League of American Cyclists<\/a>, which promotes safer roads, stronger communities, and a bicycle-friendly America through cycling information, advocacy and promotion, lays out basic rules for safe riding on its website. League Director of Education, Alissa Simcox, gave us further recommendations specific to riding with a group:<\/p>\n1. Know the Law<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\u201cIn general, bicyclists should follow same rules of road as drivers,\u201d says Simcox. \u201cStop at stop signs and red lights, pass on the left, and signal your turns.\u201d Cycling specific laws are different in every state, and often counties and cities have their own bike laws. Look up your city, county and state laws through department of transportation (DOT) or department of motor vehicles (DMV) websites.<\/span><\/p>\n2. Be Predictable<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cMake sure everyone around you knows what your intentions are\u2014maintain a straight line, signal and communicate when you are going to deviate from that line,\u201d advises Simcox. And on U.S. roads, always pull off to the right and onto the shoulder when you\u2019re dropping out of the group for a rest stop or mechanical.<\/p>\n
3. Communicate<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nTo best communicate, you need to use the same terms as your fellow cyclists. \u201cOn your left\u201d informs the cyclists in front of you that you\u2019re passing on the indicated side. \u201cCar back\u201d means there\u2019s a car approaching from behind. \u201cCar up\u201d means a car is approaching from in front of you. \u201cSlowing\u201d and \u201cstopping\u201d are also important verbal cues to others in your group advising them of dangers, and how you will be behaving. \u201cDon\u2019t ever say \u2018clear!\u2019\u201d says Simcox. \u201cIt discourages people from thinking for themselves in intersections. The way may be clear for the first rider, but it may not be for the fifth or sixth.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n4. Share the Road\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\nOne of the best parts of riding with a group is spending time with your fellow riders. Don\u2019t ever ride more than two abreast, and don\u2019t ever take up more than half the lane or trail\u2014you might block traffic. And when a car approaches, return to single file. You\u2019ll minimize driver\u2013rider conflict, and in some states, that\u2019s the law. \u201cBicyclists need to be courteous to everyone and should yield to other users,\u201d says Simcox.<\/p>\n
5. Pull Over<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cIf the group stops, each cyclist needs to get off the road and out of way of traffic,\u201d says Simcox. Move off the road far enough so that the riders behind you can also pull off the road.<\/p>\n
6. Find a Group That\u2019s Compatible<\/strong><\/p>\n\u201cTalk to the ride host,\u201d advises Simcox. \u201cSee what the ride is about and whether it\u2019s a good match for your skills and goals.\u201d You\u2019ll have more fun if you\u2019re riding with others who set a similar pace.<\/p>\n
7. Carry Tools<\/strong><\/p>\nIf you get a flat or have another mechanical issue, it\u2019s best to have a spare tube and your own tools. Even if you don\u2019t know how to fix a flat, if you have the materials, a fellow rider can help.<\/span><\/p>\nFollow League of American Cyclist rules above, and you\u2019ll ride more safely whether you\u2019re alone or with friends.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Riding with a group can be rewarding. You can make new friends who also like to ride, you can learn new skills, and there is safety in numbers. But when you\u2019re riding in a group, your mistakes can be magnified. Knowing the rules of the road, and best practices for group riding, can keep you […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":5143,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[25,105,66],"internal-tag":[513,1675],"class_list":["post-4438","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cycle","tag-cycle","tag-interviews","tag-tips","internal-tag-berne-broudy","internal-tag-pre-redirect-cycle"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/group-cycling-etiquette","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Group Cycling Etiquette","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/group-cycling-etiquette","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/cycle\/group-cycling-etiquette"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/05\/16918686805-9716c8e3ef-k.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2015\/05\/16918686805-9716c8e3ef-k.jpg?fit=1500%2C1000"},"articleSection":"Cycle","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Angela Crampton"}],"creator":["Angela Crampton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["cycle","interviews","tips"],"dateCreated":"2015-07-27T13:15:31Z","datePublished":"2015-07-27T13:15:31Z","dateModified":"2018-11-12T06:01:14Z"},"rendered":"