Community Group Drive Information Thread
02-07-2009, 11:35 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Community Group Drive Information Thread
This thread will act as a calendar for group drives, a teaching tool for new members, and will be a place to inform other members of the area of all the great local roads the Dallas/Fort Worth Area has to offer.
The Pace
The Pace is an excellent article concerning motorcycle touring but I think the concepts presented carry over well to the group drives that some of our chapters enjoy. Very sound advice and I encourage any Club members who organize and/or lead a group drive with Club members to follow the principles discussed in the article.
This information below was purged from the Texas Stampede Runs that take place in the hill country. These rules still very much apply to us.
http://www.rbtexasstampede.com/guide.html
The Four Most Important Driving Rules Are As Follows:
- Drive at a safe pace for you.
- Maintain a safe and reasonable distance
- Lane discipline
- Safe passing/overtaking
Drive at your own safe pace!
Don't try to push or keep up with faster drivers. There will ALWAYS be faster riders than you. Don't try to be "King of the Hill." It's not worth taking the risks. Leave yourself plenty of room for errors, misjudgments, and unexpected road hazards, they happen quite often on these less traveled roads! There is the possibility of an unexpected road hazard behind every blind turn.
It only takes ONE error, ONE misjudgment, ONE moment of distraction to ruin your car, hurt yourself and your navigator, and possibly kill both of you. It's not worth taking the risks. Be a responsible driver: Know your limits. Know the limits of your car. And stay well within them. Your mindset should be of enjoying driving your car; you should have nothing to prove anybody including yourself.
Our drive is not a race.
Racing is to be done on closed tracks. The local drives are held on public roads. Therefore, racing and trying to keep up with or pass faster drivers has no place on public roads. No one goes to show who's the best driver, who has the fastest car, who has the most mods. We all go to enjoy our cars for their purpose: to be driven."
You will not get left behind.
The group will stop to regroup at virtually every turn (with special consideration given to turns that are easy to miss). It is rare for the group to wait more than a minute or two even for the slower drivers. The group leader will not continue until he gets confirmation that the last car has caught up or made the turn.
Position yourself in the right place in our group
Each driver feels comfortable driving at a different pace. If you are comfortable with the pace of the leading part of the group, stay there. If you like driving at or below the speed limit and enjoy the scenery, stay towards the back of the group. The rest should position themselves between the leading group and the tail group.
Maintain a safe and reasonable distance
In the Texas Drivers' Handbook the general rule that has been said is 2 seconds between your car and the car in front of you
...I feel that I should be more in fact...
Identify a marker along the road you are driving on. Your car should pass that marker no sooner than 2 seconds after the car in front of you passes that marker. If it is less than 2 seconds, you are driving too close to the car in front of you. Adequate distance between your car and the one in front of you will give you time to safely and properly respond to road hazards ahead. It will also help avoid damaging your car's paint finish by road debris thrown by the car in front of you.
Lane Discipline: Stay in the center of your lane!
Don't EVER cross the yellow (center) line (except when passing another car).
Don't EVER cross the white line (if there is one) on the right edge of the road.
Stay in the center of your lane especially driving through curves and tight corners.
1. Even when you have a clear line of sight through a turn, stay to the right of the centerline and to the left of the white line.
2. When you cross the centerline or white line, you are putting yourself, your fellow drivers, and the traveling public in grave danger. By crossing the yellow centerline, you and your vehicle are at risk of colliding with oncoming traffic. By crossing the white line on the right edge of the road (or by driving on the non-asphalt surface), you risk losing control of your car (due to lack of adequate traction and/or inferior surface quality)
3. When you cross the centerline or white line in curves, it is a sign that you are driving too fast.
4. Public roads are not a track and no place to be apexing in the corners.
5. Staying on the right side of the centerline is much more challenging than simply straightening out every corner.
6. When the whole group is committed to this intelligent practice, the temptation to cheat is eliminated through peer pressure and logic.
7. Always stay in the center of your lane, except to avoid specific visible obstacles on the road. Do NOT apex even within your own lane (see next bullet).
8. Staying in the center of your lane will give you equal space (i.e. protection) against gravel and other road debris to your right and oncoming traffic crossing the centerline to your left.
9. Road debris and dust usually accumulate on or near the centerline (because it is the least traveled area of the road). Driving on or near the centerline will pick up and throw debris to the car(s) behind you.
10. Staying in the center of your lane will also help you avoid hitting roadkill which is more likely to be on or near the centerline.
11. Road debris and dust also accumulate on or near the right edge of the road. Driving on or near the right edge of the road will pick up and throw debris to the car(s) behind you.
12. When on roads without a marked center line, stay to the right as most possible. These roads are considered 1.5 cars wide and you will need to slow down and pull to the edge of the road if oncoming traffic is about to be encountered.
Passing/Overtaking
You may pass other drivers as you wish, but only if it is safe to do so. Passing other cars can be lots of fun, but do not take any unnecessary risks to do so. We will not pass drivers in our own group however...
1. NEVER, EVER attempt to pass another Driver approaching a hilltop or curve (which is virtually always a double yellow center line i.e. a no-passing zone).
2. Try to pass on long straights when there is maximum visibility of potential traffic ahead with a dotted yellow line. Do not attempt to pass unless you have visual confirmation that there is no oncoming traffic.
3. ALWAYS look in your mirrors to make sure someone else is not trying to pass you already (otherwise you may run into them or run them off of the road!)
4. ALWAYS use your car's turn signals (more on this below)
5. ALWAYS make sure you are 2 seconds ahead of the car you just passed BEFORE merging back into the lane so that your car doesn't spew the car you just passed with rocks and debris from your car's tires.
6. PLAN to have adequate space in front of the other car AFTER you pass it.
7. DO NOT assume the car you plan to pass will or can make room for your car after you pass it.
8. DO NOT plan to force the car you will pass to brake to let you in front of it. You will be placing everyone nearby in needless danger.
9. NEVER attempt to pass another car when someone else is already in the process of passing other cars behind you (it compounds the risks to everyone nearby). The car already in the process of passing cars behind you has planned its move. Wait until he/she is done with his/her pass before you begin yours.
10. NEVER pass another car on a curve.
11. If you get stuck behind a slow-moving local driver, don't tailgate or intimidate them in any way. Don't pass them at the risk of putting them in danger. Wait patiently until it is safe to pass. Follow the applicable rules listed in this section. Most local drivers will pull over to let the group pass.
N.T.S.D.
Want to have access to the roads we have to offer? Ask to join the N.T.S.D. Club on facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/103386586364857/
2012 Events
April 7 - https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/939...cranfills-gap/
April 15 - https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/943...#entry21587176
April 21 - https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/945...#entry21610158
The Pace
The Pace is an excellent article concerning motorcycle touring but I think the concepts presented carry over well to the group drives that some of our chapters enjoy. Very sound advice and I encourage any Club members who organize and/or lead a group drive with Club members to follow the principles discussed in the article.
This information below was purged from the Texas Stampede Runs that take place in the hill country. These rules still very much apply to us.
http://www.rbtexasstampede.com/guide.html
The Four Most Important Driving Rules Are As Follows:
- Drive at a safe pace for you.
- Maintain a safe and reasonable distance
- Lane discipline
- Safe passing/overtaking
Drive at your own safe pace!
Don't try to push or keep up with faster drivers. There will ALWAYS be faster riders than you. Don't try to be "King of the Hill." It's not worth taking the risks. Leave yourself plenty of room for errors, misjudgments, and unexpected road hazards, they happen quite often on these less traveled roads! There is the possibility of an unexpected road hazard behind every blind turn.
It only takes ONE error, ONE misjudgment, ONE moment of distraction to ruin your car, hurt yourself and your navigator, and possibly kill both of you. It's not worth taking the risks. Be a responsible driver: Know your limits. Know the limits of your car. And stay well within them. Your mindset should be of enjoying driving your car; you should have nothing to prove anybody including yourself.
Our drive is not a race.
Racing is to be done on closed tracks. The local drives are held on public roads. Therefore, racing and trying to keep up with or pass faster drivers has no place on public roads. No one goes to show who's the best driver, who has the fastest car, who has the most mods. We all go to enjoy our cars for their purpose: to be driven."
You will not get left behind.
The group will stop to regroup at virtually every turn (with special consideration given to turns that are easy to miss). It is rare for the group to wait more than a minute or two even for the slower drivers. The group leader will not continue until he gets confirmation that the last car has caught up or made the turn.
Position yourself in the right place in our group
Each driver feels comfortable driving at a different pace. If you are comfortable with the pace of the leading part of the group, stay there. If you like driving at or below the speed limit and enjoy the scenery, stay towards the back of the group. The rest should position themselves between the leading group and the tail group.
Maintain a safe and reasonable distance
In the Texas Drivers' Handbook the general rule that has been said is 2 seconds between your car and the car in front of you
...I feel that I should be more in fact...
Identify a marker along the road you are driving on. Your car should pass that marker no sooner than 2 seconds after the car in front of you passes that marker. If it is less than 2 seconds, you are driving too close to the car in front of you. Adequate distance between your car and the one in front of you will give you time to safely and properly respond to road hazards ahead. It will also help avoid damaging your car's paint finish by road debris thrown by the car in front of you.
Lane Discipline: Stay in the center of your lane!
Don't EVER cross the yellow (center) line (except when passing another car).
Don't EVER cross the white line (if there is one) on the right edge of the road.
Stay in the center of your lane especially driving through curves and tight corners.
1. Even when you have a clear line of sight through a turn, stay to the right of the centerline and to the left of the white line.
2. When you cross the centerline or white line, you are putting yourself, your fellow drivers, and the traveling public in grave danger. By crossing the yellow centerline, you and your vehicle are at risk of colliding with oncoming traffic. By crossing the white line on the right edge of the road (or by driving on the non-asphalt surface), you risk losing control of your car (due to lack of adequate traction and/or inferior surface quality)
3. When you cross the centerline or white line in curves, it is a sign that you are driving too fast.
4. Public roads are not a track and no place to be apexing in the corners.
5. Staying on the right side of the centerline is much more challenging than simply straightening out every corner.
6. When the whole group is committed to this intelligent practice, the temptation to cheat is eliminated through peer pressure and logic.
7. Always stay in the center of your lane, except to avoid specific visible obstacles on the road. Do NOT apex even within your own lane (see next bullet).
8. Staying in the center of your lane will give you equal space (i.e. protection) against gravel and other road debris to your right and oncoming traffic crossing the centerline to your left.
9. Road debris and dust usually accumulate on or near the centerline (because it is the least traveled area of the road). Driving on or near the centerline will pick up and throw debris to the car(s) behind you.
10. Staying in the center of your lane will also help you avoid hitting roadkill which is more likely to be on or near the centerline.
11. Road debris and dust also accumulate on or near the right edge of the road. Driving on or near the right edge of the road will pick up and throw debris to the car(s) behind you.
12. When on roads without a marked center line, stay to the right as most possible. These roads are considered 1.5 cars wide and you will need to slow down and pull to the edge of the road if oncoming traffic is about to be encountered.
Passing/Overtaking
You may pass other drivers as you wish, but only if it is safe to do so. Passing other cars can be lots of fun, but do not take any unnecessary risks to do so. We will not pass drivers in our own group however...
1. NEVER, EVER attempt to pass another Driver approaching a hilltop or curve (which is virtually always a double yellow center line i.e. a no-passing zone).
2. Try to pass on long straights when there is maximum visibility of potential traffic ahead with a dotted yellow line. Do not attempt to pass unless you have visual confirmation that there is no oncoming traffic.
3. ALWAYS look in your mirrors to make sure someone else is not trying to pass you already (otherwise you may run into them or run them off of the road!)
4. ALWAYS use your car's turn signals (more on this below)
5. ALWAYS make sure you are 2 seconds ahead of the car you just passed BEFORE merging back into the lane so that your car doesn't spew the car you just passed with rocks and debris from your car's tires.
6. PLAN to have adequate space in front of the other car AFTER you pass it.
7. DO NOT assume the car you plan to pass will or can make room for your car after you pass it.
8. DO NOT plan to force the car you will pass to brake to let you in front of it. You will be placing everyone nearby in needless danger.
9. NEVER attempt to pass another car when someone else is already in the process of passing other cars behind you (it compounds the risks to everyone nearby). The car already in the process of passing cars behind you has planned its move. Wait until he/she is done with his/her pass before you begin yours.
10. NEVER pass another car on a curve.
11. If you get stuck behind a slow-moving local driver, don't tailgate or intimidate them in any way. Don't pass them at the risk of putting them in danger. Wait patiently until it is safe to pass. Follow the applicable rules listed in this section. Most local drivers will pull over to let the group pass.
N.T.S.D.
Want to have access to the roads we have to offer? Ask to join the N.T.S.D. Club on facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/103386586364857/
2012 Events
April 7 - https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/939...cranfills-gap/
April 15 - https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/943...#entry21587176
April 21 - https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/945...#entry21610158
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03-21-2011, 10:14 PM
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