Riding with someone else for the first time..

[Cra1g]

Alright so, my wife and I ride together all the time and both have Senas to talk to each other. But for the first time ever I'm meeting up with someone new to go for a ride around town.

Chances are he won't have a Sena, so I feel like communicating is going to be awkward, especially for someone I just met. I'm guessing it's a good idea to meet somewhere first and chat to come up with a ride plan? Should we come up with signals? When one of us decides that it's time to split ways and head home, how are you supposed to know so that you don't keep following each other?

Am I overthinking this way too much??

[adouglas]

Yes.

Set meeting place. Set destination. Set times. Set pace expectations. Make contingencies clear (i.e. what if you get separated). Don't sweat the small stuff.

Their ride is not your problem. Your ride isn't theirs.

[Triple Jim]

I haven't committed to communications gear yet because I'm not sure I want the distraction. If I'm behind someone I'm riding with and want to tell him something, I pull up to him at the next stop sign. If no stop is coming up, I pass him, signal, and pull over. Things like that. You're right about meeting and chatting about the ride, of course.

[adouglas]

I ride to get AWAY from constantly being reachable.

[Abu_Mishary]

I'd just tell them the RV point to meet up again afterwards. ETA should be around 30 mins and no less.

Contingencies? They're big enuff to call someone if they are in trouble.

[CaliGrrl]

I love my intercom. I like being able to talk to my riding buddies.

Not having comms with the other guy, though... you could put your wife at the front of the trio, no-comm guy in the middle, and you at the back. You can tell your wife if you need to pull over, and you can keep an eye on the other guy if he has any issues.

Signals are a good idea, so you can communicate. Preplanning is good, too, for route and pace, stopping points. My husband and I commonly ride with a third person, and if he doesn't have a comm, we set up stopping points and talk about things then.

[DannoXYZ]

[adouglas]

Originally Posted by Abu_Mishary

Contingencies? They're big enuff to call someone if they are in trouble.

By "contingency" I mean something like "If you don't show up by X time, I'll assume something happened and will depart/order lunch/go to the next stop/go home."

Often you're confronted with a Clash moment: Should I Stay Or Should I Go? This eliminates that issue by setting clear expectations. For those running late, it makes life easier because they know you won't be waiting around for them.

Back in the day when we didn't all have a GPS in our pocket, I'd give directions the same way. "If you pass X landmark, you've gone too far. Turn around."

[ducatiman]

Riding long before the comm systems of today...we pointed towards gas tank (fuel stop) ...belly (food stop) or ummm...."rest room" (the nearest tree) LOL.

A few years ago..my main riding partner/lady friend took a very slow, minor low side spill in twisties behind me, I didn't see...kept going a bit until a car beeped...lady asked if I was with the other rider behind ...who had just fallen. Thankfully, she was ok.

That episode prompted our purchase of a Cardo/Scala system.....safety our main motive....but its added a social element too. Chit chat....directions, food/fuel stops, warning of road debris, inattentive drivers....etc etc.

On a security/safety level..its added a new element and worked out well, putting us both at ease.

Back to initial OP topic...riding with someone I'm not familiar with....obvious to leave *plenty* of room between. Until trends, abilities
habits and preferences are established between...best to err on the side of caution.

[CaliGrrl]

Discussion of riding style and speed might be in order, too.

ASL is good at stops but unfortunately a lot of signs are two-handed.... not good to do at speed.

[DannoXYZ]

[VaFish]

Originally Posted by JacRyann

Well that explains a lot on my last ride. Wish I would have seen this before.

[NevadaWolf]

One of my favorite videos for hand signals (nsfw: language)

Link to original page on YouTube.

Regarding the OP, when you say "someone new" are you meaning new to riding with you or new to riding?

If just new to riding with you, I liked the idea of having you and your wife be the lead and sweeper, with the new guy in between. That way, whomever is lead can focus on the route and setting a good pace, while the sweep can keep an eye out for issues and let the lead know if there are speed concerns.

There's not much to think about, most signals are fairly universal. Speed up, slow down, turn left, turn right, go that way.

Chat with them beforehand, make sure they know where you're going, how you're getting there, how long the ride is, how often there'll be a break, distance between gas stations.

If I'm riding with someone and need to split off, I either tell them I'll be turning off at XY street to head home when we're stopped for the last gas stop, or if leading, I'll pull into a parking lot to say farewell before heading home. Or just shout at them at the stop light. Whatever works. LOL

[Abu_Mishary]

Originally Posted by JacRyann

I can sign and I never have thought of doing this while riding!

[DannoXYZ]

heh, heh... I'm a dinosaur... I even know morse code!

[Triple Jim]

Originally Posted by JacRyann

heh, heh... I'm a dinosaur... I even know morse code!

Do you really? Funny who you meet on boards. I can probably still do 30 wpm.

73 de AA3DN

[redonninrf]

Originally Posted by Cra1g

Am I overthinking this way too much??

Yes.

Having said that...

I partake in monthly group rides with a local Triumph club. There's really not a lot if communication needed while riding in a group. One person is the leader and everyone else pretty much just follows that person in staggered formation. Since the routes are planned in advance by the club, and the groups are sometimes large, we do make written turn-by-turn route notes available. Fuel stops are usually no more than 100 miles apart and everyone knows they need to show up with a full tank.

If parting ways while in motion just a friendly wave good-bye but add a big thumbs up to avoid possible confusion with 'Hey I'm having a mechanical and need help." Better yet, just plan ahead to part ways at such-and-such intersection or a certain mile marker so there's no surprise.

There are group-ride hand signals which have been around for decades. Not sure I recall them being used on the club rides. That's not to say such hand-signals are obsolete as some clubs may use them extensively. Two or three times a year I ride with a Christian biker church and they're a little more formal about group riding. IIRC they use some of the classic hand signals.

One courtesy signal which always gets used is to indicate road surface issues to the riders behind by pointing your feet and toes down at the hazard. Left or right foot whichever side the hazard is on. The riders behind will appreciate the heads-up on the dead squirrel.

Have a place to meet for the start. Agree to show up with full tanks. Pick a destination and a route to get there. If more than 100 miles long plan a gas/rest stop. If you haven't already decided who's leading then flip a coin. Then just follow the leader.

[Abu_Mishary]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

73 de AA3DN

I read this as 7 girls and 3 guys. The double A meeting, 3 days one night.

[DannoXYZ]

Originally Posted by Triple Jim

Do you really? Funny who you meet on boards. I can probably still do 30 wpm.

wow! I only needed 5 for Boy Scouts.

73 de AA3DN

Originally Posted by Abu_Mishary

I read this as 7 girls and 3 guys. The double A meeting, 3 days one night.

hahahhahaha! Morse and ham operators had original L33t well before teenagers and their texting!

73 = "best regards"
de = French "of" or "from"
AA3DN = U.S. call sign. East Coast mid-Atlantic region

[Abu_Mishary]

Originally Posted by JacRyann

73 = "best regards"
de = French "of" or "from"
AA3DN = U.S. call sign. East Coast mid-Atlantic region

Now it makes sense.

[adouglas]

Me, I speak the binary language of moisture 'vaporators.

[sparkcycle]

Originally Posted by adouglas

Me, I speak the binary language of moisture 'vaporators.

You would be suited for programming binary loadlifters—very similar to your vaporators in most respects.