Safe Group Riding: Part 1
(Reprinted from the ISRA ‘s Star Cruiser e-magazine. Edited format slightly for complete topic printing.)
Furthermore, few riding associations currently have a comprehensive ride safety training program. In other words, how you ride when you arrive will probably be how you ride during your membership in whatever group, association, or club that you have joined. Although most associations have minimal ride leadership, there is usually no program to train riders in the practice of group riding, and no association currently mandates safety training for its ride leaders. This process often has unfortunate consequences, such as accidents, lack of rider development, loss of membership, and so on. Also, it is amazing how resistant many riders are to further education on riding. Many of your friends probably feel there is "nothing to teach them." These are also the hardest people to re-train, so be prepared for this. One stubborn individual can ruin the best ride for everyone, and this sometimes requires draconian actions to resolve, but resolved it must be, for one individual can ruin the best program if given the opportunity. By initiating and maintaining a comprehensive rider safety program, you can improve the safety of the group, increase individual awareness of both their own riding styles and the abilities of others around them, and give your Constellation another big recruiting tool. With many former riders returning to the sport after a long hiatus and many new riders eager to join an association, the benefits of a safety program are obvious and compelling. We, the membership of Rocky Mountain Dark Star, have built a training program that any Constellation can master. It is based on several ride safety programs, including, but not limited to: · The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) basic and advanced rider safety courses · The Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) group rider safety course · The ride program of the Star Touring & Riding Association · The ride safety programs of various state police agencies Together, these sources provide the foundation for our program. Once implemented, this program will increase your ride safety and enjoyment, as well as impress both your membership and observers as you roll down the road in tight formation. Two-Second RuleOne of the first concepts to learn is the so-called "Two-Second Rule." Simply put, we ride in a staggered formation, riding two seconds behind the rider directly in front of you, and one second behind the rider in the alternate column. In this formation, a rider can easily avoid any sudden problem that the riders in front may encounter. It also allows emergency stops in the event of a breakdown, flat tire, and so on. To practice this technique, a rider simply has to observe any marker on the road or side of the road. As the rider in front of you passes the marker (a signpost, pavement crack, road kill, and so on), you count, "One thousand one, one thousand two." If your tire crosses the imaginary line at the marker before you are done counting, you're too close. If you count further than "two" before you cross the line, you're too far back. Any rider can constantly re-check his or her position with this method and maintain a proper distance from other riders in the formation. This technique allows groups of all sizes to comfortably maintain group integrity with any group size. This becomes very important on multi-lane highways and freeways, where other drivers are not always courteous. The better your group can maintain a formation of riders, the less often drivers are likely to cut into your formation, which minimizes the odds of an accident. This technique can be improved with careful, steady riding on the part of the ride captain. By pulling away from stops in a slow, deliberate manner, the group can better maintain the integrity of the formation. The same holds true for lane changes and stops. In subsequent articles, I will discuss ride leader training in detail. For the present, mastering the "two-second rule" is a good beginning to a safety program that will sustain your membership and improve the safety of your group and others around you. Part 2: Uniform Rider EducationIn my last article, I discussed the need for the use of the "two-second rule" in group riding. Most of us now understand the fundamentals of group riding based upon this principle. However, many among our members have started their riding experiences under less than ideal conditions, training-wise, so this article will underscore the need for a basic rider-education program for all members as a baseline for your safety program. While most of us who have survived riding on the roads of America for any length of time will attest, there is some validity to the old saying, "There are two kinds of riders--those that have gone down and those that will go down." For those of us who have been riding longer than most rider-education programs have existed, some credit must be accorded these brave souls who have managed to survive without the benefit of any real training, in most cases. Most experts in the field of traffic safety would agree that driver education saves many lives among the most lethal of drivers, the dreaded teenager. NTSA statistics also clearly demonstrate that motorcyclists who ride without a valid license account for up to 90% of fatal accident victims (NTSA report for 1998, California). So, clearly, driver education and proper licensing are key ingredients to successful survival of our sport. Logically then, doesn't it make sense to encourage ALL of our members to take at least a basic rider-education class? The Motorcycle Safety Foundation, or MSF, has demonstrated through its rider-education program that the rate of accidents among new riders can be dramatically reduced through rider-training programs. The comparison is clear: Riders properly trained have a far greater survival rate than untrained riders. Furthermore, even the most experienced rider can benefit from a "refresher course" like one of the advanced rider-education programs currently available. These classes are usually one day and are presented from the perspective that you already are a survivor and are therefore knowledgeable about the basic rules of the road and the basic skills related to piloting a motorcycle. Your ISRA Constellation will also benefit greatly from universal training in that everyone will start from basically the same reference point when it comes to developing your rider leadership team. Once everyone has passed a rider education class, your rides become a venue for leadership development, not rehashing your basic ride rules. Your members will also benefit from insurance-premium discounts upon proof of passing the class, because most insurance companies offer reductions in rates upon graduation of a rider-education class. Finally, as most of you know, there are programs available to train your constellation in the art of group riding. The MSF, among others, has made available a video training program to assist your efforts to ride in a formation. However, without good basic riding skills on the part of EVERYONE involved, no amount of advanced training can be productive. As a footnote, remember that the friends and family you ride with (and most of you consider your fellow riders "family") will also benefit from your continued education. Certainly, we all want to make sure our brothers and sisters get home safely, and your further training improves your chances of having a safe, successful ride. So, in conclusion, this should be a simple decision. With everyone in your ride group a rider education graduate, you have uniform training of new members, a baseline from which to develop your advanced group riding skills and abilities, and the possibility of reduced insurance premiums. In other words, what are you waiting for?
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