RETIRED CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 5 ROBERT REYNOLDS
U.S. Army Africa
Vicenza, Italy
Riding in a group can be exciting and provide you an opportunity to share a great experience with old friends while meeting new ones. Compared to riding alone, however, you’ll need a different set of skills to keep you and your group safe. Here are a few safety tips to ensure everyone has an enjoyable time.
Safety briefings
Successful group rides begin with a short meeting before departure providing detailed information about the adventure. Leaders should provide all riders with maps and information concerning the route of travel, speeds, road hazards, weather, and fuel, rest and meal stops. In addition, the ride leader and the sweep and trail riders should identify themselves and demonstrate the proper hand and arm signals. The checklist below provides a useful guide for these meetings:
- Review the destination and route of travel.
- Describe how to handle lane changing and what actions to take if the group gets split up.
- Demonstrate and explain each hand signal and insist everyone use those signals.
- Determine the level of riding experience of any new group members.
- Assign new members to slot positions until the trail rider is satisfied they can properly handle their bikes.
- Have all riders inspect their bikes to ensure everything is in order. As an extra precaution, have everyone do a quick check of the bikes next to them.
Formation makeup
It’s important to maintain a staggered formation to make the group more visible to drivers and allow an adequate safety space around the riders. Also, group riding helps prevent riders from being separated by traffic. To create a staggered formation, the lead riders should position themselves in the left third of the lane with the second rider following at least one second behind and in the right third of the lane. This staggered formation should be copied by the following riders in the group, each alternately taking the left or right third of the lane while maintaining a safe following distance. Because it’s possible for a group to become too large, riders can be split into smaller formations of five to seven motorcycles.
Traversing intersections
Intersections are particularly dangerous for riders, as many motorists may fail to notice motorcycles. When turning at intersections protected by traffic signals, groups should proceed either single file or in a tight, staggered formation. At unprotected intersections, riders should proceed individually. The group can reform once everyone has safely negotiated the intersection.
Safe passing
How groups should pass slower traffic depends on the type of road. When there are sufficient multiple lanes — such as on freeways or interstates — riders should pass as a group when directed by the lead rider. On two-lane highways and roads, riders should pass individually when it’s safe.
Handling roadside emergencies
Whenever riders require assistance, the group members behind them should stop and provide help. Riders ahead of the incident should continue to the next scheduled stop and wait for everyone to catch up.
Conclusion
Riding with a group can be a great experience if everyone understands the rules and abides by them. Maintaining the integrity of the formation, taking cues from the lead rider and safely operating your bike will allow everyone in the group to enjoy the open road.