Peer Pressure Impact?

[Marmoot]

Hi,

I've seen some riders crashed when riding in a large competitive group. That's not a very good sight, and gives quite a drag on the overall ride.

So, I wonder. How much do you feel pressured by this so-called "peer-pressure" on ride with a group? What about NEW group? Is it that bad, or are majority of bikers mature enough to fight the pressure and ride properly?

[Redstar]

I used to get that feeling and its a competitive urge thing.
fourtunately I got through my teens without hurt. but mainly because I was sort of concerned about my lack of ability and that lack of confidence meant I held back from total stupidity.
The scarryist experience was when 20 or so of us meet a similar number of dorks coming the other way and a country road.
half of us were on the wrong side doing speed and vis-versa 20 or so comming head on it was like 10 seconds of russian roulette and thankfully all 40 got lucky.
I worse of us are those who are fearless they make good racers If they live long enough.
your fear is the element that keeps you alive mate.
there are groups that take it easy.
I did get rear ended last year its the only time in 30,000klms that I got hit from behind and it was a fellow biker who was inline with me behind when I had to stop for a car crossing in front.
so now when I follow a bike I never follow dead in line but off to one side. just in case.

[merv]

I've seen a few crashes too, even by Ulysses dudes that weren't the quick ones of the group. The trick is to keep your cool and ride to your own limit not someone elses. I can't say I've ever felt pressured, if there really is someone faster I don't mind seeing them disappear into the distance. Obviously there are a few not mature enough to do this and they do come to grief occasionally. Keep your riding smooth and consistent. I find some people quite erratic - seem to go like hell early in a ride especially down the straights, but as the ride wears on and we're carving corners they can't keep up the pace. I tend to think today I'm cruising at a certain speed and I try and keep to that as much as I can slowing down as little as possible at the corners but not going over it on the straights either. This works for me, is easy on the bike and the gas consumption and a lot of people have trouble keeping up if they are the hard on hard off kind of riders. Always think ahead, brake and change gear at the right time, not after you've overcooked a corner. Also think ahead with your passing manoevres. If you do all that the erratic people soon disappear behind you.

[MikeL]

The pressure is always there to some extent even though you won't always admit it to yourself. It's obviously an ego thing, and I'm pretty sure it is behind many if not most crashes during group rides. In a big group like Ulysses the faster riders (usually a minority) can do their own thing and race ahead. In a smaller group the slowest rider can often feel that he/she is a drag on the rest. You have to come to terms with it and work out your priorities. Mine is staying on the bike.

[babyB]

i have felt the pressure when joining a new group/rider, but dont sircome to it.

i was taught right from the start that you ride within your limitations/ comfort zone and stay in it......in my group you all ways waited for the slow ones to catch up.  if they chose to go for a blat i found them waiting on the side of the road some where... mind you in the early days i had them backtracking once or twice to find me too.lol

i will not be pushed by other riders.  & try to look after new riders

on the race track i still dont care if im lapped several times ,but i will test my limitations there if/ when i so choose . and to enjoy it

live to ride and ride to live

[wkid_one]

It is the old confidence exceeding capability argument.  Most riders following someone will crash as they start to ride off the other persons bike - braking when they brake and taking their lines etc - rather than riding how they would naturally ride.  There is also the fear of being seen to 'hold up' traffic....

My advice - before you ride in a group - fold your wing mirrors in and let the person behind you make the pass without you worrying about where he is.  Also, focus on your own ride - you need to be aware of when the person in front of you in braking - but focus on the corner not their bike.

This is a common learner mistake - I know - I did it and tore my shoulder 6 inches out of joint.

[750Y]

tore my shoulder 6 inches out of joint.

ouch! that had to hurt. there's enough incentive for me to ride my own ride if ever in a group.
If You're not a rider used to a group situation there is going to be some initial confusion and a learning curve. I guess the initial natural reaction is to try to stay with the group. for most, fear will be all they need to pull them back from the fast guys, but how are You gonna learn from the faster guys if You can't even see them? even if You crash You may have passed Your previous confidence limit 10 corners earlier and breifly explored a new level of riding & You are now a bit better rider having pushed your boundaries. It must be really confidence inspiring to see guys in front of You riding well. I can see why guys crash and i don't think it's ego so much as enthusiasm.

[Slim]

I think I've always had a clear advantage because I'm a: female, and b: have always been more responsible than my years would indicate.

It also helps that my first bike was a GB250 and I was many years behind my friends in both experience and size-of-bike, so it was quite reasonable that I would always be the last to our destination.

But I had good friends, who always made sure everyone knew where we were going & where we'd meet up, and then they'd wait for everyone to arrive before heading off other places.

I've been on a couple of the Boyd Honda rides and usually find myself somewhere in the middle, riding on my own.

I've ridden with other groups that aren't as considerate, and they only get the one chance - if they stuff it up on the "looking out for your riding partners" front, then I won't ride with them again.

I prefer to ride alone, but it's nice to meet up with new people and have someone to share a laugh with at the smoke/fuel/food stops for a change.

[karbonblack]

Never really thought too much about peer pressure, but when I got one of the first GSXR1000's early in 2001 it really hit me. Everyone knew about them, as the magazines at the time were getting off on this hot new bike. I was OK riding alone because I never went beyond my comfort level, but when I was riding with mates, I found myself doing 250kph wheelstands down the motorway.

I managed to survive the experience but I think there was an element of luck in the outcome.

[SPman]

I personally like sitting well back behind the front group,- by myself - and far enough away from them to not get sucked in on corners etc. Then I can ride my own ride but still be in the group - its fun playing catchies.....

[Andrew]

Peer pressure can be quite dangerous for someone like me whos young and has only been riding for 8 months.

My personal belief is to just 'amble' along at my own pace and only ride with those that can accept the fact that I'm learning and that I will be slow!

But most guys at kiwibiker are cool about this so 99% of the time its no issue.

[Antallica]

Peer pressure is bad, but I'm more interested in getting my ass round those corners, rather than what some idiot thinks of me and my riding.

Hey Andrew, give you a race

[What?]

Good, sensible attitudes, Antallica and Andrew.

I generally ride alone, but when I do ride with a group of my friends, it seems we collectively travel slower than we would individually. Interesting...

But then there was the trip home from Manfeild (quite) a few years back when I tagged along with a group of guys I did not know, and the average cruising speed was between 150 & 180. I didn't feel pressured to ride at that speed, but I wasn't going to slow down, either!

[bluninja]

The only pressure I find, is when people are queued up behind me (happens often), usually at blind twisty bends. I always want them to get the foot around me or back off. I've had one novice follow me into corners in my slipstream (learning my lines??), and I stopped on the straight so he could go past. The next rider on a fireblade he tagged onto and he went into the bend right behind him, far too hot and ended up surfing his ZX6 around the armco with his foot trapped between bike and barrier.

My preference is to get to a safe spot (as considered by me) and wave them past. I don't ride any harder, but it does distract me; not enough to consider riding with my mirrors bent in.

TTFN

[Coldkiwi]

I think a major factor in group riding crashes (probably next to ego) is the temptation to watch the bike in front of you. I noticed myself doing this last year before it was pointed out to me and since then I try/have to make a concious effort not to do it and watch the corners.

There is some advantage in having a bike in front of you to have a guage of how tight the corner is going to become but I think watching that should be secondary to watching the corners shape, camber, surface etc.

if you don't already conciously watch the road instead of the bike, TRY it and see the difference.. although beware that you'll probably end up watching the bike again after 30 seconds! I find it really helps and if the bike in front buggers up a corner, it'll mean you're less likely to follow. Same applies to the track.. watch the guy go down and you'll either hit him or crash too