Mini rant about groups of bikers…
Discussion
Firstly, I’ll declare myself a biker (although currently bikeless, my last bike was an R6) but I wanted to vent about (some/many) groups of bikers…
It seems that when bikers get together for group rides, much of basic common road sense and courtesy just goes out the window (ironic, as bikes don’t have windows).
Some examples:
A group of around 8-10 bikes riding along on a standard A road (60mph limit). First bike pulls into a lay-by, second bike follows, etc. All fine, until you get to the 5th/6th/7th/8th biker at the back at the queue who can’t fit into the (now full) lay by and just sits causing an obstruction on the main road.
(seen this happen on a number of occasions, sometimes also happens at the entrance to service stations).
Another time I was on the R6 (enjoying a swift ride) and came upon a group of bikers (Harley style), but the bunching together (and lack of mirror observation) made a courteous and safe overtake of the group impossible, so had to sit behind them all for mile after mile at a very slow (cruising) pace. I'm sure that, had it been one or two bikes, there would have been the usual assistance to overtake that you normally get.
Today’s one, hard to describe, but urban environment, partially obstructed road, first biker has joined this road from side junction but is (correctly) waiting for me to come through, but other bikers in the group join this road (no visibility) but overtake first guy and start coming towards me, kind of lemming-style.
Just wondered if any other singular bikers on here get frustrated with the ‘herd mentality’ of biker groups?
It seems that when bikers get together for group rides, much of basic common road sense and courtesy just goes out the window (ironic, as bikes don’t have windows).
Some examples:
A group of around 8-10 bikes riding along on a standard A road (60mph limit). First bike pulls into a lay-by, second bike follows, etc. All fine, until you get to the 5th/6th/7th/8th biker at the back at the queue who can’t fit into the (now full) lay by and just sits causing an obstruction on the main road.
(seen this happen on a number of occasions, sometimes also happens at the entrance to service stations).
Another time I was on the R6 (enjoying a swift ride) and came upon a group of bikers (Harley style), but the bunching together (and lack of mirror observation) made a courteous and safe overtake of the group impossible, so had to sit behind them all for mile after mile at a very slow (cruising) pace. I'm sure that, had it been one or two bikes, there would have been the usual assistance to overtake that you normally get.
Today’s one, hard to describe, but urban environment, partially obstructed road, first biker has joined this road from side junction but is (correctly) waiting for me to come through, but other bikers in the group join this road (no visibility) but overtake first guy and start coming towards me, kind of lemming-style.
Just wondered if any other singular bikers on here get frustrated with the ‘herd mentality’ of biker groups?
supertouring said:
I find a drivers anger with other road users directly proportional to their own inability to navigate them.
In most cases I agree, but you can see his point. Quite often you'll see groups of road users (car drivers can be guilty of this too) behaving like a train, and expecting other users to accommodate a train. If a few pull out of a side road, the rest will follow whether they should give way to other traffic or not for example. 
going on?Alex@POD said:
supertouring said:
I find a drivers anger with other road users directly proportional to their own inability to navigate them.
In most cases I agree, but you can see his point. Quite often you'll see groups of road users (car drivers can be guilty of this too) behaving like a train, and expecting other users to accommodate a train. If a few pull out of a side road, the rest will follow whether they should give way to other traffic or not for example. I wonder if it’s just that once you’re in a group of 5 or more, say, everyone convinces everyone else that what they’re doing is fine.
Or they feel there’s enough strength in numbers that they can say f
k everyone else, you aren’t going to challenge us. I don’t think it’s biker centric at all. It’s people being t
ts. FNG said:
Alex@POD said:
Quite often you'll see groups of road users (car drivers can be guilty of this too) behaving like a train, and expecting other users to accommodate a train. If a few pull out of a side road, the rest will follow whether they should give way to other traffic or not for example.
And cyclists too. I wonder if it’s just that once you’re in a group of 5 or more, say, everyone convinces everyone else that what they’re doing is fine.
Or they feel there’s enough strength in numbers that they can say f
k everyone else, you aren’t going to challenge us. I don’t think it’s biker centric at all. It’s people being t
ts. In all my years of driving cars,motorbikes and riding pushbikes have I ever seen a lay-by so full of bikes that they spill out onto the road,if you see this regularly you’ve been mighty unlucky or live next to the smallest layby’s ever.
Please excuse my grammar and spelling as I’ve had a couple of gins,soz.
Please excuse my grammar and spelling as I’ve had a couple of gins,soz.
Sadly, I was forced to be part of such a group over the weekend. It's amazing how 12 bikes seem not to be able to progress any more than half as quickly as 3...and don't talk to me about the amount of faffing and ttting about every time we stopped or started off again. I don't think many of my "brothers" are used to group rides. It took them 4 hours to get from Fleet Services to EX14 9ND.
Contrast that with my old TOMCC group rides, usual average age of participants about 65...that was our usual cruising speed, too. Drop off system in full effect and rarely if ever arrived anywhere at all spread out.
tting about every time we stopped or started off again. I don't think many of my "brothers" are used to group rides. It took them 4 hours to get from Fleet Services to EX14 9ND.Contrast that with my old TOMCC group rides, usual average age of participants about 65...that was our usual cruising speed, too. Drop off system in full effect and rarely if ever arrived anywhere at all spread out.
They piss me off more now than ever, its always the fking same, chasing their mates overtaking cars where they shouldn't just to 'keep up' I had some utter on a ZZR1100 on my side of the road round an unsighted bend with double whites on Sunday, I had to take major evasive action to avoid him, I'd been out all of 5 minutes, I find myself riding more and more on the unpopular 'biking' roads and have to go out earlier and earlier to avoid the dheads, I just feel like giving up and going for a drive in my convertible, then I won't have to worry about being forced off the road so much.
king same, chasing their mates overtaking cars where they shouldn't just to 'keep up' I had some utter on a ZZR1100 on my side of the road round an unsighted bend with double whites on Sunday, I had to take major evasive action to avoid him, I'd been out all of 5 minutes, I find myself riding more and more on the unpopular 'biking' roads and have to go out earlier and earlier to avoid the dheads, I just feel like giving up and going for a drive in my convertible, then I won't have to worry about being forced off the road so much.I really don’t understand why you’d ride in groups this large, 3 of us ride together, no egos, we’ve known each other for 40 years (mopeds), but it’s still quite difficult to stay together if the front two manage to get past traffic, how on earth do groups this large manage to stay connected?
gareth h said:
I really don’t understand why you’d ride in groups this large, 3 of us ride together, no egos, we’ve known each other for 40 years (mopeds), but it’s still quite difficult to stay together if the front two manage to get past traffic, how on earth do groups this large manage to stay connected?
A group of us - between 5 and 8 bikes - have toured Europe for 7 to 10 days most years. It´s impossible to keep a group that size together. So everyone has to understand the destination including any intermediate stops, and have them entered in their SatNav. Have agreed meeting times - within a range - at said stops. That way everyone can ride their own ride without any stupid overtakes to keep up with the rider in front. Sometimes we split up into agreed sub-groups so that you´re riding with 1 or 2 mates. That´s easy enough to keep together.zzrman said:
gareth h said:
I really don’t understand why you’d ride in groups this large, 3 of us ride together, no egos, we’ve known each other for 40 years (mopeds), but it’s still quite difficult to stay together if the front two manage to get past traffic, how on earth do groups this large manage to stay connected?
A group of us - between 5 and 8 bikes - have toured Europe for 7 to 10 days most years. It´s impossible to keep a group that size together. So everyone has to understand the destination including any intermediate stops, and have them entered in their SatNav. Have agreed meeting times - within a range - at said stops. That way everyone can ride their own ride without any stupid overtakes to keep up with the rider in front. Sometimes we split up into agreed sub-groups so that you´re riding with 1 or 2 mates. That´s easy enough to keep together.I don’t ride with anyone else as I’m Billy no mates (surprise surprise) but I rarely see gangs of bikers.
This maybe due to where I ride but I wouldn’t consider it a problem if I did come across said gangs.
Surely you just pick them off gradually and courtsely (sp),polite nod as you go,no problem??
I think like most other things the answer is...it depends.
I was part of 13 bikes that went out on an evening last week. We were on quiet localish roads for over 3 hours and only overtook 4 or 5 cars in that time. We weren’t in a hurry and the tail bike could keep up without a problem. We had a great evening.
Try the same on busy tourist routes on a Sunday afternoon and it would be a nightmare to keep in some semblance of a group. In that scenario 4 or 5 bikes is the limit I’d say.
Drawweight said:
I think like most other things the answer is...it depends.
I was part of 13 bikes that went out on an evening last week. We were on quiet localish roads for over 3 hours and only overtook 4 or 5 cars in that time. We weren’t in a hurry and the tail bike could keep up without a problem. We had a great evening.
Try the same on busy tourist routes on a Sunday afternoon and it would be a nightmare to keep in some semblance of a group. In that scenario 4 or 5 bikes is the limit I’d say.
Well yes but how many cars or bikes were behind who couldn't overtake you? I was part of 13 bikes that went out on an evening last week. We were on quiet localish roads for over 3 hours and only overtook 4 or 5 cars in that time. We weren’t in a hurry and the tail bike could keep up without a problem. We had a great evening.
Try the same on busy tourist routes on a Sunday afternoon and it would be a nightmare to keep in some semblance of a group. In that scenario 4 or 5 bikes is the limit I’d say.
Just after I posted last night, I put the phone down and got onto the road - and about 20 cruisers potatoed their way across the roundabout in front of me, doing exactly as Alex@pod says - first few go for a gap, the rest follow, and a car on the roundabout had to stop and wait for them all.
I've little doubt that was a strength in numbers, fk you thing. After all every single person riding a chrome-and-tassled steel horse is a badass aren't they...??
(for avoidance of doubt, see the harley thread - I'd have one - but I would ride it like a dick on my own
not in a mob of "brothers" 
I've little doubt that was a strength in numbers, f
k you thing. After all every single person riding a chrome-and-tassled steel horse is a badass aren't they...??(for avoidance of doubt, see the harley thread - I'd have one - but I would ride it like a dick on my own
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