The basics of group riding are dealt with in the “New Member Information” section to the left. If you have never participated in our rides, but plan to, you should familiarize yourself with those basic rules beforehand. If it’s been awhile since you looked at them, they are worth reviewing. If you need another copy, feel free to ask.
Many riders may not appreciate is the role of the Road Captains in a given ride.
The Road Captains are listed on the second page of the monthly newsletter, and on the “Officers” page of this website. Everyone who takes part in our group rides should know who these individuals are, what bikes they ride and be able to identify them on the road. At the beginning of the ride, along with explaining the planned route, the Senior Road Captain will generally introduce the other Road Captains who will be going on the ride. If you are new to riding, or to group riding, let on of the Road Captains know before the group leaves. He will answer any questions you may have about how the ride will be handled, and will give you advice about where to place yourself in the group.
The Road Captains are responsible for making sure non-one is left stranded by a broker down bike, for ensuring everyone gets to the desitnation, and for communicating with the other Road Captains so that any problems on the road can be avoided. Many of the Road Captains have bikes equipped with CB radios to make sure the entire group stays in communication.
If there is a large group on one of the rides, the group may become separated at traffic lights, or when leaving, or entering a parking lot. If a traffic signal changes before all bikes make it through, do not panic, and do not run the light. If oncoming traffic threatens to break up the group never block traffic. The Road Captains are spaced throughout the group and they know the route. If all else fails, the last bike in the group is a Road Captain who knows the route and the destination so you won’t get lost.
A final word on blocking lanes of traffic. When the group is pulling out of a driveway, or pulling in, it is a bad idea to block traffic. In most instances it is illegal. It puts the rider blocking traffic, and the ones relying on the fact traffic is blocked at risk from being hit by an inattentive driver. An impatient driver may not realize he is dealing with a group (or may not care) and may try to pass the stopped bike, colliding with other riders in the group.
In very rare cases, the Road Captains may decide that one of their number will pull out into the curb lane on leaving a parking lot to provide oncoming drivers with a visual ?hold? on the curb lane as the group departs. The decision whether and when to do this is one made only by the Road Captains, and should be announced to the group before it leaves.
If that happens, Riders pulling onto the street should never assume it is totally safe to do so, and should check the traffic before pulling out onto the street. If an oncoming car looks like it is not going to stop, the Road Captain will need to be able to accelerate into traffic to avoid being hit.
Above all, the Road Captains are responsible for the safety of the entire group. They are the ones to notify if you have a problem, and their directions should be followed to make sure every ride goes without a hitch.