I'm Glad

I hear often that the Club's rules for riding are too stringent. I hear people say there are too many rules. Sometimes there are comments about riders resenting being told to ride better when they are see-sawing or drifting in the corners.

I myself have always appreciated the rules and I'll tell you why. It has nothing to do with "always being on Parade", (although watching our Club arrive and park always makes me smile when I compare it to other clubs, even when it doesn't go well and Tom cringes, we still look better). what I like about the rules is that for the most part...We ride good. we have policies for passing traffic, and merging with traffic. We ride safe.

This fact was pointed out to me again on Monday. when we ran escort for Staff Sergeant Ari Cullers.

Tree and I went straight to the airport and stood with the PGR (E-mail mis-understanding). When the Club arrived in force, flowed in and parked, they looked professional.

Leaving the Airport the Club followed the hearse, we filed in behind. As the column entered the Interstate at route 117, exit 88, we merged with traffic. The column was broken by a car, where the Club would hold behind the car and the lead would slow making the car pull out, this ride did not. The bikes behind the car pulled out, went around the car and pulled back in the lane. I followed a trike, we both pulled back into formation smoothly. Now the Club teaches us to take a mile to make up a 100 feet, in other words take your time, control the moment. The bikes behind us seemed to be riding with the thought that if they were stuck behind the car they would lose the column and never find their way home again. So they cranked up their throttles and passed the car. With the speed they were carrying what they had not accounted for was the column slowing due to traffic and the distance it would take to slow. One of the bikes behind me went out into the middle lane to avoid a collision, the next bike found that the stopping distance, at the speed he was traveling, was not enough to pull up in formation so he used my bike as a braking device. On impact the back of my bike kicked right, I held the bike and the line and continued on. looking in my mirror all I could see was a headlamp.

So you should be Glad, as I am, that I ride with the Club, ride with people who know how to ride in formation, Too many wannabees out there don't know how.

klay

PS:

Accidents can and will happen, it is inevitable. When it does happen and if you come in contact with another bike. After the ride, GROW A PAIR, walk up to the rider you hit, see if they are OK, see if their bike is damaged. Maybe explain what happened. For me I was not upset about being hit, things happen, it's life. I have another "less damaged" bag I can put on the bike. Don't be like the NUMB NUTS who hit me and then went and hid with the other riders.

klay