As any motorcyclist will tell you, if riding solo is exciting, group riding is a lot of fun. Sharing the joys of motorcycling in Florida with others can be exhilarating. Groups are an incentive for the individualistic biker to go beyond his or her limits and discover new territory.
Group riding, however, needs to be well organized in order to be safe. If motorcycle accidents in Florida can result in terrible injuries, imagine what it might do to bikers riding in close formation. There is a surprising array of topics covered by most serious group riding rules, such as:
- Who are the lead riders?
- In what formation do we ride?
- Do we wear distinctive colors?
- Do we block intersections to prevent the group from splitting?
- What do we do if there is a breakdown?
- What happens if one or more bikers are separated from the group?
- How do we change lanes, enter or leave a highway?
- How long do we ride, when do we stop and refuel?
- Do we cross the state border, and what are the legal requirements?
- Do we keep riding if it starts raining?
A crucial element of safe group riding is the ability for bikers in the front to signal dangers or their intentions to those in the back. Most groups use a widely accepted set of hand and foot signals to indicate turns or hazards (left and right), formation changes (from staggered to single-file or vice-versa), speed up, slow down and stop.
Florida motorcyclists who travel in groups need to make sure they agree on these rules that are so necessary to keep them safe in traffic.
If you have been injured in a car, truck or motorcycle accident caused by someone else, call the Daytona Beach attorneys of Johnson & Gilbert PA today toll free at (800) 556-8890 and locally at (386) 673-4412 or send our lawyers an email to arrange a free consultation.