Group Riding
Yesterday the 360Bikers group had a great ride. We met at John G’s for breakfast and after a delayed start rode north along the Atlantic Ocean for a great view of nature and multi-million dollar mansions. The weather was perfect. Some of my fellow riders asked about safe riding in groups and while I could explain some of the basics, I found it a good idea to create a page with the information as a reference. So, here are some pieces of information for you.
There are at least two major social groups within the riding community and they are separated by those very words. The first group is the social group. They will typically all gather at a restaurant, club or bar to talk and meet other riders. They typically ride to their destination alone and meet others there.
The second group of riders is more like 360Bikers. We’re about the ride. Socializing is part of the whole picture as we meet lots of really great people on our rides, but mostly we like to ride somewhere and feel the wind.
Often we have riders of varied experience when it comes to riding as a group. There are some basic rules and hand signals that help the group ride together safely. I found the link below in a search for a quick, easy-to-learn presentation of the basics for group riding. I recommend you read them before riding with any group. They are important to the safety of the group as you ride.
The file below is in PDF so you will need a reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader. Just click the link. The information sheet is only two pages and has excellent graphics. It takes just a minute or two to read, but I recommend studying the hand signals as if every ride is a test you’re taking. Safety is a primary concern in our group rides at 360Bikers.
I also found the video below to be a nice perspective on riding. CLICK HERE to link to that video.
There are also some animated instructions on the meet up site. CLICK HERE to go to the page on group riding safety.