South West Bikers | Motorcycle Forum

Sorry for the stupid question, but WTF is the drop off system??

or why not get someone to print off a dozen copies of the route and hand them out at the start - that'd stop people getting lost for sure

Cheggers wrote:Sorry for the stupid question, but WTF is the drop off system??

Its where if the group takes a turning, the second man at the front (not the leader), stays there at the corner until the last man (tail end charlie - normally Mac) has pasted him, then that person can either go back to the same position or stay at the back.

This way no-one in theory should get lost. Notice I said in theory

speedy(delboy) wrote:

Cheggers wrote:Sorry for the stupid question, but WTF is the drop off system??

Its where if the group takes a turning, the second man at the front (not the leader), stays there at the corner until the last man (tail end charlie - normally Mac) has pasted him, then that person can either go back to the same position or stay at the back.

This way no-one in theory should get lost. Notice I said in theory

Ahhh, now i see. Does sound like a good system (on paper).

Cheggers wrote:

speedy(delboy) wrote:

Cheggers wrote:Sorry for the stupid question, but WTF is the drop off system??

Its where if the group takes a turning, the second man at the front (not the leader), stays there at the corner until the last man (tail end charlie - normally Mac) has pasted him, then that person can either go back to the same position or stay at the back.

This way no-one in theory should get lost. Notice I said in theory

Ahhh, now i see. Does sound like a good system (on paper).

Glad you said ON PAPER ha ha ha

Jak wrote:or why not get someone to print off a dozen copies of the route and hand them out at the start - that'd stop people getting lost for sure

We used to do this on some of the non SWB rideouts I used to go on and going by my previous form for getting lost this is a good idea.

On one SWB rideout we managed to lose 3/4 of the rideout....

does it matter if we advertise the route, we have nothing to hide..... and a fact is you will get pulled wherever you are riding wether it be on your own or in a group....

If a route is advertised and you feel that the police will be laying in wait somewhere on the route (are you paranoid!!!) you don't have to attend that rideout, the choice is yours.....

Let the organiser decide, but I think there are two aspects of this question.

1) PLOD

I don't think that it matters at all if we post all the details or not as far as the law are concerned. Do you really think that Plod are going to mount an operation to catch a few bikers out for a ride?

It wont make any difference to how I ride if the route has been posted or not. I've been on rideouts where the leaders have gone through speed traps and or past parked traffic cops. So what, the only time I've seen people pulled it was just routine police action.

We are not underground biker outlaws. I don't like the idea of giving the impression we have something to hide.

2) Organisation of the ride.
If we publish a route, either just start and finish or details, it encourages people to come along. That's the point of this site, isn't it?

If most riders know the route there is a better chance we will all get to the end. So I think its better if people know at least where the next stop is. Using the drop of system encourages less experienced or confident people, they know they wont get lost or abandoned if they have a problem. Using the this system reduces the need for published details.

Some people denigrate organised rideouts as if the organisation is in itself a bad thing. Well if you feel like that post up something like "on Sunday at 10 o'clock I'm going for a ride out from windy ridge, come along if you fancy it, we'll decide the route then" I've been on some like that, they have been great.





Having done another Furry type post, I'll end with a question or two.

Do we have to do all our rideouts in the same format?
If not can the organiser decide how to run it and see what people like?

i have to say i'm with 1Blue here i don't see an issue with posting full ride out routes we have nothing to hide.

That said I also don't feel we always have to post a rideout route.

Personally I will be sticking to the same rideout method i've always adopted as those of u that have ridden with me know if i'm leading a ride then everyone is to go at their own pace and whenever we have to take a turning we wait at the junction until everyone is there before setting off again - i've never lost a person doing this and the waiting never bothers me.

1blue wrote: Do you really think that Plod are going to mount an operation to catch a few bikers out for a ride?

Well if 18 years of riding motorcycles and going on ride outs have taught me anything its that the answer to this is a resounding yes.

In relevance to 7th May rideout, many of us did it last year and local knowledge, it wouldn;t bother me if it wasn't posted on this site either way. Anyway I am fully legal so I don't give a damn about whether or not it is posted on site.

jason wrote:

1blue wrote: Do you really think that Plod are going to mount an operation to catch a few bikers out for a ride?

Well if 18 years of riding motorcycles and going on ride outs have taught me anything its that the answer to this is a resounding yes.

18 years is a lot of experience, it also means that last year you had been riding for half the time I have been a biker, including full time dispatch riding in London. In the last 18 years I haven’t been stopped by the police, had a crash or got any points whilst riding the bike, not that I want to temp fate by mentioning it. (I can’t say the same for the car unfortunately)

So do you think your experiences may be a result of your attitude and the way you ride? A copper reading your comment might well think you had something to hide, so that in itself might make him want to observe your riding.

As JonB said "Anyway I am fully legal so I don't give a damn about whether or not it is posted on site."

I think just keep it simple - post a meeting time and start point.

some where public like japsers or sainsburys - i dont want to purposely avoid the police but i dont want to see them either!

i never mind deciding on a route at the meet as long as peolple have a rough idea.

exact routes and directions should be kept to PM!

its not just the filth we dont want turning up!

personally, all i need to know before joining a rideout, is start and finish. (most of the time i wouldnt know the roads anyway so doesnt matter if i dont know where we're going!!) i'm not fussed whether the route is posted or handed out when we meet, but i wouldn't like to see a 'rule' as such. it should definitely be left to the organiser and then you decide if u want to go. remember, u can always pm the organiser with any q's- i did cos im new and was worried bout being left behind i think some people may be getting in a bit of a tizzy about this, lets not make it tooo structured...

I'mnot too bothered whether the full route or just start and destination are posted.

Its up to the person organising it to decide.

All I require is that its on a day I'm not working and that its dry

andrew wrote:

Personally I will be sticking to the same rideout method i've always adopted as those of u that have ridden with me know if i'm leading a ride then everyone is to go at their own pace and whenever we have to take a turning we wait at the junction until everyone is there before setting off again - i've never lost a person doing this and the waiting never bothers me.

this works every time