Pride Rides

Resources

Safe Riding Guidelines

Pride Rides Wisconsin is proud to serve riders of all skill levels. Our events are run with safety first and foremost in mind. We practice standard group riding etiquette, and encourage appropriate safety gear. If you're not familiar with group riding, there are plenty of resources out there to help get you up to speed! We highlight some of the basics below to get you started.

Safety Briefing

Each ride will begin with a Safety Briefing, given by the Ride Leader and/or Road Captain ("RL/RC"). The RL/RC will explain the ride's purpose or theme, what the planned route will be, where the group will stop (if any), and what our expected time-frames are.

What do YOU need to know as a new rider? The first thing you should do is introduce yourself to anyone wearing a PRW back patch - they can direct you to the Ride Leader or Road Captain for the event. Have an honest discussion with the RL/RC about your experience riding and comfort levels. They will do their best to give you some guidance! It will also allow them to plan out your placement within the group formation.

Here are some things you can expect to be discussed at a pre-ride Safety Briefing:

Why ride as a group?

That's why we're all here in the first place, right? Riding together with friends gives you a feeling of camaraderie you can't get from solo riding. With Pride Rides, that feeling is something we sorely miss from "traditional" riding groups and events, where we feel pressured into hiding who we are. The joy and freedom of sharing the road with other LGBTQ+friendly bikers is unmatched.

Another benefit of riding in a well-organized group is the inherent safety the group structure provides. When a group rides in an orderly fashion, people don't get in each other's way, and the formation itself discourages cars from attempting to cut-in.

EVERYONE riding with Pride Rides is expected to follow the safe riding rules outlined here. Intentionally violating them and endangering the safety of others will not be tolerated.

fuel up

Start each ride with a full tank of gas. Know how long your fuel lasts, and communicate with the RL about your fuel needs.

Stay in your lane

If a rider drops out for any reason, do not cross over to fill their spot in the staggered formation. If the opening is directly in front of you, move forward to fill the gap when it is safe to do so.

Don't get complacent

Riding with a group requires MORE alertness than riding solo. You are not only responsible for your own safety, but you have obligations to those riding with you as well. Keeping this in mind, and knowing that the folks riding with you are doing the same, is one of the most important elements of a group ride.

if you need to stop...

If you experience any kind of mechanical trouble, are involved in any kind of accident, or need to stop for any reason, use the appropriate hand signals and pull over safely. The rest of the group will NOT STOP with you - don't panic, this is intentional! It is not safe for multiple bikes to all pull over to assist, so the group will continue riding and the last bike in the formation (the "Tail Gunner") will pull over to assist you, and communicate the situation to the Ride Leader.

Staggered Formation

Always ride in staggered formation, never side-by-side. This provides additional room should one of us need to make an emergency stop. Side-by-side is okay when we come to a stop, but remember that the bike to your LEFT always leaves first.

Hand signals

We use standard riding hand signals that you must be familiar with, such as left or right turn, slowing down, and stopping. There are others that new riders may not be familiar with, which are covered below.

Don't follow blindly

When changing lanes or moving through intersections, always look for yourself! If the group is going through a traffic light and it changes to yellow in front of you, make the conservative choice and stop. Keeping the group together is a distant second priority to keeping yourself and others safe. Bigger rides may have dedicated traffic control officers - pay attention and follow directions to keep safe.

Emergencies

In the unlikely event of an emergency condition, the Ride Leader will make every attempt to move the formation to the shoulder in an orderly manner. If a bike breaks down, let the rider move to the right. DO NOT STOP. The Tail Gunner will stop with the problem bike.

1 sec / 2 sec following

When in staggered formation, stay two seconds behind the bike directly in front of you, and one second behind the bike staggered to your left or right. If weather conditions are poor, leave more space as needed.

Pass Signals back

Remember that once you get a few bikes away from the RL giving a signal, those behind may not get the message. Always perform the signal given to you so others behind you can see it too, and pass it on back.

If you get seperated...

If the group gets split up in front of you, and you are not comfortable leading from your position, call for SINGLE FILE (using the hand signal covered below) and move to the right-side of the lane. A designated safety officer or more experienced rider will ride ahead and take the lead.

If you do keep the lead, absolutely DO NOT race recklessly to catch up to the rest of the group! The RL with the front group will slow down and wait for the separated riders to catch up safely.

Ride Leader

All directions come from the Ride Leader / Road Captain. The RL/RC makes all decisions regarding lane changes, stopping for breaks and fuel, closing of gaps, turning off at exits, and any concerns regarding the route. New riders should speak to the RL/RC prior to the start of the ride so they can be positioned appropriately within the group. The RL/RC can make adjustments necessary to account for each rider's comfort and skill level before the ride begins.

Formation Riding

Pride Rides events utilize a standard Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) stagger formation. The staggered riding formation allows a proper space cushion between motorcycles so that each rider has enough time and space to maneuver and react to hazards. The leader rides in the left-third of the lane, while the next rider stays at least one-second behind in the right-third of the lane; the rest of the group follows the same pattern. A single-file formation with a two-second following distance may be called for when on a curvy road, entering / leaving highways, or other situations as directed by the Ride Leader.

Tail Gunner

The Tail Gunner serves as the eyes of the Ride Leader. They watch the formation, and inform the RL/RC of any potential problems within the group. They watch for hazardous conditions such as vehicles cutting into the formation, or passing trucks with potentially dangerous wind blasts. They are the first to move into a new lane, to secure it from behind so it is safe for the formation to move into it. They also are the designated "sweeper" - making sure everyone is accounted for, and stopping to help anyone who breaks down.

Hand Signals

Here you'll find some of the basic hand signals you'll need to be familiar with when riding in a group. You can find more detailed and advanced hand signals in various places online.

Right Turn

Single File

When conditions warrant single file (narrow road, obstruction, pedestrians, etc.), the two columns of riders must merge together into one.

Left Turn

Stagger Formation

When single file is no longer necessary, the Ride Leader will raise their left hand, thumb and pinky out, rocking back and forth to indicate riders should form two rows (left, right, left, etc).

Slow Down

Hazard in Road - Left Side

Hazard signals are signals that ANYONE can and should initiate. Anyone seeing a hazardous condition on the road surface (road kill, oil, gravel, pot hole, etc.) will point at it to alert other riders of the danger.

Prepare to Stop

Hazard in Road - Right Side

Hazards on the left-hand side are pointed at with the left hand. For hazards on the right-hand side, kick your right leg out to point with your foot.

Note: Some guides say you can tap your helmet with your left hand to signal this hazard. This is not generally a good idea, as it doesn't point out the hazard, and often means "cops ahead."