You pricks are costing us taxpayers too much money

[scumdog]

You mean those rude cunts that shat all over the ANZAC dawn parade?

Well that bunch dang well struck fear into MY heart fer sure!

[Akzle]

Well that bunch dang well struck fear into MY heart fer sure!

they'll strike something into your something else too, i'd say

[Ocean1]

There are group rides and group rides. The big public ones such as the Christmas toy run (if that still exists since second-hand toys were banned on health and safety grounds) and the Easter Egg runs are best avoided. Sadly too many people put their brain in neutral when they get in a big crowd and I don't want them anywhere near me.

There's an effect involved in group riding not unlike that involved in target fixation. And you're right, it's nothing to do with "trying to keep up", it's a sort of abdication of decision making to that guy up ahead there, and some of the critical reactions just sort of slide.

I ride with others more often than not, but I've found that staying a bit further back, far enough that I'm not tempted to use them as some sort of point of reference, (essentially riding alone anyway) effectively removes that semi-subconscious temptation.

[WristTwister]

There was a video of a public ride to raise funds for St John Ambulance last weekend and while there was a safety briefing by the organizers, from looking at a video of it there seemed to be more guys keen to go home by ambulance than by bike.

Was that the one in Thorndon on the 25th?

[AllanB]

I suspect the direction this has taken is also indicative of how we as a community often apply somewhat suspect riding on public roads.


Shit happens. Society continues to dumb down masculine natural tendencies. In a thousand years we may all have vaginas.


Open the throttle wide by all means - just think about where you do it.

[WristTwister]

I suspect the direction this has taken is also indicative of how we as a community often apply somewhat suspect riding on public roads.


Shit happens. Society continues to dumb down masculine natural tendencies. In a thousand years we may all have vaginas.


Open the throttle wide by all means - just think about where you do it.

Is being an idiot a masculine tendency? Idiots drive cars and idiots ride bikes, the only difference is they're more likely to kill themselves on a bike.

[AllanB]

Is being an idiot a masculine tendency?

Ah .......... yes if honest. I blame testosterone. Long may it live.

[pritch]

There's an effect involved in group riding not unlike that involved in target fixation. And you're right, it's nothing to do with "trying to keep up", it's a sort of abdication of decision making to that guy up ahead there, and some of the critical reactions just sort of slide.

Well, it's definitely nothing to do with trying to keep up. The first Easter egg run I did every body was standing around yacking before the start, and that's fine, it's one of those times you see people you only catch up with occasionally.

When the organiser announced that it was time to go and where the ride was headed there's a chorus of "I need gas", and "I need a pee."
I'm like, "WTF? You've had since last Easter to get ready for this."

Then some fuckwit fell off on the first corner 'cause his tyre was flat. A few miles out of town people start passing on double yellows and blind bends, blind hill crests etc. I just decided that these lemmings can please themselves, but they can do it without me.

[Spearfish]

Group riding is a whole different dynamic, it is an activity that can expose a harsh reality meeting a head full of fantasy.

It seems that the little internal "just because I can doesn't mean I should" filter sometimes gets a little clogged. Why?


Are there any numbers on how many "groups" there are, the whole summer in the South Island seemed to be full of groups having a great time exploring but very few singles.

[Maha]

Well, it's definitely nothing to do with trying to keep up. The first Easter egg run I did every body was standing around yacking before the start, and that's fine, it's one of those times you see people you only catch up with occasionally.

When the organiser announced that it was time to go and where the ride was headed there's a chorus of "I need gas", and "I need a pee."
I'm like, "WTF? You've had since last Easter to get ready for this."

Then some fuckwit fell off on the first corner 'cause his tyre was flat. A few miles out of town people start passing on double yellows and blind bends, blind hill crests etc. I just decided that these lemmings can please themselves, but they can do it without me.

I would have to make a point of saying 're group does not mean get off your bike and light up a smoke'..on our rides. One smaller group decided it was time to go, geared up and left leaving behind a two up couple that took soooooooooooooo fucking long to get ready for some reason, when they finally got going they turned left at the first T intersection and subsequently spent the next few hours trying to figure out where their group actually went.

The destination and direction was announced but some rely on others knowing the details.

I would always make a fuel station the starting point so that when the bikes turn up they'd fuel up.

[bogan]

The ones you speak about passing on double yellow lines and blind bends would very likely be the ones riding under pressure to keep up.

I think you'll find passing is classed as 'getting ahead', not 'keeping up'

[bogan]

In that case all group rides to you are a considered a race then? Most other commentators that agree with me do support my claim though that the dangerous overtaking to keep up is just that and not to win any race.

Reach a bit more. People pass when riding solo too, so really, all road use is a race, all the time, every time. Even the dogs are involved...

Most other commentators (and even posters) agree you're a moron.

[jonnyk5614]

I've ridden in groups probably less than 5 times and hated it every time. Never a big big ride, just me and some mates.

In my early days, on a 1000cc bike, I hit some crazy speeds for sure. I felt safe and comfortable with them (I shouldn't have but oh well).

In a group the other week, with three LAMS bikes and me on a 'Busa, I felt a LOT of pressure. I wasn't comfortable with the speed yet realised that I'm usually even faster up highway 16 on my own.

The problem was simple. On my own, I look at least 500m ahead on the open road. I plan ahead. All is good.

With a mate what, 20m ahead, I just follow him. 20m isn't a lot of reaction time at 100kph.

I'm not saying my brain switches off - far from it. It was doing quite the opposite.

I just get tunnel vision, and can't avoid but concentrating on the other bikes.

On the way back, I passed the lead rider, rode back and arrived a couple of mins ahead of the others with not a care in the world. I was the fastest rider in the group by miles, but only when I wasn't following anyone.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[pritch]

I would always make a fuel station the starting point so that when the bikes turn up they'd fuel up.

For between 50 and 100 bikes that's not a realistic option. A largely unoccupied carpark is required but it'd still take a special kind of dimwit to arrive without a full tank.

And it may come as news to some, but overtaking is not restricted to other members of the group. The manouvers I referred to involved other road users, cars. vans, whatever.
"Keeping up" had SFA to do with anything.

[russd7]

I ride with others more often than not, but I've found that staying a bit further back, far enough that I'm not tempted to use them as some sort of point of reference, (essentially riding alone anyway) effectively removes that semi-subconscious temptation.

i find being lead rider stops that target fixation as well and people seem to like to follow me anyway, effed if i know why, must be the sexy ass of the zzr, mind you, they also like to follow when im on the wing as well