Drop off system for riding in groups

cocker

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The "Drop Off" System


explanation of the system we adopt for riding in a group


Drop-Off system of group riding.

This is popular with groups going on long rides.

Understanding the system is important, as every rider needs to do their part to avoid anyone getting lost.

One rider, the leader, will stay at the front and is responsible for navigating the route. Another rider, tail end charlie, will stay at the back in last position. These are the only two riders who maintain their position in the group.

At every junction, the rider immediately behind the leader stops and marks the junction and indicates the route which the other members of the group should follow. All other riders pass the marker except the 'tail end charlie'. The marker then re-joins the group in front of 'tail end charlie'.



This approach involves all the group and the marker gets rotated from front to back and naturally moves up to the front again. The method works provided everyone makes clear, safe markings and doesn't forget they are in the No.2 position, when it is their turn to mark.

Nobody other than the sweeper is allowed to ride last for any reason whatever. If you want to leave the group you should pull in to the left in a safe, visible position and wave other riders past. When the sweeper arrives he will stop and you can then inform him/her that you are leaving the group and why.

Some points:

Please arrive with a full tank of petrol and an empty bladder.
Petrol stops will be determined on the lowest tank range of participants. You are advised to fill up at these stops.
The leader and sweeper will wear some kind of distinctive vest.
A roundabout should be marked by parking in a safe visible position on the exit.
When going straight through at a crossroads where you don't have right of way you may mark it if you wish. The default action in such a case is to continue straight through. Therefore if there is no marker when you arrive you should proceed straight on. If you do decide to mark such a junction you should do so by parking in a safe visible position on the far side of the crossroads.
When you are marking a junction make sure you park in a position not to obstruct any other road users.
If necessary point in the direction that riders arriving at the junction should proceed in.
There is no need when using the drop off system to keep the rider behind in your mirrors.
There is no need to play catch-up. With the drop off system there will be a marker waiting for you at the next junction.
Everyone should keep a safe distance behind the rider in front. Tail gating is frowned on.
To avoid unscheduled stops and to be safe please make sure all luggage carried on your machine is secured safely before starting.
When you are the marker, wait for the sweeper to arrive, even if this takes a long time. There may be a breakdown further back which you are unaware of. If necessary switch off your engine. If you leave your position everyone behind will suffer and the run will fall apart.
If you are unsure as to whether you should mark a junction, then mark it anyway. It is better to mark a junction that doesn't need marking than not to mark one that does.
Ride your own ride, don't allow yourself to be pulled or pushed along.
Enjoy yourself at your own pace
 
Great bit of info, you obviously copied it from some where........

Seriously, this is relatively new to me, But it works and makes everything simple, I would recommend it.
 
Did it work ok today?

Best system for making progress, as long as everyone understands it:D
 
The "Drop Off" System


explanation of the system we adopt for riding in a group


Drop-Off system of group riding.

This is popular with groups going on long rides.

Understanding the system is important, as every rider needs to do their part to avoid anyone getting lost.

One rider, the leader, will stay at the front and is responsible for navigating the route. Another rider, tail end charlie, will stay at the back in last position. These are the only two riders who maintain their position in the group.

At every junction, the rider immediately behind the leader stops and marks the junction and indicates the route which the other members of the group should follow. All other riders pass the marker except the 'tail end charlie'. The marker then re-joins the group in front of 'tail end charlie'.



This approach involves all the group and the marker gets rotated from front to back and naturally moves up to the front again. The method works provided everyone makes clear, safe markings and doesn't forget they are in the No.2 position, when it is their turn to mark.

Nobody other than the sweeper is allowed to ride last for any reason whatever. If you want to leave the group you should pull in to the left in a safe, visible position and wave other riders past. When the sweeper arrives he will stop and you can then inform him/her that you are leaving the group and why.

Some points:

Please arrive with a full tank of petrol and an empty bladder.
Petrol stops will be determined on the lowest tank range of participants. You are advised to fill up at these stops.
The leader and sweeper will wear some kind of distinctive vest.
A roundabout should be marked by parking in a safe visible position on the exit.
When going straight through at a crossroads where you don't have right of way you may mark it if you wish. The default action in such a case is to continue straight through. Therefore if there is no marker when you arrive you should proceed straight on. If you do decide to mark such a junction you should do so by parking in a safe visible position on the far side of the crossroads.
When you are marking a junction make sure you park in a position not to obstruct any other road users.
If necessary point in the direction that riders arriving at the junction should proceed in.
There is no need when using the drop off system to keep the rider behind in your mirrors.
There is no need to play catch-up. With the drop off system there will be a marker waiting for you at the next junction.
Everyone should keep a safe distance behind the rider in front. Tail gating is frowned on.
To avoid unscheduled stops and to be safe please make sure all luggage carried on your machine is secured safely before starting.
When you are the marker, wait for the sweeper to arrive, even if this takes a long time. There may be a breakdown further back which you are unaware of. If necessary switch off your engine. If you leave your position everyone behind will suffer and the run will fall apart.
If you are unsure as to whether you should mark a junction, then mark it anyway. It is better to mark a junction that doesn't need marking than not to mark one that does.
Ride your own ride, don't allow yourself to be pulled or pushed along.
Enjoy yourself at your own pace

The system is absolutely foolproof. Pity about the humans:rolleyes:
 
The system works great until you are moved off a single track junction by a tractor and slurry trailer while waiting for riders to reach you.
 
Drop off

Not really sure today it all seemed to happen behind me:D:D. On a more serious note it does seem to work very well once we all understand it. we will just have to get out more to practise.
 
Did you follow the published GPS route,
surely if you did several GPS owners had loaded the route beforer setting off.
I know the drop of method is proven and reliable if correctly used but I always feel like i'm part of a military convoy.
The big + to the system is it lets you eventually get passed the rider in front
without embarrassment of overtaking.
The big - for me is feeling organised or shepherded, at weekends thats something I do not want.
A smaller - is if somebody at the rear has an incident it can take miles for a rider from the rear to catch up with the leader. I have been on rides where the pack runs out of people to mark junctions. (Rat run, and no following oil drips is not the way anymore)

Smaller groups perhaps with sub leaders, GPS and phones ???

Thats my moaning over, glad you all enjoyed the day safeley.
Dont forget If you want a ride out anytime (slow pace) PM me.
 
The big - for me is feeling organised or shepherded, at weekends thats something I do not want.
It IS organised, that's kinda the idea of a group ride over a certain route.
But look at it less as being pushed about and more as helping out the rest of the group.

Has to be said tho, even as someone who has led hundreds of rides using this system there's times I like to have a less organised blast with a few people who all know where the destination is and can find their own way. Doing the organising/shepherding can become far more tiresome than stoping to mark a junction every once in a while ever will...


A smaller - is if somebody at the rear has an incident it can take miles for a rider from the rear to catch up with the leader. I have been on rides where the pack runs out of people to mark junctions.
Running out of markers isn't a major problem, it just gives those already marking a bit if a breather while the tail ender catches up. Its only ever a few minutes if everyone knows the system.
I usually have my phone on display when leading so if there's an issue someone can text me and i can read it on the hoof. A text catches up in seconds.
 
Did my first ever 'non drop off' group rideout at a GS meet this year (after decades of IAM, ROSPA, GS Club rideouts) and was quite pissed off with overtaking riders when I was attempting my own overtakes or merely obeying a 30mph zone etc. I ended up overtaking back in other places, and, quite frankly, riding quite 'competitively', in a way others might reasonably have described as: rudely, inconsiderately, and even aggressively.

Quite enlightening, and possibly even 'Fun', in its own way, but a very different experience.
 
Did my first ever 'non drop off' group rideout at a GS meet this year (after decades of IAM, ROSPA, GS Club rideouts) and was quite pissed off with overtaking riders when I was attempting my own overtakes or merely obeying a 30mph zone etc.

I think this says more about the prats you were riding with than the system - or maybe that was your point which I have missed. :blast There's nothing to prevent overtaking when using the drop-off system, it's designed to allow all riders to proceed at their own pace (except the leader and back marker of course - before someone wades in). Maybe it's just that those who ride with the groups you mention have a bit more consideration for other people on the road? :bow
 
Used the system for years until last year when we started just making sure the rider behind was visible at a turn. So if you can't see the following rider you wait until they can see you marking the turn and then you go. Seems to work well and we don't have any problems no matter if it's 3 or 15 riders.
 
Used the system for years until last year when we started just making sure the rider behind was visible at a turn. So if you can't see the following rider you wait until they can see you marking the turn and then you go. Seems to work well and we don't have any problems no matter if it's 3 or 15 riders.

Thats exactly what we do and it works well :thumb
 
Used the system for years until last year when we started just making sure the rider behind was visible at a turn. So if you can't see the following rider you wait until they can see you marking the turn and then you go. Seems to work well and we don't have any problems no matter if it's 3 or 15 riders.

It's what I used to do when I first started organising rides. I switched to the drop off system because EVERYONE either ends up riding at the pace of the slowest rider or waiting for them at a junction. Not a problem if the difference in pace isnt great but it can and has ended up with the group strung out over many miles waiting ages at junctions. It also means every bike marks every junction (unless everyone is together obviously) and you often get people moving off thinking they've been seen and they haven't.

Using the drop off everyone rides their own pace and because the faster riders do most of the junction marking they not only have chance for a good blast back up to the front, they never get that far ahead on the road. And as only one bike needs to stop and mark a junction, and they have to wait for one specific bike before the move on there is less chance of getting it wrong. Also there isn't a gaggle of bikes blocking a junction whilst they figure out if/who needs to stop and mark.

No system is perfect, they all have their issues. But given a good initial briefing the drop of system works the best and with fewer compromises IME. The important thing there is having a ride leader who isn't afraid to stand up and ensure everyone knows the score pre ride. On the few occasions I relied on people saying "yeah yeah, I've read and understand it" things soon went to rat shit. A couple of mins spent explaining to all present pre ride meant for the other thousands of miles all over the island went trouble free...
 
Have used the drop off system for years and used correctly works very well .My dislike is those who must know they ride rediculously slowly and make no attempt to try . So then you have the choice of overtaking and possibly pissing some off or you get stuck marking a junction for said person to come bimbling along . The advantage of that sometimes you can at least make a bit of progress catching the others up.:D
 


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