about to set off on a ride, you look around and realise you may know only two or three people, and you know they ride faster than you. There are fifteen bikes parked up ready to go.

2)There appears little organisation, but someone [Joe Bloggs] says “Mannering is Captain of the ride and will lead off, and Jim Kirk is Tail End Charlie.”

3)Some one says “I’ve never been on this ride before.”

4)Some one else says “I’ve just got my Restricted and haven’t been on this ride before.”

Question:
How does Joe Bloggs reply?
Does Jim Kirk have a say if so what would it be?

1) you have to ride to the pace of everyone else, even if you dont like going that fast. dont hold the group up, its bad ettiquette.

2) being leader is earned. He who gets to the front and stays there is in charge. its like gladiators, the guy with the biggest balls is in charge

3 and 4) refer answer #1.

APPARENTLY SARCASM AND PISSTAKES ARE LOST ON SOME. THE RED PART IS A PISSTAKE. SPELLING IT OUT FOR THE SLOW ONES. THAT IS ALL.

group ride or not, agree on a destination and a route. Having a count up, and a tail end charlie is a good idea. RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE. dont be rushed.
If its like any of the social rides I go on, the regulars will introduce themselves to new people, and will let them know who they can go to if they have questions etc.

[BuckBuck#1]

group ride or not, agree on a destination and a route. Having a count up, and a tail end charlie is a good idea. RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE. dont be rushed.
If its like any of the social rides I go on, the regulars will introduce themselves to new people, and will let them know who they can go to if they have questions etc.

+1
Thanks for the reply.

[EJK]

No one person is in total control of a group ride, its rediculous to suggest otherwise.
At best, a group ride organiser only supplies the venue.
I have put together well over 30 rides that range from 3-350 bikes...
Keep the rules to a minimum and hope for the best.
I/we now put all our energy into the Auckland Learner Rides.
The only thing I control really is the speed. (oh and the venue)

Sums up the thread.

[Kickaha]

1) you have to ride to the pace of everyone else, even if you dont like going that fast. dont hold the group up, its bad ettiquette.

It's bad etiquette to crash on a ride to

It's pretty dumb to ride at a speed outside your comfort zone with a bunch of people you don't know, you're better off dropping out of the ride or riding at your own pace and meeting them at the destination

[Maha]

And you do a dang good job of it, just so you know

Sums up the thread.

A group ride with us means we ride as a group..
There in lies the difference.
The term 'group ride' should rearly be used because, a ''group ride'' normally fragments as soon as the word GO is spoken.

[Spearfish]

Just open your mouth and ask, I know it can be hard to do at first when a bunch of people are shuffling around in an awkward silence you will probably find breaking the ice easy. At least then you can kinda figure out who are out to blow the cobwebs off and who are interested in a pootle or mentoring role.
You will probably find a representative of every one of the seven dwarfs in a large group.

[BuckBuck#1]

...
I/we now put all our energy into the Auckland Learner Rides.
The only thing I control really is the speed. (oh and the venue)

Good to read and all the best for an enjoyable and rewarding daylight season ahead.

One observation I have noticed over the years is the groups will generally split into three: fast, medium, and cautious. The number of riders in any group does vary, however irrespective of which group, I feel most comfortable when there is only three other riders immediately around me (two ahead and one behind). I often drift back to the rear and focus on my own ride.

[748south]

I would have thought that most of us have these things calles M.A.T.E.S? that we ride with?

And good mates won't push you if you're unexperianced, and anyone with more than 3 braincells won't push themselves just to look like the man.

When i started riding a couple of years ago my friends were very supportive, and if we were on a long ride we would all stop every so often to let the group get back together, and probably to make sure i wasnt wandering the road with half a halmet strapped to my head and a brake calliper in my teeth.

[oneofsix]

one problem with mates is a little thing called peer pressure. If your 'mates' are riding too fast for you let them go. Tail end Charlie, like all tail end Charlie's, is to stay at the back, not to hurry the slow guy but to be there to support anyone that gets into trouble. This thread is a timely reminder with daylight saving about to start
http://www.rideforever.co.nz/going-f.../group-riding/

[Murray]

1) you have to ride to the pace of everyone else, even if you dont like going that fast. dont hold the group up, its bad ettiquette.

RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE. dont be rushed.

Doesn't make sense!!

If you have a problem regarding you think it may be to fast talk to tail end charlie. He/She will generally control the slowest speeds. Our group lets the faster riders go ahead but the leader will stop at any intersection and the 2nd person there will wait until TEC arrives. He/she should always ride at a speed that ensures you can RIDE YOUR OWN RIDE.

The ride is the important thing not necessarily the destination.