question about riding with people

[jesse_k]

I have lately been meeting up with people and going riding and lately i have been running into something that is a little weird. The last couple of times I have gone for mini rides we seem to always have someone with us that is either new on a bike or has a bike that has a little to much power for what they are used to. Sometimes I dont mind it but there are some times like when I am going into a good turn that I really dont want to have to slam on my brakes to avoid rear ending them. The problem is that they always seem to take offense to any critiquing them on the way they ride, and when i go to get ahead of them they are all over the place trying to pass me, the last one was kinda funny because he was on a gsxr 600 and i am on a rc51 and he was amazed that i passed him so easily and then spent the rest of the ride trying to get in front of me. What do people do about the new kid, do i just not ride with him? Do we just deal with it knowing he will get better with time? or do we just become snobs and only ride with the people we know?

[Proulx06]

I am a noob, through and through. I just want to point out that you're not describing the typical newbie, you're describing the typical asshole.

I've only been on one ride and the person behind me was also new, so I haven't run into this. But if I'm ever riding with any of you and I'm going too slow for your tastes, just let me know and go right on past me. No hard feelings. And I'll take all the pointers you want to give me. It sounds strange to me that someone would actually get pissed at that...

[babo]

+1 become a snob.

That's exactly why I wont do "group rides" of over three riders.

There is always someone faster than me that I'm trying to keep up with, or someone is always trying to keep up with me.

Is it a character flaw?

[OreoGaborio]

Tell him if he doesn't leave his fucking pride at home then he'll end up lying next to his bike instead of sitting on it. New riders have got to accept advice from more experienced riders and stay humble or you're gonna GET humbled... either by another rider or your own bike. There's ALWAYS someone else out there that knows what they're doing 1000 times more than you do and everyone should accept that fact. I know when I started riding w/ other riders i was like a fucking sponge, soaking in all the information, advice etc they could give me... I'm still like that today after 11 thousand short miles and 7 days of track time and i think that's shown in how i've improved my skills. The more compliments I get on my riding, especially from other riders I respect, further increases my desire to improve.

Now as far as giving advice, I always feel weird about it... i know there's stuff i can teach newer riders but I'm still a rookie myself so it's tough to tell someone they're doing something wrong w/o feeling like i'm being arrogant about it, especially when they're not receptive to what you wanna tell em. But often there's something they can do better & they need to know it, especially if it's a safety concern. Tell them straight out that they're doing something that's needlessly increasing their chance for injury & this is how it can be resolved.

[Honclfibr]

The first rule of ride club is ride your own ride. If you want to be in front, do so but make sure you pass cleanly and safely, and don't pass another rider unless you can remain consistently in front of them. If you want to follow, do so but give the forward rider enough room in the corners that you don't spook them by riding their ass; if you're riding their ass in the corners pass them.

If you want to be slow, great, smell the daisies hang back and everyone will wait for you at the next stop sign. Don't bitch at them for zooming ahead, it's not their responsibility to ride at your speed any more than it's your responsibility to ride at their speed. If you want to ride fast great, do so and hang the corners just wait at every stop sign/turn to make sure that at least the rider immeidately behind you can see which direction you are taking.

If you want to wheelie/stunt, great ,do it far away from anyone else in case you screw it up and preferrably way up at the front of the line so you can act as the sacrificial dickhead for police since you feel the need to attract attention to yourself. If you don't, great, but don't bitch about it you were probably just doing double the posted speed limit so it's not like you're johnnie dogooder either, everyone gets off in their own way.

Those are my rules and they are mostly unspoken common sense type things, as long as people follow them you can ride with all manner of bikes/skill levels/toolness and still have a good time.

[RandyO]

ahhh.... hammer it down the straight, park it in the corner

it gets annoying, I don't critisize, cause critisizing doesn't help, seat time is what helps, if your going on faster paced rides, everybody should be at the same skill level. but for the noobs, the blind leading the blind doesn't help their skill

if you wan the comraderie, just deal with it, if not, be a snob

[dhuze]

speaking of bike snobs

Originally posted by Half Squid
Underground is the way I have gone lately. Sorry!

Too many HUGE Group rides with "TOOLS" (Squids) showing up. I dont want any unwanted attention drawn to my rides anymore than we bring apon ourselves riding aggresively and at a decent pace. Of coarse there is a time and place for that also, not through the center of towns or heavily reidentail area's...

There was somone not too long ago in my group asphalt surfing and wheelying everywhere mid-pack. I never did see it or I would have said something..

I've takin myself out of the loop once again and will only ride with people I know. So far our rides have been incedent free and fun as hell. We all have the same skill level of riding and ride with the same mind aspect! Not too mention we get alone fantasticly!

I may try to put together one big group ride in the near futur heading out to VT, but there will be strick rules involved, and multiple skill level groups broken up. I will determine who rides in which group to the best of my ability. Hopefully I can accomidate everyone so we all have a great time.. * It will not be a fast paced ride, but moderate with excellent roads to keep everyone entertained. Keep your eye out.. I am thinking the 3 week in September this will happen. Keep Sept 24 Free if your interested !!!

Mike

[twrayinma]

i don't ride with anyone from this goddamn board anymore.

[TheIglu]

I'm gunna have to take the snob route myself.

I've paid my dues and ridden with newbies. I've given advice. I've dealt with assholes. I've lead rides with strangers that have ended up good and also ended up very bad.

I don't mind riding with newbies who are responsible. Even if they crash, no big deal. What I can't stand is people who don't realize that it isn't a solo ride and it shouldn't be ridden like one.

I like to ride to enjoy the ride, not to fulfill a civic obligation to help other people out. So lately I've chosen to limit my riding to rides I am confident I will enjoy. It's no fun getting stuck babysitting one rider who has never touched their front brake in their lives on a ride with 25 faster people. It's even worse riding with a dick on a literbike who has something to prove but no safety sense.

I still ride with newbies about half the time. Last time was a newbie with less than 300 miles under his belt. I had no problem takin it easy. I enjoyed the ride. Why? Cause he rode smart, listened to my advice (I didn't say take) and that made my ride pleasurable. I don't care if he throws it in first around every corner. I'd much rather have that than someone who feels the need to pass a car into a corner to keep up with the guy in front of him.

I've been nice and it's bit me in the ass too many times.

Imagine riding with just fellow riders who are courteous (didn't say fast or experienced). It makes the day so much better.

My "advice" here? Don't ride with people you aren't comfortable riding with. A simple "this isn't the type of ride I was lookin to do today" or a "you guys are a little too fast for me" can save a lot of headaches down the line. It doesn't matter if it's a lie, just use those as excuses to get out of it without pushing anyone's buttons. Keep trying rides until you find 1 or 2 people you seem to flow really well with as far as riding style, safety concerns, responsibility levels on the road, etc. Then ask them about other rides. Odds are that they are looking for similar people to ride with as well.

End of rant.

[Half Squid]

Originally posted by dhuze
speaking of bike snobs

Hey! I resemble that remark....

I have met most of the people I know today from group rides in the past and have grown into a position where I have lots of good riders to hang with. I am never against meeting and riding with new people or Noobs, just as long as they have a good head on their sholders and do not ride above their own ability.

I have no problems waiting for people during rides if your being responsible! The one thing I dont want to do is find out you were pushing it to keep up with the group and end up off the road into a tree or worse. Thats what kills me. I dont want to see harm to anyone. Not to mention it could seriously harm an innocent person on the side of the road like a pedestrian or even a fellow rider, as well as ruin everyones day dealing with cops, hospitals, tow trucks, and possibly being the person to call your significant other or worse Mother to tell them you crashed and are in the ER somewhere...

Who knows, I could surprise you one weekend day and show up for one of these posted rides! It's not always a bunch of tools, this I know. A lot of you guys here sound very responsible! Except for that guy that feeds the Bears...

Mike

[Kham]

Originally posted by RandyO
ahhh.... hammer it down the straight, park it in the corner

it gets annoying, I don't critisize, cause critisizing doesn't help, seat time is what helps, if your going on faster paced rides, everybody should be at the same skill level. but for the noobs, the blind leading the blind doesn't help their skill

if you wan the comraderie, just deal with it, if not, be a snob

listen to this guy. he's know better.

[Awesome]

I'm a snob.

[Kham]

god damn snob!

[dhuze]

Originally posted by Half Squid
.............. A lot of you guys here sound very responsible! Except for that guy that feeds the Bears...

Mike

I'm with you on that. Anyone who feeds bears can't be all there. Especially If they just walk right up to them and give em doughnuts and bird seed.

[ChrisNoF4i]

Originally posted by dhuze
I'm with you on that. Anyone who feeds bears can't be all there. Especially If they just walk right up to them and give em doughnuts and bird seed.

Not to mention they are fucking with the ecosystem. And the ecosystem is something that shan't be fucked with.


By the way, I've seen this thread a baziliion times already.

[richw]

First many years ago a guy on a Honda 400 4 showed me what could be done on a twisty road...How he do that.

Then I was the coolest guy I knew and with the best brand new superbike and an ex racer on a BMW K100 with his girl friend on the back left me for dead... How he do that.

Then I found a guy a little better then me and I followed him with the logic that I could follow his track and stay out of trouble. That kinda worked.... A little of how he did that.

and many more

So here is a unsolicited thank you to all my mentors that made me somewhat safe and fast... though still impatient.

Maybe its the New Yorker in me but mostly just say what you gotta say.

If its squiding "Don't do that shit near me".

If its passing on a curve or to close "Next time you go by I'm gonna kick you off of that thing"

The ever popular "Get off my ass"
( I came from a group that usually staggered at only 2 or 3 bike lengths...I now know that was too close for most)

If some one squidly passed me dangerously and would not take the admonition. I'ld let him get way ahead and make the next turn...simple

Some days I am in the Zone a some days "especially hung over" I can't do anything right. I am sure I left some people with very different impressions.

SO basically...COMMUNICATE.. This is too much fun and equally dangerous to leave it to innuendo or smoke signals etc.

The wise man learns from the fool

[skiierx]

snob

[mzdagrl]

As a noob, I can say that the best advice one can give is don't ride with assholes. When I took my first group ride, the guys I went with were very understanding of the fact that I was new and considerate enough to give me my space when I needed it. They weren't snobbish or anything and we all had a pretty good time (I think). Of course, I was also pretty up front about my desire to keep the pace down and discomfort with zipping through the twisties at 20+. I guess all told as long as everyone is honest with how comfortable they are, then there shouldnt really be any issues. The only way to leaarn is to ride. And if someone keeps trying to get in front of you, give them plenty of room...especially if you think they are riding outside their skill level. You don't want a wheel in that crash!

[Buddhaman]

You guys are all way to nice.. What happened to just stopping and punching the kid right in the face and thentelling him to back the fuck up

[neuthunder]

I'm def a noob and would have to say that i can be an aggressive rider, but usually if i'm following someone or if i'm by myself, usually when i'm on a group ride i'm gonna do my best to keep up and follow whoever is in front of me with out crowding them. and if i do fuck up i'll accept the harrassment that i expect to insue and i'll gladly accept any advice someone tells me. and i'm definetely a huge hater of snobs, however i find that assholes can be funny.

[Proulx06]

Originally posted by neuthunder
usually when i'm on a group ride i'm gonna do my best to keep up and follow whoever is in front of me with out crowding them.

Doesn't that go against the mantra of 'ride your own ride'?

[skiierx]

Originally posted by neuthunder
I'm def a noob and would have to say that i can be an aggressive rider, but usually if i'm following someone or if i'm by myself, usually when i'm on a group ride i'm gonna do my best to keep up and follow whoever is in front of me with out crowding them. and if i do fuck up i'll accept the harrassment that i expect to insue and i'll gladly accept any advice someone tells me. and i'm definetely a huge hater of snobs, however i find that assholes can be funny.

it is not harrassment that anyone is giving you. It is more protection for everyone. One of the worst things you can do (IMHO) is do your best to keep up. You need to go at your own pace, after sometime in the saddle you will speed up. If you are on a group ride (a good group) people will wait for you at the turns.

The biggest problem I see when riding in a large group is that people do not know how others will react to their actions. When I wrote snob that just means that I choose to do most of my group rides with people I know and that I have ridden with many times. Obviously there are times that I meet people and go for rides. When I do that I just take it very easy, then as I get to know someone and know how they ride, they will get the invite on the faster paced events that I go on. Another thing, to me a good group ride is 6-7 bikes total, big groups just attract the wrong type of attention.

[Kham]

ha.. good the uglyness of both sides are showing.

i can play with both but i hate the extreme. however i can watch them.

[JeffL]

Personally I'd rather be concerned with my own safety. I suppose if my n00b ass was on a group ride, and I couldnt keep up safely and knew it, and no one was going to accomodate me, I'd pack myself up and head off, as riding over my head is only endangering me as well as the people I was riding with.

On the other hand if by some chance I was a 'faster' rider, and you had an inexperienced rider either coming up on your ass constantly, or up in front of you locking the brakes up, then again, if I wasnt going to be able to accomodate their riding skills, I dont know. If it was someone who was genuinely new and just didnt know any better, I supposed I'd try to help as best I could. If however it was just some squidly fucktard, I'd kick him off the bike Road Rash style and leave him the gutter?

[OreoGaborio]

One more "rule" that hasn't been mentioned that i came across last weekend:

if you're gonna commit to a pass... COMMIT TO THE PASS 110%!!!

one of the last group rides i was on i was behind a certain red Italian Water Foul that downshifted & went to pass.... then promptly changed his mind (916cc's SOUNDS like a lot, but i guess it isn't ). Well, I had committed to the pass as well & almost had to jump off my bike & onto his kinda like Degsy & Brent goin into turn 6.