Riding Two Abreast

[Dirtrideroader]

Ok, who out there rides two abreast. Are you comfortable riding next to people? I thought about this today on my way back from Freeport. I saw more than three groups riding this way.

[Spider]

I picked up an old drunk AMA racer once and took him home. I think I was more frightened of him falling off than he was. Other than that particular experience, I've enjoyed riding two up.

[Tourmeister]

Spider, he is not referring to riding two up on the same bike. He is referring to two separate bikes riding side by side like Ponch and John on CHiPs ;-)

I never do it unless it is momentarily to get another rider's attention so we can pull over and talk.

Adios,

[Squeaky]

Unless it's the momentary at-a-light-and-chatting thing, I don't. I still don't trust my riding enough to be that close to someone while in motion, and it's dangerous IMHO.

I have been in situations where the rider in staggard formation behind me passed me at lights because I didn't get on the throttle as quickly as they assumed I would, and it was WAY too close for my liking. I prefer a little distance, hence my affection for riding sweep.

[Spider]

Okay, how do I change my vote? Cause, no, it takes away the safety of having a two wheeled vehicle. Turns the situation into a four wheeled one with two steering wheels.

[Tourmeister]

can't change it once cast, hehe.

[TheCanuck]

no, it takes away the safety of having a two wheeled vehicle. Turns the situation into a four wheeled one with two steering wheels.

Ummm, let me second that, NO.

Even when travelling in staggerd formation I hate it when the person behind me crowds me. I want to be able to slam on the binders without having to worry about being rear ended.

BTW, on my ZX9r, I was. Of course I was blamed for it, he said I slowed down for no reason. Luckily I had a couple of tire marks and a slight bent exhaust, which I could fix by loosening and retightening the works cured. The rider, after a couple of hours, relized that the colision was completely his fault and thanked me for helping him get home.

He slid, full leathers, but the top part was tied around his waiste.

cheers,
Tom

[kurt]

Okay, how do I change my vote?

This ain't Floriduh. :-D

[Spider]

This ain't Floriduh. :-D

Hah hah. Bugger.

[VFRinAustin]

Okay, how do I change my vote?

This ain't Floriduh. :-D

:rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl :rofl

Hey my in-laws are in FL. Yeah it figures

[r1150gsrider]

I voted NO, NEVER but there are a few exceptions:

1) riding slow in town (under 30) while screaming to the other rider that you have to pee
2) very momentarily while passing (but usually use the other lane)
3) when passing the whiskey bottle to the other bike (just kidding)

[10-95]

I started to vote for the m/c police choice, but there are some that I won't ride with. :lol:

I will ride partners or in formation during public events, parades or funerals. Otherwise there is no reason. If I have to ride like that I effectively lost the advantage the motorcycle gave me.....I want the whole lane to move around in.

This was one thing I changed when I promoted. We used to ride double everywhere and sometimes so close to the pair in front of you that you couldn't see the rear wheel over the fairing of your bike. I always thought that was absolutely freakin' crazy. We would issue tickets to everyone else who drove like that, it's called "following too close", but that is what the supervisor demanded, make it tight and make it look good. :roll: :angryfir: Now that I am in charge we ride staggerred(sp?)formation when we go somewhere together. Only makes sense to give your buddy some room to move.

[Dirtrideroader]

In and around Houston, I see police officers riding side by side all the time. I have always thought it was crazy. The west Texas thing was a one time weird occurance. While riding from dinner back to our camp site, a friend and I decided to see how much of the road we could light up with two pairs of PIAA 910's, a pair of PIAA 959's, a pair of Xenarch HID lights, two low beams and two high beams with 100 watt superwhite bulbs in the high beams.

It was awesome. It looked like a 747 landing. You could see the little bunnies way out in front of you and way off to the side. The only scary moment was when little peter cotton tail decided to cross the road to see what the chicken was after. Let's just say we held our line and the bunny didn't make it home for breakfast.

[Hap Call]

In and around Houston, I see police officers riding side by side all the time.

I normally don't like to generalize, but cops in general are very bad drivers. They refuse to use their turn signals, they travel much faster then traffic a lot of the time, and they tailgate, and generally act as if they were bulletproof. And from personal experience, I've been hit by a police cruiser when I was pulled over for a bogus traffic violation (which I easily beat). The sad thing about it, they should be setting the example when it comes to driving skills and observing the rules of the road but many see their commissions as free tickets to drive like idiots. I was recently given a warning ticket for failure to yield,when a DPS office rolled through a stop sign and I almost t-boned him. Some how, his failure to stop and to see that traffic was coming was my fault.

Hap

[10-95]

I normally don't like to generalize, but cops in general are very bad drivers.

If you're talking about driving skills I wholeheartedly disagree. You have to be an extremely good driver to pass my emergency driving class. Being a courteous driver is another matter.................

[Dirtrideroader]

Being a courteous driver is another matter.................

The DPS officer driving in the left lane 5-10 mph under the speed limit daring people to pass him falls into this category.

Ok, I had a bad month last month. Two citations.

Oh well, 3 years and 3 months and they will be off my record...

[10-95]

Riding in the left lane is just a way to be able to go after violations in any lane. I doubt he was "daring" anyone to pass him, although admittedly, some folks don't have enough common sense to look back and see that traffic is backing up and pull over.

But part of that is the herd mentality that a lot of people exhibit. No one will pass, even though it is perfectly fine to go around, until someone else does it first. I never understood that. :scratch

[gotdurt]

I voted yes, because I have done it and will do it, but only under certain circumstances.

1) on an uncongested road with a resonable escape route to either side and good visibilty (no curbs, or steep/deep drop of the side, obstructions, etc.)

2) have to have enough miles with the person to approve of their riding style/abilities, and be able to predict how they would react in certain situations.

That being said, I still usually avoid it. I've only done it with my dad and two friends back in Arizona.

[Tx Rider]

Rarely done, even if it's clear ya never know when something will break, critter outta the grass whatever.

I will occasionally go side by side when there's two lanes open though.

[wonder91178]

I voted no. The only time I am ever two abreast is when I need to fill up my tank and I pull up beside my husband and point to the tank. Otherwise it's either to the left and behind, or to the right and behind, depending on where the person in front of me is.

Kim

[sphpkr]

Only when passing a beer to a bud. :lol:

[MP Simmons]

The DPS officer driving in the left lane 5-10 mph under the speed limit daring people to pass him falls into this category.



Which is a real torquer...I'll pass em in a heartbeat - after I flick my lights at them. They are The Department of Public SAFETY...so promote safety and not bagging "violators".
Lead by example - drive right, pass left...yeah deja vu.

As for the thread - two abreast is fine as long as it is warm out but not too many june bugs or bees.

[bear]

I think police should lead by example, but they rarely do. I especially hate getting the lecture from the boob who doesn't signal and was yacking on his cell phone when I passed. It just revenue, for most cities and counties they could care less about creating safe communities.

[DaveC]

I and a few friends that have been riding togther off and on for years. We hold Class C licenses and deal with all types of traffic. It depends on road conditions ,traffic, weather.
We know when the other is going to act and how they well act. I don't like group riding with most. Just a few. I need to follow you for a while to scope your style and attention span, I have ridden enough commuter traffic and back country roads to know who is paying attention and who is gonna get change back from their dime. Don't like riding with feet draggers and I keep my distance from the hot doggers. Can you say "pitch it down the road".

[train460]

on my v-max about 2 months ago with a group of maybe 7 bikes.
i am the 3rd from the end. the last 2 got caught at a light.
someone in front of my lost a camera bag in the middle of the road.
i slow and pull to the very right of the road on the white line and am looking at the 2 behind coming up at about 50 years or so and maybe 40mph. They are side by side talking to each other. tells you what they were riding.
anyway the one closest to me still hasn't looked were he was going. at the last second i lean away and he sees me FINALY locks his rear brakes and then JUST misses me.
later on he asks "who was in the **** road" I said i was on the line and if He woulda had his mind on the road and not [expletive removed] with the idiot next to him he woulda seen me.
Soooooo nope hate riding side by side. no room to move around potholes. dogs, neighbors kids, etc
Michael

[train460]

doesn't texas law prohibit this?
something about 2 vehicles occupying the same lane alongside each other?
the new "racing" law. something like that
Michael

[groovyone]

Just happened to catch this poll. Got passed today, in my lane, on I-45 by someone on a yellow GSXR600/750 with a Tshirt , shorts and gym shoes on. I didn't see him until he was next to me, which I am very uncomfortable with, especially when it is a complete stranger! What would compell someone to think it is safe to pass another bike in the same lane going 80MPH, when you have NO IDEA what the person is about to do?

[Tourmeister]

:tab At least he did not pass you on the inside of a right hand corner at triple digit speeds as I have had happen to me :angryfire When I caught the guy, he acted like what he had just done was no big deal. He and his bddy BOTH weaved through our group of riders, in our lane, and we never heard or saw him coming until he was right next to us. The really annoying thing is that the oncoming left lane was empty... They were just doing this because they thought it was cool. I got their plate numbers, called the cops. Even after telling them I wanted to file a formal complaint or whatever was required to go after these guys for such reckless behavior, the cops pretty much took the position of, "so what!?" And we wonder why road rage is on the rise... :-|

[bushwhacker]

:tab At least he did not pass you on the inside of a right hand corner at triple digit speeds as I have had happen to me :angryfire When I caught the guy, he acted like what he had just done was no big deal. He and his bddy BOTH weaved through our group of riders, in our lane, and we never heard or saw him coming until he was right next to us. The really annoying thing is that the oncoming left lane was empty... They were just doing this because they thought it was cool. I got their plate numbers, called the cops. Even after telling them I wanted to file a formal complaint or whatever was required to go after these guys for such reckless behavior, the cops pretty much took the position of, "so what!?" And we wonder why road rage is on the rise... :-|

Here is the problem -

The police can arrest for a felony or misdemeanor committed in their presence or based on credible information that a felony was committed.

They can not arrest based on credible information that a misdemeanor was committed. This is generally to keep people who are upset with each other from using the police for minor revenge.

For a misdemeanor, the information must be presented to the District Attorney or City Prosecutor who will determine if probable cause exists to file charges. Once those charges are filed the officer can then execute the arrest.

Filing a misdemeaner report with the police will generally do you no good, you gotta go to the people who can file formal charges and even then chances are nothing will come of it because it is too hard to get the average citizen to come down and testify at trial.

It is really just a case of applying limited resources to where they will do the most good and acting on citizen complaints of misdemeanors results in so few convictions it is generally seen as a waste of those limited resources.

-

[Tourmeister]

Bill,

:tab I tried to go through the DA. They did not care. Now don't get me wrong, I fully understand that there is a lack of resources and that they have to focus on doing what they can. The problem with this is that it leaves people thinking that the justice system does not work. Once people reach that conclusion, it is a VERY short hop mentally to the point where they feel perfectly justified in taking things into their own hands. Then we get problems...

:tab I am not prone to physical confrontations or violence. However, had this happened to someone else, I could have easily seen it turn into a much more serious scenario with someone getting hurt. I know a lot of riders carry, not all legally either. If people like those guys that passed us think they can do so with impunity, their behavior will run unchecked until they meet up with someone less tolerant than myself ;-)

[Jesse H]

I voted no, never but I have a few handful of times while at a slow speed to get a rider's attention.

I had a friend whoe I rode with that does that sometimes and I'd have to remind him to back off.

[Dirtrideroader]

Unless it's the momentary at-a-light-and-chatting thing, I don't. I still don't trust my riding enough to be that close to someone while in motion, and it's dangerous IMHO.

I have been in situations where the rider in staggard formation behind me passed me at lights because I didn't get on the throttle as quickly as they assumed I would, and it was WAY too close for my liking. I prefer a little distance, hence my affection for riding sweep.


It has been almost a year, feeling anymore comfortable?

[mary111]

During my motorcycle training course, the instructor informed the students, more than once, to NEVER ride side-by-side with other riders (always staggered).

[Vitto]

When I learned to ride in S FL we always rode next to each other. Didn't ever have problems we always rode in the same position, same people around you. This was also a large group 25-50 bikes at a time. It seemed like the accidents always happened when someone was riding solo.
Here I ride staggered most of the time I try to keep my distance but still occasional crowd someone especially when they let off the throttle with no brake touch.

[Mark G]

Motor cops, at least in Califa, go through very extensive training, including extensive abreast riding techniques. I've passed a training group of a dozen or so on a very twisty road going the other way out in the redwoods somewhere, and have read about their training courses. I doubt the City of Austin cops have very extensive training in this technique, but I'm just guessing. I'd never ride two abreast, on the street.

Regarding riding the stagger, I prefer not to. I think it's dangerous. Better to ride three seconds directly behind the next rider, staying near the center line when there's no oncoming traffic, the better to see woodland creatures enter the right of way, and moving over to the verge when oncoming traffic approaches. Woodland creatures, of course, include drunks in 3/4 ton pickups. Sobers, too. This technique is the preferred one in Oz, I believe. Not the drunks, the single file and the moving from inside to outside etc.

The stagger is good for making it real easy to pull up beside someone at the stop light. Otherwise, you're either riding on the yellow line into oncoming traffic, or are hidden behind the guy doing so, over on the verge, with squirrels of various sorts liable to leap out at you without warning.

My two cents, a year after the poll started.

[Stephen Max]

I started to vote for the m/c police choice, but there are some that I won't ride with. :lol:

I will ride partners or in formation during public events, parades or funerals. Otherwise there is no reason. If I have to ride like that I effectively lost the advantage the motorcycle gave me.....I want the whole lane to move around in.

This was one thing I changed when I promoted. We used to ride double everywhere and sometimes so close to the pair in front of you that you couldn't see the rear wheel over the fairing of your bike. I always thought that was absolutely freakin' crazy. We would issue tickets to everyone else who drove like that, it's called "following too close", but that is what the supervisor demanded, make it tight and make it look good. :roll: :angryfir: Now that I am in charge we ride staggerred(sp?)formation when we go somewhere together. Only makes sense to give your buddy some room to move.

This reminds of something I read about British flying practice at the beginning of WWII. I think it was in the book "Piece of Cake", by Derek Robinson (which was made into an excellent miniseries that ran on PBS several years back).

At the beginning of the war the RAF suffered fairly heavy losses because the Germans were always getting the jump on them. At the time, the older British officers who led wings and squadrons were very concerned with a nice, tight flying formation, and flight leaders were constantly admonishing the younger (and increasingly hastily trained) pilots to tighten up and fly in closer formation. This distracted the pilots from watching for enemy aircraft to constantly watching their mates' wingtips, resulting in much unneccessary loss of life from the enemy as well as midair collisions.

I feel the same way about riding in tight formation on the road. It unneccessarily distracts the rider from road hazards and "the enemy".

[loki]

Never ever. It doesn't matter how comfortable you are/aren't with someone...it cuts down on escape routes should a road hazard present itself at an inopportune time.

[Desert Skies]

Nope!

[FirstMan]

In a group leaving a stop light or stop sign i will to keep the traffic flowing, but as soon as we shift into second i will let the person who is supposed to be in front take that position.

I have road side by side at night and getting a friend's attention, but these people have ridden with me for 5k miles or more.

[Faylaricia]

Wow, talking about digging up old threads... Stephen Max. How would you find this? ;-)

I answered No. Only at red lights or briefly when trying to give handsignals at slower speeds.

[Centerline]

No for me also; except at red lights or stuck in traffic.

Might be fun for a few minutes on a 4 lane otherwise deserted highway.

[1TallTXn]

The only time I'm directly beside somebody is if I'm stopped at a light or parking lot and talking to them.

Other then that, I want the space thankyouverymuch

[Don Ricardo]

:lol2: Okay, how do I change my vote? Cause, no, it takes away the safety of having a two wheeled vehicle. Turns the situation into a four wheeled one with two steering wheels.
Exactly!