Group Riding Fail

[ToddC]

I had to do this to a car when I was just 20 years old, on a four lane freeway. Put a dent in his door as he was merging into my lane without looking. Spooky.
T

 

[Highway STar]

I have been on many Drop and Sweep rides and on most of them the only time I see another bike is when I come up to the next crumb. So I feel it bears no resemblance to what I would call "formation" riding. I think this is the image some may have of what a "group ride" is. The only time I would even consider such a thing would be in a parade as UP has intimated. Even when on a drop and sweep ride and we are going through a town I always stagger both front to back and in opposite tracks to give us all as much room to maneouver as possible.

The benefits of riding in a group ride doing drop and sweep far outweigh the costs. It lets someone who is not familiar with the area to have an incredible day of riding on great roads without getting lost or being glued to the GPS - itself a potential danger that the drop and sweep handles easily. And personally I have never been hassled by law enforcement, neither as a crumb nor riding remote sparsely-trafficked roads. I actually appreciate being able to stop for a bit every once in a while and be a crumb.

In 5 years of riding in drop and sweep there have been only two times that it was a long wait. Both were from someone having a mechanical breakdown somewhere behind us. It was a little boring but knowing that someone was looking out for us all and that others were depending on us to have some patience were well paid for by the excellent riding we got to do in an area we knew nothing about.

I totally understand the desire to explore at your own pace and the reluctance to have to be responsible for someone else on the road. It's not for everybody, that's for sure. But even the STOC events have several different rides every day, from leisurely to spirited. You pretty quickly figure out which group you belong to.

It has made it much easier for my pillion to appreciate and enjoy our trips together and I am very glad that UP and others have put it to such good use in my service. Uncle Phil and Catcher and others that have put the time and effort into planning the rides I have been on, I can't thank you enough. All I have to do is get there and the rest is taken care of. We even got a free lunch last year in Muskoka! How cool is that?

 

[beeker]

Way cool! It speaks to the high regard the restaurant owners have for our esteemed route planner. Although I can respect the ability required to avoid running into
another rider on a formation ride the only time I found myself in that situation I left the group early on. I didn't feel I had the ability to ride safely nor did I trust the others with my well being. Incidentally, that weekend was the only time I've been involved in a (minor) collision on my st, when i was hit from behind by a cruiser ..... at a stop sign. And yes, it was after this I left the group.
I recommend drop and sweep ... and just in case ... know the location for lunch!

I have been on many Drop and Sweep rides and on most of them the only time I see another bike is when I come up to the next crumb. So I feel it bears no resemblance to what I would call "formation" riding. I think this is the image some may have of what a "group ride" is. The only time I would even consider such a thing would be in a parade as UP has intimated. Even when on a drop and sweep ride and we are going through a town I always stagger both front to back and in opposite tracks to give us all as much room to maneouver as possible.

The benefits of riding in a group ride doing drop and sweep far outweigh the costs. It lets someone who is not familiar with the area to have an incredible day of riding on great roads without getting lost or being glued to the GPS - itself a potential danger that the drop and sweep handles easily. And personally I have never been hassled by law enforcement, neither as a crumb nor riding remote sparsely-trafficked roads. I actually appreciate being able to stop for a bit every once in a while and be a crumb.

In 5 years of riding in drop and sweep there have been only two times that it was a long wait. Both were from someone having a mechanical breakdown somewhere behind us. It was a little boring but knowing that someone was looking out for us all and that others were depending on us to have some patience were well paid for by the excellent riding we got to do in an area we knew nothing about.

I totally understand the desire to explore at your own pace and the reluctance to have to be responsible for someone else on the road. It's not for everybody, that's for sure. But even the STOC events have several different rides every day, from leisurely to spirited. You pretty quickly figure out which group you belong to.

It has made it much easier for my pillion to appreciate and enjoy our trips together and I am very glad that UP and others have put it to such good use in my service. Uncle Phil and Catcher and others that have put the time and effort into planning the rides I have been on, I can't thank you enough. All I have to do is get there and the rest is taken care of. We even got a free lunch last year in Muskoka! How cool is that?

 

[Jim C-G]

I don't do local group rides... the Toy Runs, the Ride for Dad etc., etc.. I will occasionally pop by when they start to drop off a donation but I usually go off and do my own thing. There are always a few people who are way over their heads just putting a leg over the seat. I've thoroughly enjoyed and felt safe on the few group rides at STOC events and hope to do more when travel opens up. Drop and sweep is great. No one is pushed to ride faster than they feel safe but I can attest to the fact that following UP requires concentration and hones your technical skills.

 

[wjbertrand]

I don't know that anyone can assure us that in such an event, reckless and random as it was, any rider or group of riders could have done much to avoid this.
We weren't there.
Sure, some may have escaped death, but at the same time, more could well have perished.

I recall reading at the time this happened that there was a statement that the bikes were running in close formation and it was considered a contributing factor to the magnitude of the tragedy.

 

[Sadlsor]

I'm just saying, there are always variables.
Bigger truck, fewer riders, faster truck, larger group, higher skill levels, lower skill levels... no matter what, it is a tragedy.
Could have turned out better, or worse, depending on lots of things, and some of those things we can never control.
No argument; it is what it is.