- Chapter Meeting(Chapter Ride/Event)(3 days)
- Dinner ride to ? (MVP point ride)(Chapter Ride/Event)(10 days)
- Pinic Ride(Chapter Ride/Event)(19 days)
- LOH Bowling for Bikes - Sat, Nov 20 - 1:30-5 pm(LOH Ride/Event)(75 days)
Riding Safety |
Wild Prairie Road Captains (RC’s)
RC’s are an integral aspect of our Chapter rides. To become a designated Wild Prairie Road Captain, you must complete:
• 32 hours of new and skilled riders courses;
• 16 hours of basic and advanced Accident Scene Management courses;
• 4 hours of being observed by other Road Captains on at least one group ride;
• 8 hours of Accident Management refresher course every other year.
While the RC’s and Chapter Officers are committed to having fun on our group rides, more importantly we are dedicated to safe riding. Your RC’s consistently meet to train and plan chapter rides. This includes conducting a pre-ride before each chapter ride.
Road Captains are not compensated, and pay for their training. They do not accept financial tips, but do appreciate a “Thank you” at the end of a ride.
How Our Group Rides are Organized
Chapter rides led by your RC's are modeled after the guidelines outlined in the Harley-Davidson HOG Handbook and the Riders Edge - MSF video.
The Lead RC will begin the ride with a pre-ride briefing and introduce the other RC’s or RC’s in training, aka Road Guides. If the group is very large, it might be broken into several smaller groups each being lead by a RC.
Each group will have a Sweep RC (last bike in a group). The Sweep RC is responsible for: identifying and reporting any problems in the group; and coordinate/address breakdowns or accident scenes.
Other Group Information You Should Know
• Guest Riders - Chapter Members are responsible for ensuring that their guest(s) sign a release form. Minors need a separate signed parental release.
• New Riders or Riders New to Group Riding – please identify yourself to a Road Captain. We will place you next to a RC either in the front or the rear of the ride. Our focus is for each rider to have fun and learn to enjoy riding with a group.
• We encourage the use of hand signals to communicate. RC’s use CB radios - channel 18. Enjoy listening to the chatter.
• The Wild Prairie Chapter has a “No Alcohol” policy. We do not allow bikers to ride in a group if they have been drinking alcohol either before or during a ride. Our Road Captains have the option to ask you not to ride in the group if you have been drinking alcoholic beverages. RC’s will stop a ride if the rider does not leave the group.
Again the focus is to ride and have fun… safely.
Wild Prairie Group Rides
Show up for rides 30 minutes before the pre-ride briefing. Please give the briefing your full attention. Feel free to ask questions!
1. Have your gas tank full and an empty bladder.
2. Ensure your bike is properly maintained. Check your bike before each ride: Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis, and Kickstand.
3. Have what you will need for the ride with you; water, snacks, proper clothing, etc. Come prepared!
4. Stay Alert. Ride Safe. Use Common Sense. Be Courteous. Have Fun!
Ride Your Own Ride!
Safety 1st, Last, Always! The safety of all individuals, whether or not they are a part of the group is of paramount importance.
1. Group riding requires an extreme level of awareness and concentration.
2. Always ride within your capabilities and those of your machine.
3. Each rider commands his/her entire area within a lane and has a right to move left or right in it as required.
Risk Management Strategy - Use S.E.E.
Search - As you ride, scan the area including front, along the road, and behind you. Check your mirrors frequently for your surroundings.
Evaluate - Use this information to evaluate the situation, predict unexpected hazards and challenges and formulate strategies to deal with them.
Execute - Adjust your speed and positioning accordingly, and communicate your intentions to others.
Your Eyes and Timing
Your eyes should be scanning up the road, not fixed on the bike in front of you.
• 12 seconds - Anticipation Path - scan ahead to prepare for any situation.
• 4 seconds - Immediate Path - Time and space needed to react to hazards.
• 2 seconds - Minimum following distance between you and the bike in front of you, when conditions are ideal. Note: When in single-file formation, increase the minimum following distance between you and bike in front of you.
Normal Group Riding Maneuvers
When the RC’s are ready, the Leader will mount up, pull forward from the parking spot and wait for the group to get ready. You need to mount up, line up and get ready to leave.
When the Lead Bike sees that all riders in his/her group are ready to depart, he/she will check for traffic and enter the roadway.
Usually the Lead Bike will not exit a parking lot unless there is room for all or most of the group to follow immediately. If the group is split, the Lead Bike will take the slow lane until the group can form up in the positions that the riders will keep for the duration of the ride.
This may mean traveling slower than surrounding traffic, encouraging cars to pass, allowing the group to form up. Occasionally, this cannot be accomplished until the group has made a lane change or entered a freeway. Note: Regardless of the Lead Bike's signals, each rider is responsible for his/her own safety at all times.
Once members of the group are together, the group will ride in a staggered formation, keeping at least a 2 second distance behind the bike in front of you. Staggered formation will continue unless the Lead Bike signals for a change.
Reasons for single file: passing situation; poor road conditions; obstacles in the road; coming to an exit - entrance ramp or tight curves.
Stop Signs - Traffic Signals
Riders are expected to come to a stop side by side, two abreast. The riders should proceed through the intersections in pairs when safe to do so, left side bike first. The Lead Bike will go slowly until all members have passed through the intersection. If cars get in-between riders, let them in.
A group of bikes riding together does not exempt you from the “laws” of the road. Note: If the group gets too stretched out, the Lead Bike may slow down or pull over in a large parking lot for the group to get back in formation.
Lane Changes
Make an organized lane change when safe to do so. Lead Bike communicates the lane change first with CB (if equipped), then blinker and then hand signals. All other bikes maintaining their current lane put on their turn signals, then hand signal to indicate the move to be made. If not CB equipped, the Sweep Rider will receive the signals along with the other members of the group.
When safe, the Sweep RC will move over early to ‘secure’ the lane, other bikes hold until Lead Bike moves over. When changing lanes, the group, maintaining a staggered formation, should follow the Lead Bike helping to keep the formation solid and tight as well.
The lane change procedure will be accomplished starting with the FRONT of the column and progressing to the REAR. Each rider must make certain the lane is clear by actually turning his/her head to ensure that there is no other vehicle approaching the group in the new lane.
After confirming by head check that the new lane is clear of traffic sufficient for one bike to safely enter it, the bike in front moves across the current lane, taking up the position in the same track of the new lane where he/she was in before.
One at a time, front to back, each rider following this pattern: signal right or left, move right or left in your own lane, head check, enter new lane and take up regular position (right or left track) in the new lane.
Filling the Gap
If a rider drops out of a staggered formation it is desirable to preserve the integrity of the formation by filling the gap. Always “HEAD CHECK” before you moves to ensure the area is clear!
“Cross-Over” technique - When a bike drops out, the following bikes fill the gap, crossing over into the next column.
Two Lane Passing
If the Lead Bike decides to pass a slow moving vehicle, then, each individual rider must decide if it is safe to follow.
Only pass when you have ample room and visibility to safely complete the pass. Pass one at a time acting as an individual. Never blindly follow another bike in a passing situation. After passing, move far enough forward to allow room for the riders that will come behind you.
Leaving the Group Early
If you plan to leave the group early, notify the RC’s. This way they will know that you do not have a problem or need assistance.
Exceptions to Normal Guidelines
Ride your own Ride! Remember that riding in a group does not mean you surrender any decision making when it comes to your safety. This means that any guideline for group riding can and should be ignored when it doesn't “feel right.” Determining when this is the case and acting prudently is each rider's individual responsibility at all times.
Under normal circumstances, the Lead Bike will choose a lane, will determine the speed at which to travel and will suggest the formation which encourages safe group maneuvers. Common exceptions to these guidelines occur with a rider who is not yet experienced with group riding.
Three-wheeled bikes, bikes with a sidecar, bikes towing a trailer, should ride in the center track, should be given the same amount of space cushion as if they were a car and will be placed in the rear of the group.
KEY MESSAGES
1. Get trained and licensed.
2. Wear protective gear -- all the gear, all the time -- including a helmet manufactured to the standards set by the DOT.
3. Do not ride if you if you are impaired from alcohol or drugs.
4. Ride within your own skill limits.
5. Be a lifelong learner by taking refresher rider courses
Hand Signals While Riding
Riding in a Group
When you arrive at your starting point, be ready to ride! This includes:
• Full tank of gas
• Appropriate clothing for the weather
• Well-rested and fed!
• Bike in safe operating condition.
Make sure everyone has a map/list of the route with proposed stops (lunch, fuel, sightseeing, re-group stops, etc.) marked. There is nothing worse than having an emergency stop or getting hung up at an intersection and not knowing where you are at or the address of your stops and final destination!
Ride in a staggered formation, with a minimum of 2 seconds between you and the rider directly in front of you (1 second between you and the rider staggered to your left or right). This allows you the entire lane to ride in and gives an extra margin of safety.
Ride your ride and not the rider’s in front of you. Look down the road and through the corners—not at the bike ahead of you. (I.e., if the speed is too fast for your comfort, don’t do it; in an intersection with a light—stop if you have to, don’t go just to keep the group together, etc.)
A group is not a “single vehicle.” Be courteous and allow cars to enter/exit a highway or change lanes. Make sure you let the riders behind you know what is going on.
If you decide to split off from the ride, make a reasonable attempt to alert the entire group to your departure. If re-grouping does not happen soon enough for you, you must let at least one person know you are leaving!
For more group riding information or to actually do a practice group ride, contact the Road Captain. Send them an e-mail with your questions, to receive a pamphlet, or find out when the next practice group ride is scheduled.
A group ride is very impressive, but you need to play it safe! If you feel totally uncomfortable in a large group, then don’t do it—no one will think any less of you or your motorcycle skills! Safety First!
That being said, riding in a group is easy and safe if you know the ground rules and everyone is on the same page. In the Wild Prairie Chapter we ride staggered. This means the lead bike is always in the left half of the lane, and the second bike is in the right half-about 1 second back. Bike three is in the left half 1 second back. While each bike is maintaining only a 1 second following distance, the distance between the bike immediately in front of you is 2 seconds and each bike has full use of the lane should they need it and in curves. There is no one riding next to you since we are staggered, so avoid crowding the center-line or pavement edge. (following distances refer to the well-known "2-second rule" and may need to be increased, but try to avoid huge gaps) Take your staggered position as we leave the parking lot. Once underway, should gaps need filling, it is preferred that riders slide, as opposed to criss-crossing from side to side. However, DO NOT slide past a rider to fill a gap without first being waved ahead by that rider. The safety aspect of being motioned ahead by the other rider is obvious, but it also satisfies the legal maneuver of passing within the same lane. (at least in Minnesota..."Splitting traffic is illegal. No one except on-duty police officers may ride between lanes of traffic or in the same lane with other vehicles. It is legal for two motorcyclists to ride side-by-side in the same lane if both riders agree to it beforehand."
When stopped at intersections it is usually better to pair-up and tighten ranks. Each right-side bike moves up to be beside the left-side bike. If a stoplight, resume the stagger as you move out on the green. If a stop sign, proceed thru as a pair then resume stagger. Take turns as pairs with other traffic. Do not block traffic! (as nice as that might be, none of us are deputized-and if something goes wrong you don't want the report to state that you ran a stop sign!) This can get tricky as sometimes one of the cars will yield to us but the other side may not. Your default position is to exercise caution and follow the law.
Lane changes: Whenever the group is changing lanes, don't assume it is safe for YOU to change lanes, always make a head check first. Don't 'criss-cross' the stagger formation- Example: If you are second bike and leader calls for lane change to the right, you should be in that lane before the leader crosses over. If passing, don't return to lane too soon and don't cut-off the vehicle you just passed.
Breakdowns: If you breakdown, signal your intention to pull-over and do so safely. The rest of the pack should continue on. One of the road captains will stop to assist you. We don't need 40 bikes pulled over on the side of the road.