Rules of Engagement

[Verranth]

I was out yesterday just riding around and on my way back, another biker came by. I got to the traffic light first, stopped and was on the left middle part of the road...say...between lane 1 and 2. He came behind me, rolled up beside me. As he did, the light turned green and he kept on.

I thought that was kind of rude. Is this normally acceptable?

At the next light, I stopped but stayed on lane 1 cause I figured if he did it before, why not again. This time, expecting it, he did the same thing, and I pulled up my visor and we talked til the light changed. Ok, no big deal.

I take off, and he takes off immediately with me. Great! Now we are riding side by side. I go a little faster, but he stays right on my tail. WTF. I slowed the f*** down and he passes by and I stay the proper distance behind him.

I catch up to him once more at the final red light and I asked him how long he had been riding. He stated about a month. I told him the same. Asked about his bike, and R6, he bought it new and was out riding to get more practice. Light turns green, i yell out "Bye", let him go first, and take the next exit out towards my house.

1. So, I'm wondering if its ok to ride that close (i doubt it) and how many of you guys would do the same thing.

2. At a light, would you pull up right next to a rider you didnt know?

 

[99vengeur]

1. So, I'm wondering if its ok to ride that close (i doubt it) and how many of you guys would do the same thing.

2. At a light, would you pull up right next to a rider you didnt know?

Hmmm....strange encounter, that's for sure.

For me, I don't ride up next to someone unless I know them and they expect me to be there. Imagine rolling up next to somebody that didn't anticipate sharing the lane and they decide to move to your side or swerve to avoid something in the road. That could spell disaster for both riders.

I like to ride staggered, and stay that way for the most part at stops, unless I am talking with the front rider. For strangers, I won't ride all that close because I don't know their skill level and attitude toward responsible riding practices.

Always better to err on the side of caution, if you ask me.

 

[MNDZA]

Some people just don't know how to ride with others. I rode with a group last time and this one guy kept screwing up the staggered formation and was right on my ass to my right so that if I had to swerve, I was gonna have to take him out doing it.

 

[zig308]

A bit strange indeed. Having only ridden on an actual road once, I would probably pull up behind other riders as if I was in a car rather than on the side.

Also being a newb, I probably wouldn't be up for much chit chat since my thoughts will be on learning for a fair bit longer. No reason not to maintain a normal safe driving distance from any other riders/drivers. Just 'cause one is on a bike doesn't change the rules of safe following distance.

 

[ramflyer1899]

Never ride next to someone else. You need the swerve room just in case.

 

[Senaca]

At stoplights, I will pull up beside another bike (unless it's a cruiser though), providing that they are in proper lane position. I then let them accelerate first before I begin to follow in a staggered position.

Generally, I will try to stagger-up if I'm behind a bike. Would never get too close while riding though, that would drive me crazy. Most bikes in my area seem to operate this same way.

 

[Funkmaxtor]

Always ride staggered! or if the front rider is out of position for the staggered formation drop back and give a 4 second or great following time.

What I would do if in your situation is to let him pass then drop in staggered or stay behind him.

 

[fz6rwolf]

What they said.

 

[Roaddawg]

ditto here about staggering and keeping your distance. The only time I think its acceptable to pull up side by side is if your both splitting traffic and pull up to the front of the light. I've moved over to let them get next to me so they don't have to be in between two vehicles when the light turns green. Then when it turns green, you get back into staggered formation. That's me 2 cents.

 

[SoulRider]

I always defer to staggered formaion. If the guy is on the left side of the lane I let him go first and then I ride behind and to the right. The guy in front of riding formations is always supposed to be on the left, correct?

 

[Funkmaxtor]

You are correct!

 

[Verranth]

Heh. I was on the left for all the times we stopped. After the first time, I just let him go first. I figured that would be safest, since he wasnt going to fall back.

 

[oyamyers]

Sounds like that guy needs to take the safty course and learn about riding. I always ride staggered formation. When I do ride with a group and we pull up to a light we will sit side by side and the rider on the left goes first. I have also come up behind other riders at a light. I tend to sit back on the right and give them space. A couple of times the other rider will wave me up so we can talk. I never assume they want me next to them. I wait for the wave.

 

[xplodnstar]

That's the best way to handle it. If the other rider does not have any sense or is simply being rude, just let them go. But remember to say a little prayer when you pass their inevitably downed bike later.

 

[[email protected]]

I always stagger when riding, but at a light I will pull up a little closer depending on how much of the lane is available, but it is with RESPECT. I feel that most bikers out there offer respect to other bikers...and rarely do I experience anything less than that. I think bikers are a lot more perceptive than the average car driver and can tell when it is appropriate to come up closer to another biker. If someone pulls close to me I trust that it is with respect as well. Remember on the road it is us against them...them being the cars.

 

[Wrel]

I had a similar, strange experience when riding.

I was in a two-lane back road that t-boned into another road; so a stop sign and you can turn left or right. I was turning right. I approached the stop sign on the right side of my lane, and came to a stop. Some traffic was coming from the left so I decided to let it go before I pulled out behind them, Unknown to me, another rider was behind me, and he pulled up in the left side of my lane. He stopped, looked, and decided he didn't want to wait for the car on the left, and just took the right turn and sped off.

That was a bit strange to me. He was behind me the whole ride, and pulled to my left side, and took the turn outside around me to go the same way I was going. I wouldn't fathom to just pull around someone if I were in the same situation but in a car and drive on by, but it seemed second nature for him. He didn't even make eye contact with me, just saw the car and must have thought "meh I can make it" and drove right around me.

Is that normal?

 

[Roaddawg]

Is that normal?

For idiots, Yeah! For the rest of us courteous and respectful riders, No.

 

[tractorboy]

Illegal to lane share here in NY...I always stagger to the opposite side if Im behind another bike......( and expect the same in return)

BUT....I had the same thing happen once...guy used it as opportunity to pass me cuz when the light changed..he was GONE...

I consider that a Dickish move!

I stay behind the other bike in the staggard formation and have people do the same to me for the most part.

 

[JonKerr]

Here's a good post I saw on another forum a while back.

GROUP RIDING ETIQUETTE 101

Group riding is fun, but can be a tricky thing, especially when there are some newbies in the group. So please read the following.

1) Always ride in staggered formation, unless we start hitting hard twisties, then ride in single file. Allow yourself a safe distance from the rider ahead of you.

2) For experienced riders: Always show your front wheel before passing. Only attempt this if and only it is safe. For example, overtaking a cager or fellow rider when an upcoming turn is only 30 or 40 feet away is not safe since it does not give the cager/rider ahead enough time to react.

3) Never pass or buzz by in the same lane UNLESS waved on first.

4) Never pass during a curve or turn.

5) Signal lane changes with signal lights and or hand signals.

6) Signal debris in the road with foot signals to alert the rider behind you. That rider in turn will do the same to alert the rider behind him and so on.

7) Always ride at YOUR pace within your limits... NEVER try to keep up if someone is riding faster than you. Don't worry, the group will always wait at the next turn-off.

 

[dart1963]

I know Verranth knows how to group ride, I think his question is more of a, has this ever happened to you.....

Being that the guy was somewhat new, he may have been looking for the conversation, but you might have told him when you talked that he should stay back and to the right while riding, in case you needed to swerve, if he wanted to talk at lights, then that wouldn't be bad... jspansel and I do it most of the time, just to kill time... don't know I'd do it with a stranger though, and I do get behind other riders fairly often, I'll just give a nod, and keep my distance unless they wave me up (which hasn't happened).