Packs of motorcyclists
Discussion
Driving through Scotland today on the A9, saw a large number of Harley riders around as there is some event on.
They were riding in large closely grouped packs, blocking the outside lanes of DC sections and doing insane slow overtaking manoeuvres on single carriageway sections (with lots of average speed cameras) on their lumbering fat noise machines. Several time cars were required to take evasive action when they had to cut back in when they met oncoming vehicles.
Obviously the usual group dynamic of suspend personal judgement to follow the herd applied here and explains the dangerous riding.
The question is what is best practice for group riding?
They were riding in large closely grouped packs, blocking the outside lanes of DC sections and doing insane slow overtaking manoeuvres on single carriageway sections (with lots of average speed cameras) on their lumbering fat noise machines. Several time cars were required to take evasive action when they had to cut back in when they met oncoming vehicles.
Obviously the usual group dynamic of suspend personal judgement to follow the herd applied here and explains the dangerous riding.
The question is what is best practice for group riding?
ts like thatThey occasionally bless the New Forest with their presence. Their favourite occupation seems to be riding through quiet local villages and hoping everyone is looking. To me they just look like a sad bunch who like to dress up as Americans. I totally get wanting to ride a nice motorbike through lovely countryside but pretending you are Dennis Hopper is plain daft.
ZetecTDCI said:
It’s the Thunder in the Glen Harley rally at Aviemore this weekend. Seen reports of more than 3000 bikes there this weekend
I stay just up the road so popped down to meet up with some friends. The weather was a bit dreich and it didn't seem as busy as other years.To answer the OP - a lot of these riders are affiliated to HOG (Harley Owners Group); when riding they can have quite a strict protocol with a 'road captain' up front who leads the way. The rest of the group are meant to follow in a close formation with no breaking ranks. Consequently, they tend to form a bit of a rolling roadblock at 50-60mph.
Fine for 4 lane American freeways but a bit of a nightmare on the A9.
For a group that are meant to be 'rugged individualists' a lot of their behaviours, looks and attitudes are remarkably sheep-like.
Bobtherallyfan said:
They occasionally bless the New Forest with their presence. Their favourite occupation seems to be riding through quiet local villages and hoping everyone is looking. To me they just look like a sad bunch who like to dress up as Americans. I totally get wanting to ride a nice motorbike through lovely countryside but pretending you are Dennis Hopper is plain daft.
It's no more daft than pretending you are Valentino Rossi , or Bradley Wiggins. :-)jhonn said:
I stay just up the road so popped down to meet up with some friends. The weather was a bit dreich and it didn't seem as busy as other years.
To answer the OP - a lot of these riders are affiliated to HOG (Harley Owners Group); when riding they can have quite a strict protocol with a 'road captain' up front who leads the way. The rest of the group are meant to follow in a close formation with no breaking ranks. Consequently, they tend to form a bit of a rolling roadblock at 50-60mph.
Fine for 4 lane American freeways but a bit of a nightmare on the A9.
For a group that are meant to be 'rugged individualists' a lot of their behaviours, looks and attitudes are remarkably sheep-like.
Exactly!To answer the OP - a lot of these riders are affiliated to HOG (Harley Owners Group); when riding they can have quite a strict protocol with a 'road captain' up front who leads the way. The rest of the group are meant to follow in a close formation with no breaking ranks. Consequently, they tend to form a bit of a rolling roadblock at 50-60mph.
Fine for 4 lane American freeways but a bit of a nightmare on the A9.
For a group that are meant to be 'rugged individualists' a lot of their behaviours, looks and attitudes are remarkably sheep-like.
A guy at work briefly owned an 883 Harley, and did the whole hog group thing with the leather waistcoat etc.
They had very strict rules about riding formation, and parking up exactly.
This guy was a finance manager at a local council- they were all late middle aged professionals trying to rekindle their missed youth i think.
Luckily he grew out of it...though think he got a BMW GS after that...
Ian Geary said:
Exactly!
A guy at work briefly owned an 883 Harley, and did the whole hog group thing with the leather waistcoat etc.
They had very strict rules about riding formation, and parking up exactly.
This guy was a finance manager at a local council- they were all late middle aged professionals trying to rekindle their missed youth i think.
Luckily he grew out of it...though think he got a BMW GS after that...
Funny you shoudl say that. "People" say that an awful lot of Harley riders are accountants and lawyer, Seems so!A guy at work briefly owned an 883 Harley, and did the whole hog group thing with the leather waistcoat etc.
They had very strict rules about riding formation, and parking up exactly.
This guy was a finance manager at a local council- they were all late middle aged professionals trying to rekindle their missed youth i think.
Luckily he grew out of it...though think he got a BMW GS after that...
When I rode a sports bike you'd always get nods from all other riders, other than Harley riders. Same in the services, totally ignored. Strange really, but that's folk!
Griffith4ever said:
Funny you shoudl say that. "People" say that an awful lot of Harley riders are accountants and lawyer, Seems so!
When I rode a sports bike you'd always get nods from all other riders, other than Harley riders. Same in the services, totally ignored. Strange really, but that's folk!
They are just following the rules of their tribe.When I rode a sports bike you'd always get nods from all other riders, other than Harley riders. Same in the services, totally ignored. Strange really, but that's folk!
jhonn said:
I stay just up the road so popped down to meet up with some friends. The weather was a bit dreich and it didn't seem as busy as other years.
To answer the OP - a lot of these riders are affiliated to HOG (Harley Owners Group); when riding they can have quite a strict protocol with a 'road captain' up front who leads the way. The rest of the group are meant to follow in a close formation with no breaking ranks. Consequently, they tend to form a bit of a rolling roadblock at 50-60mph.
Fine for 4 lane American freeways but a bit of a nightmare on the A9.
For a group that are meant to be 'rugged individualists' a lot of their behaviours, looks and attitudes are remarkably sheep-like.
Interesting that it is the "code of conduct" to ride dangerously.To answer the OP - a lot of these riders are affiliated to HOG (Harley Owners Group); when riding they can have quite a strict protocol with a 'road captain' up front who leads the way. The rest of the group are meant to follow in a close formation with no breaking ranks. Consequently, they tend to form a bit of a rolling roadblock at 50-60mph.
Fine for 4 lane American freeways but a bit of a nightmare on the A9.
For a group that are meant to be 'rugged individualists' a lot of their behaviours, looks and attitudes are remarkably sheep-like.
They seem to think nothing of riding on the wrong side of the road at oncoming traffic in their group.
911hope said:
Griffith4ever said:
Funny you shoudl say that. "People" say that an awful lot of Harley riders are accountants and lawyer, Seems so!
When I rode a sports bike you'd always get nods from all other riders, other than Harley riders. Same in the services, totally ignored. Strange really, but that's folk!
They are just following the rules of their tribe.When I rode a sports bike you'd always get nods from all other riders, other than Harley riders. Same in the services, totally ignored. Strange really, but that's folk!
I lived in Australia for a while and there they didn’t wave. They seemed to try to intimidate (tough stares) in Australia too.
I‘m also not a fan of group rides. I do maybe one a year.
Thank you for posting this. Captured it perfectly.
Skeptisk said:
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