Group Riding
- Group Riding Safely
- Hand Signals
- Riding Positions
- Links
We take safety very seriously. Our Safety officer tries to hold at least two safety meetings a month. Our Road Captains and Ride Leaders do extensive planning and preparations for each ride; including the creation of ride itineraries for rides.
At the beginning of each ride, the ride leader will go over the itinerary with the group. We encourage our members to ask questions, and let the ride leader know their level of riding with our group. You may be a new rider, or have been riding for years. You may have only ridden solo, or rode with many groups. Each group adopts their own riding principles. We encourage you to attend our safety meetings, and/or talk with our Safety Officer or Road Captains about our group's riding principles. Additionally, we have a number of safe riding videos which members may borrow from the Safety Officer.
| Each rider in the group should use the hand signals exhibited by the ride leader in order to pass them back to riders who may not be able to view the ride leader's hand signals. | |||
Start |
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Stop |
Tighten Formation |
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Hazard Left |
Slow Down
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Hazard Right |
Speed Up |
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Pull Over |
| Images used with permission of Ann Arbor American HOG Chapter | |||
This staggered formation can be tight or loose, depending on the traffic conditions. Each rider should allow at least 1 second between them and the rider directly in front of them, and at least 2 seconds between them and the rider in front of them in the same side of the lane. Riders can move side to side to avoid road obsticles, but should not pass another rider in the group. In certain situations, it is safer for the group to ride in single file. See our new members guide for details on riding positions involving trikes and sidecars. |
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You also run less risk of blocking access to others trying to park in the lot. Avoid parking downhill or head-in. Try to park where you can pull through to make both the arrival and departure much smoother. If this isn't possible, try to position the motorcycles so that the group can depart as a unit in single file. |
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Upon entering the intersection, do not ride side-by-side, but allow the group to start again in a staggered formation. Do not run a traffic light. Using your itinerary, you will be able to connect with the group at the next safest stopping point. Blocking an intersection without permission and an appropriate escort is illegal. Our Chapter does not authorize any Officer, Ride Leader or member to block an intersection. |
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Take special care if passing slower vehicles or horse-drawn carriages such as those that the Amish use. Be courteous and safe by only using marked passing zones. The leader should signal their intentions first and then pull out when it is safe and legal. After completing the pass, the leader should return the the left lane position and continue at a passing speed to leave room for the next rider, then the next rider should move up to the left position and watch for a safe change to pass. After passing, this rider should return to the right position and open up room for the next rider. The rest of the group should follow the same pattern. |
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When it is safe and legal, the lead rider should signal the lane change when they have determined the entire group can change lanes and pass as a unit. The other riders then follow this lead and signal one at a time to move into the next lane. |
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