To tag along or to not tag along?

[Dracan]

If you were riding down the motorway and came across a group of other bikers riding together (say three or more) - would you tag along with them (you're going the same direction and similar speeds), or would you see it as being rude tagging along uninvited?
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Honda CBR600RR - 2004

[Major_Grooves]

If you're going the same speed in the same direction you won't have much choice.

As long as you're not infringing upon them then I can see no reason not to join them. Unless they're all riding Harleys or Goldwings or something.
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About me|@Major_Grooves|My company|Digg|Flickr

[VFR400UK]

It's a bit rude to barge into the middle of them or ride right behind them worrying them. but tagging along at a safe distance is fine.

[stinkwheel]

I would probably tag along, unless they all had identical big cloth MC patches on the back of their leathers
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Dracan]

[Dracan]

Also forgot to add - they're riding similar bikes to you
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Honda CBR600RR - 2004

[extreme3d]

There's safety in numbers

[Flip]

I wouldn't mind someone tagging along for a while as long as they give a nod or a thumbs up when we parted.

But if I was walking downn the street and someone tagged along and joined in the converstion I'd tell them to f*ck off.

[yambabe]

On my bike? Catch someone else up? Ha, chance would be a fine thing......
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Sod falling in love, I wanna fall in chocolate.

[craigs23]

I've done plenty of tagging - especially if I catch up with someone on any particular road and we're heading in the same direction. If it was a group of riders I'd stay behind them, wouldn't want to be rude and ruin their formation riding. Had some fun with a CBR-RR recently, didn't seem to mind (although looked as if he was trying to get away )

[extreme3d]

There is a saying "you can only learn by watching those better than yourself"

On my last bike after passing my test I used to try and follow anyone who looked like they knew what they were doing. I wouldn't get to close as to annoy them, but I learnt a hell of a lot about road positioning, overtaking etc from doing this.

Maybe this explains why I now take so many risks

[ZZRman]

I dont tag, I dont see the point of staying behind either as you may make them feel uneasy ie: they could think you're a copper, best to pass on by I say.

[cc123]

Funny you should ask the question, I tagged along the back of 2 riders today on the Mway...

Nod and a wave after joining up and leaving, made some swift progess to work and made the journey alot more pleasent...

Dunno about a large group tho
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Old bikes >>> https://www.bikepics.com/members/cc123/

[Keen]

back when I was 18 and I still had my 125, I was riding to uni after being at home for the weekend, I jsut got off the A66 and I turned onto the A686 (I think its called).... just as I turned onto the road a load of other bikes started pulling out of a lay by, there must of been about 15 of them and about 9/10 had already pulled out, so I found myself in the middle of this huge group, on my little 125, and they were doing about 75, just how I wanted to go. I wasnt sure what to do, so i pulled over and dropped back letting them all pass me then I joined on the end. I really enjoyed riding with some random people and they didn't seem to mind me being there... I would say its fine
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"he who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man"- Dr. Johnson

[Steve H]

I'll tag along giving the obligatory thumbs up/nod - There's something about seeing a large group of riders (especially) on a motorway that's sort of inspirational.

On the way up to Moto GP this year I got onto the Motorway and found myself behind a group of approximately 9 or 10 Cruisers who were really ragging it. It was fantastic fun.
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Mellow Yellow
The BCF Top TEN - 2010, 2009, 2008, The Original.

[Sadie]

I find that I quite regularly either tag along with random bikers or vice versa.

On the way home from work it's a good way to unwind and play a bit.

I don't worry about seeming rude, because generally the other party will make it obvious if they don't want you there.

Usually a wave goodbye at the end and off I go!


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With experience comes age.

[Claud 14.7 to 1]

Often I'd tag along. It would mainly be when filtering though, as it makes us more noticeable.

I wouldn't stay with them if they were too fast/slow for my pace which means I rarely have to "tag along", although if I'm in the mood for a little fun then it'd be rude not to adapt (wouldn't include going slower though, hehe).

[ashley_46]

I ended up tagging along with a group of 6 riders a few months back. They ended up pulling into a pub so i carried on to the roundabout turned round and on my way back they waved me in to join them. I ended up spending about an hour chatting to them and also learned a lot and made a decent group of mates.

[kath600]

thats really good to hear those kind of things Ashley.

i'll tag along if i feel like it.

rode down from portsmouth to lands end on my own the other week to go visit friends and i caught up with a group of about 6 all on 600 -1000 sports bikes.

kept my distance at first, they were doing a steady 90mph so i stayed be hind.

last guy on a gixxer 1000 i think, clocked me and motioned for me to catch up, he pointed out speed cameras on the way too which i may not have spotted.

we all had some fun for an hour and it broke up my journey, lots of beeps and waves when they turned off.
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Seven days without laughter......... makes one weak.

[VTR SP1]

A mate of mine went out on his new Triumph Sprint ST a few Sundays ago with his wife on the back.
He left his house in Gloucester and at the first big roundabout he saw a group of about 10 bikes go past onto the bypass. He went the same way and went past qt the earliest oppertunity as they were obviousley riding in a group and not to fast.
He said the bikes seemed to speed up and try to keep pace with him over the next few junctions and onto the motorway.
He said as he was going down the motorway he could see the group behind him and he was making sure he was pulling in after overtakes to allow them to pass but they just stayed behind him.
As he went past the Stroud junction of the M5 some of the bikes dropped off but the 2 behind him stuck like glue.

As he got to Bristol he came off the motorway and stopped at some traffic lights.
One of the following bikers pulled up at the side of him and said "where are we going now mate"

My mate said "well i'm going to see my mother in law in hospital. I don't know where your going".

He said it suddenly dawned on this bloke that my mate was not leading the ride out and he was a long way off course.

He stopped and spoke to the blokes and it turned out they were on a Triumph club rideout and assumed my mate was leading.
They had taken a 40 mile detour but he did give them directions to their next rv.

The moral of the story..............I don't really know but I thought it was funny as fuck.

SP1
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I rode the Nurburgring backwards.

[Dotzler]

While riding my ZX6R (with UK plates) through Sweden a couple of years ago, I pulled in to a small town for the night. As I was looking at the information board in the town square, trying to find a hostel, a couple of 'Harley' types came up and asked me if I needed any help. They found me a place to stay for the night, and invited me to ride with them the next day. This was a welcome offer as I'd had quite a crap day up until then having got a pointless speeding ticket earlier in the day
Needless to say I joined them the next day and had a really good time. It was so much nicer taking breaks and chatting with a big group of bikers than riding on your own for hour upon hour!

I think the nature of biking lends itself to meeting new people on the road, so I'm all for joining up with groups on the road. Or having people join up with a group I might be riding with!

[tribal_tiger]

Normally I wouldn't simply as I'm on a crappy 125, but the only time that springs to mind was just over a year ago. My old flat was right near a funeral place. I'm riding home and see a whole bunch of bikers getting ready to go, they waved me into the group so i just formed into the procession. They were calling in all bikers they saw. Not something I would normally intrude on, but they brought me in, and the big group we ended up with seemed to be a nice send off. must have been between 50 and 75 of us in the end.
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How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could Chuck Norris?

All of it.

[RealNinja]

I will always tag along with a group of bikes, usually at the back, just to see if they will play

Riding on a motorway in groups makes me feel safer because it gives more presence.

I have never had anybody take offence at me tagging along, and once it helped cos I was lost on the way to Mallory park.....I just found a random group of sports bikes at a roundabout and followed them . Could have ended up anywhere
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You will become my force of retribution. Where you tread, doom will follow. Go now and claim your destiny

[Reevo8]

On my recent journey back from a Snett track day I followed a group of riders from the fast group to london area before moving myself homewards.

Same happened at MotoGP I was on the return journey from donington, and saw a BCF member, mr Swaffs with a couple of mates. Now I was hoping for some speed camera radars to catch up and as swaffs was sat at 110mph whilst filtering I tagged along 99% of the way!!
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05 ZX10R, (**05 WKR)

[AL-]

I always find myself tagging along. Theres nothing i enjoy more than riding in a large group. Had nobody not let me ride with them, I just tend to stay at the back, and most times when we stop at lights or something they signal me up so we can chat and work out where we are going lol