Revised Feb 2010

The Woodlands HOG Chapter #1420 Standard Operating Procedures For Road Captains 2010 These standard operating procedures are written as a guideline to help you, as a Road Captain, safely lead groups of riders. These are guidelines only. You should use common sense and sound judgment at all times. 1) Qualifications Note: All RC appointments are subject to approval by the Sponsor, Director, Assistant Director, Head Road Captain, and Safety Officer. a) Complete the Motorcycle Safety Foundation Basic or Experienced Riders Course (experienced preferred) within the last two years. b) Have a current Motorcycle Drivers License. c) Complete The Woodlands HOG Road Captain Course. d) Must have rode on at least 10 chapter rides in last year
e) Successfully lead a minimum of three rides under the supervision of a current Senior Road Captain.

f) Lead at least one check ride every 6 months to remain qualified. A well-experienced RC will sweep on this ride, and provide feedback to the lead. This policy applies to all RCs, including the Head RC. g) Any RC not leading at least 1 ride during a 6 month period will be placed on the inactive list. h) To get off the inactive list, all the RC has to do is lead a ride as per e) above. i) j) RCs that are inactive for 12 months will be dropped from the RC list. RCs that are dropped from the list must re-qualify as per items a-d above.

2) Pre-Ride a) At staging area, sign in as Road Captain. b) Road Captains should make sure they have the Ride Coordinator and the Head Road Captains cell number, if applicable. The Ride Coordinator is the person who is in charge of that ride and will generally be an officer. c) Road Captains should make sure they have an Injury Report Form with them. One can be obtained from the Director, Head Road Captain or Safety Officer.

d) Before the Riders Meeting, get all the Road Captains (and Sweepers) together and determine how many groups are needed, and which Road Captains will lead the groups. e) Road Captains shall select their Sweeper and should take an active role in positioning riders within their group. Make sure your Sweeper knows and accepts the responsibilities outlined in Item 7. f) For each group, the Road Captain and the Sweeper should exchange cell phone numbers, if applicable. g) The ride sponsor should make sure all riders are signed in on the ride sheet. Any non-chapter member riders have to fill out a release form. There are separate forms for adults and minors. Make sure minors forms are signed by an adult (parent or guardian). Non-parental / or legal custodial signatures are not valid. h) All minors, including chapter members, must have a release form signed by an adult (parent or guardian) for every event/ride. Non-parental / or legal custodial signatures are not valid. i) The ride sponsor should fill out the RC Lead and Sweep form, to track participation by the Road Captains.

3) Riders Meeting Before leaving on a ride, the Director, Assistant Director, Head Road Captain or Safety Officer will hold a brief riders meeting. During this meeting the following points should be covered as a minimum: a) Groups should be split up to have 5 or 6 bikes maximum. b) Everyone will ride in a staggered formation. Side by side is illegal and dangerous. A staggered formation allows for maximum visibility and safety for each rider. Try to stay in your staggered position and dont wander from side to side. However, on curves, a rider does own the entire width of the lane, if needed, to maneuver. This is different from wandering. c) Riders should not pass other riders within their group. Maintain the same position relative to the other riders. If a rider wants to change positions in the group, do it at the next rest break. d) Allow a minimum of 2 seconds between you and the rider directly in front of you, and 1 second between you and the staggered rider in front of you. This space cushion gives each rider room to maneuver and still maintains the riding formation. e) If the bike in front of a rider is a trike (3 wheeler), allow 2 seconds following distance. The trike owns the whole width of the lane. f) Pass 18 wheelers in single file. This applies also when an 18 wheeler is coming towards the group from the other direction, and is in the lane next to the group. g) On all but gradual curves, go to single file before entering the curve. Use Outside-InsideOutside technique: Outer part of curve while approaching, go to inside at the apex of the curve, then back to outside while exiting the curve. Group then goes back to double file when safe to do so. This allows maximum visibility and the ability for proper handling of the bike during curves.

h) Let all riders know that cruise controls or throttle locks are not to be used during a group ride. The dynamics of group riding demand our highest level of concentration and preparedness for emergency maneuvers. We must always be at our best and prepared to react instantaneously to events during the ride. The use of cruise controls or throttle locks endangers the riders in front, should they need to stop or decelerate quickly. i) In the event the group gets separated while going through a town, the lead group should pull over at a safe location and wait for the remainder of their group. For the group that got separated, dont do anything dangerous to catch up. The lead group will wait for you. It is important for each rider to ride his own ride. Just because the bike in front of you crosses an intersection doesnt mean that the intersection will be clear for you. You are responsible for your own safety and for obeying all traffic signals and signs.

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k) Alcohol, illegal drugs or prescribed medications which may temporarily impair riding ability is prohibited. l) Explain the basic hand signals that the Road Captains will use. Encourage everyone to use these signals

m) Each rider should hold their position in the lane, except to avoid obstacles, or when single file is in progress. You own the whole width of the lane if needed to maneuver, however, drifting out of your track is discouraged. n) During heavy traffic, a tight formation works best to keep other traffic from cutting into your group, although keep in mind that safety comes before the integrity of the group. On open roads, the group can loosen up. o) If a rider has to pull over during a ride, they should do so safely and try to signal the rider in front of them and behind them to let them know they are pulling over. The Sweeper will pull over and remain with the rider who has stopped and is responsible for coordinating the situation with the Road Captain. The Road Captain, and the remaining group, will continue riding to a safe location, such as a parking lot or service station. The Road Captain will either call the Sweeper, or send a rider back to assess the situation. p) If there are any really new riders or someone who hasnt done much group riding, suggest that they ride directly behind the Road Captain in one group. This position in the group reduces the amount of constant speed adjustment which will reduce the yo-yo effect which requires a rider to speed up to catch up. q) Introduce the Road Captains and go over the route. Hand out maps of the route to the Road Captains and whoever wants them. Suggest places for rest stops along the route. r) Ensure that the specific ending location of the ride is defined and understood by the riders. This determines the cessation of insurance and liability coverage by the Chapter. s) Discuss any special conditions to be encountered on this route: Road construction, rain, gravel, toll booths, etc.

t) If anyone in the group observes any other rider riding in an unsafe manner, they should inform the Road Captain, Sweeper or Chapter Officer at the first opportunity. u) Explain the lane change procedure. The Road Captain puts on his turn signal, which is echoed by all the riders in the group. The group does not start changing lanes yet. The Sweeper will secure the new lane, and then the bikes will move to the new lane, starting with the last bike before the Sweeper, then the next to last bike, etc. until finally the Road Captain is the last bike to change lanes. v) Suggest that bikes not leading or sweeping, turn off touring lamps so that the leader can quickly determine the location of the sweeper. 4) Poll Riders It is important that the Road Captain knows who is in their group and find out the answer to a few basic questions: a) How many miles can you go before you need gas? b) How soon will anyone need to go to the restroom? c) Is everyone starting with a full tank of gas? 5) During the Ride a) Each group must ride to the skill level of the least experienced rider in the group. b) Road Captains must exercise care to avoid sudden or severe maneuvers except when avoiding accidents or dangerous situations. This includes sudden stops, sudden changes in direction and/or turns to name a few. If a scheduled turn has been missed or you are just unsure of the route, proceed on your present course to a safe location before stopping or turning around. Do everything possible to get all the bikes off the road to a parking lot, service station or other safe site. c) Some riders may want to stop in 30 or 40 miles for a restroom break. The first stop is a good time to check with everyone to make sure they are comfortable with where they are in the group. If there are any problems, you may want to reposition riders. d) Pulling out of formation, excessive speed and horseplay will not be tolerated under any circumstance. If the Road Captain or Sweeper observes this, they should safely pull the group over and the Road Captain should politely ask the person causing the problem to stop or leave the group, explaining to them that this kind of behavior endangers everyone in the group. e) In extreme weather conditions like rain, heat or cold, stops should be more frequent. f) At gas stops and rest stops, the Road Captain should review the next section of the trip with the group. g) The Sweeper should do their best to not let the group get stretched out. h) Be courteous to other users of the road.

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It is mandatory for any rider leaving the group to notify the Road Captain. If a rider has mechanical trouble, they should signal the Road Captain or Sweeper and safely pull off to the side of the road. The Road Captain should get the entire group off the road at the first opportunity that it is safe to do so. Designate a person (usually the Sweeper) to stay with the rider until help arrives. Give the designated rider the Road Captains cell phone number. (It is suggested that Road Captains should carry a cell phone.) The rest of the group should proceed to the next scheduled stop. Communications with the stranded rider should be established and maintained until all involved are comfortable with the situation.

k) Remember to scan your review mirrors. l) DO NOT pull the group over to the shoulder.

m) If traffic is following too closely, find a safe place to pull your group completely off the road. For example a gas station, a school parking lot, etc. n) On multiple lane expressways, (like I-45) avoid riding in the right lane. Use one of the left lanes to minimize traffic cutting through the group entering and exiting the freeway. 6) Accidents or Illness a) The Road Captain's primary role is to lead the group to its destination. During emergency situations, their role is to coordinate efforts to stabilize the situation, and then continue with the remaining members of the group to the destination. b) If a rider or passenger becomes ill, you should get the whole group safely off the road. c) Ask the person who is ill if they need an ambulance. If they refuse, try to get family contact information from them and call someone to pick them up, taking into consideration that arrangements have to be made to get their bike to a safe location. Let the rider make this decision. d) After arrangements are made, the Road Captain should have two people stay with the sick person until help arrives. Remember to establish a means of communication between the people staying and the Road Captain. e) The Road Captain should proceed to the next scheduled stop with the rest of the group. f) The Road Captain should contact the Ride Coordinator and advise them of the situation. g) All of the above also applies to accidents. h) If an accident happens and a rider and or passenger are down, always remain calm. i) j) Try to communicate with the injured person. Do not move the injured person unless leaving them where they are would cause additional injury or death. In the event of an accident, you should always call the police and an ambulance. Sometimes the rider or passenger could be in shock and not realize the extent of their injuries.

k) If the rider or passenger refuses to have an ambulance called, that fact should be noted on the HOG Injury Report Form, in the section for the Name, Address, Age of the injured party, or on a separate sheet, as applicable. l) The HOG Injury Report Form should be filled out completely. Be sure to get all witness names and telephone numbers and briefly describe details of the accident on the report.

m) Keep accurate records on the time that the police and ambulance were called, as well as their arrival times. n) Let the Ride Coordinator contact family members and advise them of the situation. o) Turn the Injury Report Forms in to the Ride Coordinator, who will turn them in to the Director or Sponsor for submission to National H.O.G. 7) Sweeper Riding sweep, the last biker in a group, is very important to group safety. A good Sweeper, who leads from the rear of the pack, has many responsibilities, including: a) Securing the lane for all lane changes on multiple lane roads (passing, exiting, etc.). b) Knows and understands the planned route of travel. c) Makes sure anyone dropping out of the group is ok. d) Communication with the Road Captain. Make yourself visible. e) Works with the Road Captain as a team. f) Anticipates the Road Captains moves and responds accordingly. g) Works to maintain proper gaps and space cushioning. h) Observes the group for any unsafe rider actions and discusses this with the Road Captain at an appropriate and safe time. i) Signals the Road Captain to pull over in the event of dangerous conditions. Suggest using emergency flashers and horn.

8) Road Captain Equipment Check List If leading a ride, each Road Captain should try to have the following: a) First aid kit. b) Cell phone. c) Maps of route and general area. d) Emergency contact numbers of Director, Assistant Director, Head Road Captain and Safety Officer.

e) Laminated Safety / Group Ride Briefing Card 9) Ride Reports Each Road Captain should write a short email to the Head Road Captain and Safety Officer following each ride noting any problems, incidents, bad roads, bad rider, good ride, good or bad stops or just nothing unusual. This will help us in planning future rides or dealing with any issues that might have come up. 10) Managing Risks a) All Road Captains should learn procedures to lower the risk for riders in their group. Below are a few suggestions: Do not exceed the speed limit. It compromises the safety of the group and makes some riders uneasy. Always be sensitive to new riders in your group. Try not to make them ride beyond their limits. We were all new riders at one time. Slow down on wet roads or when it is raining. Slow down when riding at night. When the weather is extremely hot, take breaks every 50 or 60 miles in gas stations or stores with air conditioning. Drink plenty of fluids. When the weather is extremely cold, encourage all riders to dress in layers and protect all exposed skin. Stop every 40 to 50 miles. The Head Road Captain and/or the Ride Coordinator should plan rides where the traffic is minimal and the roads are in good condition.

Always be safe minded, and RIDE AND HAVE FUN.