Excerpt from: Happenings
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| August 01, 2008 | | Safety and Group Riding | A recent group ride across several states gave me plenty of time to think about group riding, and safety concerns.
First, our group was too big. I know that it is fun to ride with a large group, but it simply doesn't work all that well. When you get up to 20 riders, you just won't make all the lights together. Cars will have to cut in, and you cannot just stay in a long double file formation.
From a riding perspective, it is better to form into smaller groups of riders that have similar riding skills, bikes, and styles. It just works better.
With a large group, you are going to constantly have riders making decisions about stop lights, going around cars, where to ride in the pack, and so forth. With a smaller group, you have a lot less.
Another factor is that some riders like to stop and look at the scenery, others like to push for miles, some prefer spending time in dealerships. I don't like to spend time in a gas station, except for the minimum time needed to fuel and hit the head. However, it seems foolish to me to constantly blast through the best scenery on the trip. I'd rather periodically breath the air and enjoy the view from a fixed spot off the bike.
While it isn't necessarily safer to stop so much, it is safer to match your stops to your personal preferences. Again, easier in smaller groups.
One key thing to remember is that many of us are social animals. We prefer riding with others, because it adds to the enjoyment. This is particularly true at lunch stops and when stopping for the night. It really isn't that hard to plan the lunch stops ahead, and to provide everyone with a daily ride map. In this way, the urgency to stay with the group is greatly diminished.
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