Her Madge's Outriders

[Biker 1]

I've been watching the funeral cortege live on TV - 3 outriders have ridden in perfect formation from RAF Northolt to London. In the dark, raining, & they haven't missed a beat. Seriously impressed!!

[outnumbered]

SEG, pretty much the elite of police bikers.

I'm going to a talk by an ex SEG guy in a couple of weeks time, should be interesting.

[bgunn]

My instructor from Rapid a few months back is in SEG/Royal Protection.

His riding is absolutely beyond reproach.

[HappyMidget]

Convoy support when you know how to to it is actually a fairly simple concept. executed properly it looks seamless and amazing.

[Krikkit]

What's SEG stand for?

[vonhosen]

Special Escort Group

[Biker 1]

HappyMidget said:

Convoy support when you know how to to it is actually a fairly simple concept. executed properly it looks seamless and amazing.

But how the hell do you concentrate on the formation, speed, weather, darkness, camera/phone lights constantly, reading the road, people chucking flowers at you, potential terrorist attack, risk of breakdown, etc. & then there's the stress of getting it right at a moment of history in front of millions around the world. Kudos.

[HappyMidget]

Biker 1 said:

HappyMidget said:

Convoy support when you know how to to it is actually a fairly simple concept. executed properly it looks seamless and amazing.

But how the hell do you concentrate on the formation, speed, weather, darkness, camera/phone lights constantly, reading the road, people chucking flowers at you, potential terrorist attack, risk of breakdown, etc. & then there's the stress of getting it right at a moment of history in front of millions around the world. Kudos.

You literally learn the skills in basic training supporting a marching column. The skill is learned in choreographing the movement of the riders and as the speed increases you need more than the basic 5 squad to do it doing to the extra number of junctions. It is simple in direction, but real hard in practice and these guys have done it so amazingly.

[Wills2]

HappyMidget said:

Biker 1 said:

HappyMidget said:

Convoy support when you know how to to it is actually a fairly simple concept. executed properly it looks seamless and amazing.

But how the hell do you concentrate on the formation, speed, weather, darkness, camera/phone lights constantly, reading the road, people chucking flowers at you, potential terrorist attack, risk of breakdown, etc. & then there's the stress of getting it right at a moment of history in front of millions around the world. Kudos.

You literally learn the skills in basic training supporting a marching column. The skill is learned in choreographing the movement of the riders and as the speed increases you need more than the basic 5 squad to do it doing to the extra number of junctions. It is simple in direction, but real hard in practice and these guys have done it so amazingly.

I take it that you're former SEG reading your posts in the thread, you say it's simple but having watched quite a few of these in the last few days starting with the new PMs ride back from Northolt it looks very complex to me, yet effortless at the same time which I guess is where the talent and skill/training come in.

[Giulia Jon]

I can't post in other HMQ threads due to newness but that drive from Northolt was impeccable and I was quite emotional .



I just hope no one crashed into all the stopped vehicles on the A40 .

[HappyMidget]

Wills2 said:

I take it that you're former SEG reading your posts in the thread, you say it's simple but having watched quite a few of these in the last few days starting with the new PMs ride back from Northolt it looks very complex to me, yet effortless at the same time which I guess is where the talent and skill/training come in.

Not SEG, but drilled in basic troop cover back in the day. As I say, the concepts are simple but the execution these guys have is flawless. The concepts of how it works are simple, but damn these guys work it properly.

[Mikebentley]

I used to be i/c on Categoty A Prisoner escorts and the out riders, vehicle escorts and sometimes liason with helicopters too was superb. The bikes and cars were like watching a vehicular ballet if that makes sense. We made unhindered progress usually. One day we approached 5 ways island in Birmingham and a Taxi driver in his Toyota Avensis thought he would squeeze in front of the X5 holding the traffic. His face was a picture when he saw the armed officers machine gun(sorry don’t know the term).

[rallye101]

They don't mess about do they!?
Noticed just the one in florescent yellow before the convoy in scotland( realise there were multiple up front before the one main) then x3 in London wearing black before the hearse in tight formation....take it these guys are armed etc and don't mess about?

[Pica-Pica]

There used to be a video on you tube - can’t find it lately - of an escorted vehicle (PM or Royalty) proceeding across London. The VIP’s car made constant steady-state speed throughout, as the riders stopped traffic ahead to provide a perfect ride for VIP. Not an overstatement to say that they could probably write as they travelled.

ETA: the one I recall is from the leading escort vehicle, or maybe the VIP car itself.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Tuesday 13th September 21:31

[vindaloo79]

Biker 1 said:

I've been watching the funeral cortege live on TV - 3 outriders have ridden in perfect formation from RAF Northolt to London. In the dark, raining, & they haven't missed a beat. Seriously impressed!!

Would this be available to watch later ?

[cuprabob]

vindaloo79 said:

Would this be available to watch later ?

I would imagine both iPlayer and ITV Hub will have it.

[vonhosen]

rallye101 said:

They don't mess about do they!?
Noticed just the one in florescent yellow before the convoy in scotland( realise there were multiple up front before the one main) then x3 in London wearing black before the hearse in tight formation....take it these guys are armed etc and don't mess about?

Yes all armed.

[HappyMidget]

rallye101 said:

They don't mess about do they!?
Noticed just the one in florescent yellow before the convoy in scotland( realise there were multiple up front before the one main) then x3 in London wearing black before the hearse in tight formation....take it these guys are armed etc and don't mess about?

The ones wearing the HV vests will be the outriders, the ones in black, I wouldn't fk with them. When travelling at speed you would prob need 5-8 HV guys for closing off side roads and front and back protection on a rolling basis rather than the 3 with a marching column at a guess. Add in the "blacks" and the other landy escorts and you have a very scary force around the VIPs

[Ian Lancs]

Pica-Pica said:

There used to be a video on you tube - can’t find it lately - of an escorted vehicle (PM or Royalty) proceeding across London. The VIP’s car made constant steady-state speed throughout, as the riders stopped traffic ahead to provide a perfect ride for VIP. Not an overstatement to say that they could probably write as they travelled.

ETA: the one I recall is from the leading escort vehicle, or maybe the VIP car itself.

Edited by Pica-Pica on Tuesday 13th September 21:31

This one? https://youtu.be/kmZ7hhREZhI

[rallye101]

HappyMidget said:

The ones wearing the HV vests will be the outriders, the ones in black, I wouldn't fk with them. When travelling at speed you would prob need 5-8 HV guys for closing off side roads and front and back protection on a rolling basis rather than the 3 with a marching column at a guess. Add in the "blacks" and the other landy escorts and you have a very scary force around the VIPs

They made it look easy so total pro's....