Question:How do you move this group over to the far left lane on a busy highway.

Scenario: (Pls do not change the scenario.)
1) Eight bikes in the group.
2) Eight lane highway with HEAVY traffic.
3) Every 1-2 miles you have Exit/Entrances (Busy.)
4) How does the lead RC move the group over to the FAR LEFT lane? A or B?

A) As soon as the lead RC leaves the on ramp, the lead RC moves directly to the far left lane as the 2-8 bikes catch up and fall in behind in staggered formation.
B) As soon as the lead RC leaves the on ramp, the lead RC moves only ONE lane to the left until riders 2-8 fall in behind in staggered formation. Then another lane to the left until all 8 are in line, then another lane, etc... Remember, this is a busy highway with exits every 1-2 miles.

[The question above is about moving to the left one lane at a time in a group OR move all the way to the left upon entering the highway. Not about using radio's or the Tail gunner securing a lane or anything else.]

Thank you in advance...........

BuzzCap7

 

Legally, motorists are only supposed to merge 1 lane at a time. (Yes, this is supposed to include BMW drivers as well.)

Our HOG group has a technique that works perfectly for the situation you describe.
It involves communication via turn signal indicators. The leader lights a turn signal indicator, the next rider back does the same, and so on. No one moves into any lane change sequence just yet. The last rider ("tail gunner") merges into the preferred lane, and one by one, the riders merge over to the preferred lane. The merge takes place "back to front." This works in heavy traffic situations very well.

 

Thank you.

My concern here is, with the next exit coming up quickly and cars trying to move to the right quickly to get off at the exit, we are a line of 8 bikes in a vulnerable position.

Let's count the north bound lanes as 1-4 with 1 being to the FAR RIGHT. 4 being to the FAR LEFT.

We enter as a group and wind up in lane 1. <-- Dangerous due to the next exit coming right up. So maybe it is better to get into lane 2 ASAP (individually or as a group. Group PREFERABLY.) . Now, when grouped together in lane 2, we move the standard way 1 lane to the left (lane 3) then again 1 lane to the left (lane 4).

Your thoughts?

BuzzCap7

 

It should be B, but always ride your own ride and if a car cuts into the group the riders behind that car ride safely to catch up with the rest of the group when they can.

I do not like the 'bees out of the hive' craziness that I sometimes see with a group of riders. Always move one lane at a time.
I also like the sweeper system, let the back bike block the lane then the lead bike moves and the others follow.

 

Buzzcap some of the exits and entrances on 95 by us are very close together, in that instance you'd want to get into lane 2 quickly, but if the sweeper bike moves over first you should be able to get over in a line.

 

The best things that any group (bikes or cars) can have is communication and everyone knowing their route and exit ramp #'s and scheduled stops.

The front vehicle sets the pace (I like 5MPH over the posted speed limit) which is enough to pass most vehicles in the RH lanes while stay out of the way of faster traffic wishing to pass.

If you have an attentive "rear door" rider (or two-way radios) he can move over to either the right or left lanes, allowing the vehicle(s) towards the front of the group to move into the appropriate lane(s) as traffic allows.

As in any situation, it's the unscheduled exits that causes panic decisions and in some cases, accidents.

My rule is that EVERYONE follows the leader even if he/she makes a wrong turn or the wrong exit ramp.
A group taking the wrong turn and getting lost is nowhere near as bad as being lost AND separated.

Eight to ten bikes, if they keep a tight formation isn't to bad to keep together, but the same number of cars is much more difficult due to the overall length of the convoy.

One last point is that if the bikes or cars get separated by traffic or traffic lights it's much better if the lead vehicles stays in the RH lane and go to a minimum speed OR finding a large pull off area as opposed to pulling to the shoulder or the emergency parking lane.

 

The tail gunner is the answer here even if you don't want it to be. That first merge onto the highway is not always as easy as changing lanes as a group though. If the group is too spread out then B is the answer for that initial merge onto the highway. After that it's communication in some way from the lead to the gunner to make the lane change, and block for the front of the group.

 

1) this is why I avoid interstates with a group... but around here, you can pick a time with less traffic
2) each rider must merge safely onto the highway, but each rider is a single vehicle, and must allow for exiting traffic to":mingle" with the group
3) We use CB radios to communicate, basically the Tail gunner occupies the desired lane (one lane change at a time) and the pack then follows the leader into the preferred lane. Before we had CB radios... the leader would use the hand signal (left or right) and the pack would PASS the signal back to the Tail Gunner... who would then secure the lane... CB radios has made the process faster.

 

During our group rides, we have the last rider run his passing lamps and keep the other riders from using theirs.
Then the lead (and other riders) can see where the last bike is located.

 

The tail wags the dog on lane changes and merges. Everyone else moves over after that.