Don't ride with strangers

**300weatherby** · 13th March 2013, 21:38

Originally Posted by Brett

I love it NOW. A lot actually...but pretty intimidating that first time (third or fourth time ever riding a motorbike...before I even got my L plates). I don't enjoy wet night rides much, unless I have super effective wet weather gear. But that's just 'cause I hate getting wet

Rode from Greymouth going on dark in the pissing down rain with the wife on the back, had turned to sleet and freezing fog by Otira,had to stop at the backpacker/food place in Arthurs pass to try and thaw by the fire, no accomadation, so a bowl of hot soup and some toast and back on the road... Freezing fog with bursts of snow alternating with rain, visibility down to riding following the white lines in second gear when they could be found, trying not to get collected by morons in cars and road freighters going both ways, finally out onto the plains, totally wet and frozed to the point reaction ability was compromised cause the brain had become numb, only now the sky is clear and a solid frost was down. Spent the next hour mostly sideways.......

Got home around 0100, nearly fell off in the drive trying to stop and get off, legs didn't work real well

That was one tough night, made tougher than it needed to be by the day that preceeded it....... The wife was a legend, never complained once!

Left home early that morning for a day ride up to Picton to look at a bar we were considering buying, thought we would continue on to Nelson and stay the night there, then thought it would be a good idea to continue on to Westport instead to stay the night. No accommadation, and now it's raining ..... no worries, down the road to Greymouth, cause there is gonna be some where to stay, easy as..........

Toughest night ride ever, not in a hurry to repeat, those who know Arthurs pass would get that.

Lets hear a few night ride drama stories..... Have done the desert road on a freezing night too, that was fun on a 996 too, CHCH to AKL in one hit....

**arcane12** · 14th March 2013, 07:11

I have to disagree with the OP.

A blanket statement saying don't ride with strangers is a little bit of a knee-jerk reaction. Most of the people I ride with were strangers to me before I went on that first ride. L's Angels ride to the 'Naki? I basically knew no-one, and took a chance. I don't regret it. If I hadn't taken a chance on some of these crazy sounding people on this site I might have already given up on riding.

Most of the group rides I have been on with the LOR guys have been great. Yeah most zoom on ahead for a bit of fun, but there is no real pressure to keep up (for me at least) as there is usually a regroup at turns to make sure no-one gets lost. There is usually at least one person who is unfamiliar with the current route (and it's not always me!)

On the flip side of the coin I think the guy was a dick. If you ask a person with an L plate and a GN to go out on a ride you don't leave them in the dust in an unfamiliar part of town/countryside. On a motorbike you often end up going new ways/places. just because you have driven/lived in an area for ages does not mean you know the back roads riders prefer.

I have lived and driven in the Waikato for the last 14 years. I have been to all the main towns many times (Te Aroha, Tauranga, Te Kuiti, Te ... Raglan, etc), but I don't really know the back roads at all. French pass road? 8 mile junction? the forgotten highway? All new terms since I got on the bike. I am learning, but hey I get out the back roads behind Ngarauwahia and it's all hills and cows to me.

TL

R - New people are(can be) fun, but don't be a dick(tm).

**wysper** · 14th March 2013, 13:25

Thanks goodness we have all been warned.

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**Maha** · 14th March 2013, 13:58

Originally Posted by arcane12

I have to disagree with the OP.

A blanket statement saying don't ride with strangers is a little bit of a knee-jerk reaction. Most of the people I ride with were strangers to me before I went on that first ride. L's Angels ride to the 'Naki? I basically knew no-one, and took a chance. I don't regret it. If I hadn't taken a chance on some of these crazy sounding people on this site I might have already given up on riding.

I'll agree that, yes this thread reads like a knee jerk reaction in part...the blanket part is not complete true to word. One bad apple don't spoil bla bla bla..
The week before going to the Naki, Bosslady and two others came for a ride with ''strangers'' and I don't think we were that bad..

Alot of people over the last 18 months or so have been first time riders on the L's Angels trips...first time in a group ride situation etc.
We're a group ride that rides as a group (albiet several groups) and therein lies the difference. I believe if you're riding with someone on a learners, be mindfull of that person, it's not difficult.

**Swoop** · 14th March 2013, 14:21

If someone takes it upon themselves to offor a noobie a sensible ride, the least they can do is intelligently ride for their skill level.

Sent from the butts of the 300m range, using a figure-11 target on a stick.

**bosslady** · 14th March 2013, 16:35

Originally Posted by arcane12

I have to disagree with the OP.

A blanket statement saying don't ride with strangers is a little bit of a knee-jerk reaction. Most of the people I ride with were strangers to me before I went on that first ride. L's Angels ride to the 'Naki? I basically knew no-one, and took a chance. I don't regret it. If I hadn't taken a chance on some of these crazy sounding people on this site I might have already given up on riding.

Most of the group rides I have been on with the LOR guys have been great. Yeah most zoom on ahead for a bit of fun, but there is no real pressure to keep up (for me at least) as there is usually a regroup at turns to make sure no-one gets lost. There is usually at least one person who is unfamiliar with the current route (and it's not always me!)

On the flip side of the coin I think the guy was a dick. If you ask a person with an L plate and a GN to go out on a ride you don't leave them in the dust in an unfamiliar part of town/countryside. On a motorbike you often end up going new ways/places. just because you have driven/lived in an area for ages does not mean you know the back roads riders prefer.

I have lived and driven in the Waikato for the last 14 years. I have been to all the main towns many times (Te Aroha, Tauranga, Te Kuiti, Te ... Raglan, etc), but I don't really know the back roads at all. French pass road? 8 mile junction? the forgotten highway? All new terms since I got on the bike. I am learning, but hey I get out the back roads behind Ngarauwahia and it's all hills and cows to me.

TL

R - New people are(can be) fun, but don't be a dick(tm).

Dude. Thread title was a bit of a joke. However you're still welcome to disagree lol. Most people I've ridden with I've only corresponded with on here or seen them about or they've been on organised rides with people I DO know. Id hardly even said boo to this person when I should have at least exchanged a little conversation to get a gauge of what their riding style might be before I accepted to ride with them.

**bosslady** · 14th March 2013, 16:44

P.s. People leaving comments with rep... I don't know who u r!

**arcane12** · 14th March 2013, 17:51

Originally Posted by bosslady

Dude. Thread title was a bit of a joke. However you're still welcome to disagree lol. Most people I've ridden with I've only corresponded with on here or seen them about or they've been on organised rides with people I DO know. Id hardly even said boo to this person when I should have at least exchanged a little conversation to get a gauge of what their riding style might be before I accepted to ride with them.

Hey! Don't shoot the packet header! I realised there was hyperbole involved, but I thought I'd throw my 2c in so a learner reading this won't think all strangers are dicks. I know I can be strange...

And I just wanted to chime in on another Bosslady thread that was threatening to blow out into another 30 page monster!

**oneofsix** · 14th March 2013, 18:11

Originally Posted by arcane12

Hey! Don't shoot the packet header! I realised there was hyperbole involved, but I thought I'd throw my 2c in so a learner reading this won't think all strangers are dicks. I know I can be strange...

Did you re-read what you had posted in the context of it being on KB, where most of us are strangers to most of the others and ... well there are a lot of 'dicks' on KB.

**Maha** · 14th March 2013, 18:19

Mum always said ''Don't talk to Strangers''....

**Bald Eagle** · 14th March 2013, 18:30

Originally Posted by 300weatherby

Knee down in the real world is monumentally stupid. ....... but these days, riding in the Akaroa GP, the SCARIEST thing on the road is now the sport bike rider coming the other way........ Called the Akaroa GP as the number of sportbike riders riding on the very edge of their ability has dramatically increased the last couple of yeaer:

Come to Welly and enjoy the Taka's. GP, knee down muppets on there as well. Still that's why we have the Darwin awards.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2

**bosslady** · 14th March 2013, 21:18

Originally Posted by arcane12

Hey! Don't shoot the packet header! I realised there was hyperbole involved, but I thought I'd throw my 2c in so a learner reading this won't think all strangers are dicks. I know I can be strange...

And I just wanted to chime in on another Bosslady thread that was threatening to blow out into another 30 page monster!

Not shooting you, or whatever a packet header is lol

**arcane12** · 15th March 2013, 08:27

Originally Posted by oneofsix

Did you re-read what you had posted in the context of it being on KB, where most of us are strangers to most of the others and ... well there are a lot of 'dicks' on KB.

Damn, beaten by logic. I guess I now must hate you all?

Of course the internet being what it is, I try to wait until I have met people in real life before passing final judgement.

**ducatilover** · 15th March 2013, 09:05

Originally Posted by bosslady

Not shooting you, or whatever a packet header is lol

Are you really a black dude with a drug problem?

Sent from my interrogation room using skilled techniques.

**leathel** · 15th March 2013, 09:11

I started to read this.... but 10 pages is a but much to catch up on...

I am new to group rides as I have not long got back in to bikes....and forums etc weren't on the radar when I was last riding :P

Great to see you slowed up and rode at your pace, shame it meant dark strange roads to a inexperienced rider

But I am enjoying group rides and as most of my old riding mates don't have road bikes atm so most of the riders are all strangers...some are even strange

In off road 4x4 rallies (not comp events just off road runs) the rule is always keep the person behind in the mirror and that's how I ride on the road...

If you want easy going rides go out with cruisers.... most (not all of coarse) don't ride like its a race track

some of those early posts saying go faster....get real never ride past your skill set.