Riding etiquette

[pml1967]

I went out for a ride on my own yesterday afternoon and caught up with a group of four guys on sportsbikes. We were on a twisty b road with a 50mph limit and stuck behind a couple of slow (30 - 40 mph) cars. I thought there were a couple of overtaking possibilities but these guys stayed behind the cars until the road really opened out into a long straight.

So here's the question, is there any sort of unwritten etiquette telling me not to go past the bikes and then the cars. I was out enjoying a nice Sunday afternoon blast and didn't want to end up being hounded by 4 guys on faster bikes just because I'd nipped past them earlier.

[jniedermeyer]

screw em. dont let other people tell you how to ride your bike. i would have passed em!

[Doorag]

Yeah, I probably would have passed them too but I understand your conundrum.

[mdr]

Were you out for a "blast" or just a "ride"? I like riding with a group sometimes, doesn't matter if it's fast or slow. Etiquette is a little different if you start with (or get picked up by) an organized group. There's a good article on the net called "The Pace" I think. Worth reading if you haven't seen it. (I'll try to find the link...)

Other times, I have been known to briskly pass motorcycles that are just out for a leisurely ride. I absolutely don't let others dictate my pace if I think they're going too fast for my skills & tolerance for risk.

Hotei

Good reading but not the one I wanted... group riding tips start in middle of article.
http://www.sportrider.com/ride/146_9...ing/index.html

Group riding etiquette guide - worth reading... rules are a bit strict for a pickup ride
http://www.utahmotorcycleriders.com/...etiquette.html

FOUND IT!
http://www.pashnittours.com/thepace.html

[pml1967]

The opportunities I spotted would've been perfectly legal overtakes. The only reason I thought they might've decided not go is that the gaps probably weren't big enough for all 4 to go at the same time and they really wanted to stay together (which is fair enough). Equally though they didn't look like they were planning to make my job any easier (e.g. pull over to the left a bit to let me through).

I wouldn't let anyone else dictate my pace either, I know my limits, which was why I didn't just ride past them (didn't want to p**s them off and then have 4 supersports crawling all round me a mile down the road and trying to race).

I got an interesting comment from a fellow biker at work this morning who knows the stretch of road, it's well known for aerial surveillance by the police and he reckons they were probably being over cautious in case there was a police helicopoter overhead.

[bluenova]

I've been in the same conundrum several times. When I get behind other bikers, I wait for a while to see how they are riding, if they miss a few good overtaking opportunities I overtake them and the car(s) they are following, giving lots of room and a foot wave as I go passed.

[Numpty]

I would have passed.If i am out on my own and feel its safe to pass i will do so.Dont let others dictate the way you ride cos thats when things go sour.

[mdr]

I wouldn't be bashful about passing them just because they're riding a GSXR or R1. I'd just make sure they knew I was there and pass them in the passing lane - assuming they're not showing other signs of being a Usually I just outlast em, cause the GSXRs and R1s are seldom on the road for more than a 1/2 hour at a time due to the small gas tanks and uncomfortable ergos.

[steveindenmark]

Originally Posted by Numpty

I would have passed.If i am out on my own and feel its safe to pass i will do so.Dont let others dictate the way you ride cos thats when things go sour.

I agree with this. If its safe to overtake without making anyone deviate from their route or brake then get on with it.

Steve

[Nooj]

Give them some extra room and be cautious, if they're on bikes they probably won't expect anything to be passing THEM. Sportsbikes have **** mirrors as well, so they may not have seen you approach, if they have loud cans and you don't (even if you do) they certainly won't have heard you arrive.

Stay with them for a bit to see how they ride, make sure they've seen you if you can, then pass them with a wave, not an extended finger

If they get the hump and have to 'prove' they're faster, just slow down, pull over to the left and wave them past.

If someone blasts past me on a ride quite often I'll take off and chase them for fun. I'll sit a way behind them though so as not to pressure them into racing and let them go if they want to speed thought villages or go roaring into corners way too fast to see what's round them.