I have a few newbie questions I hope you all can help me with.

When riding in pairs, should you still ride in a staggered formation, like it recommends in the MSF book for group riding?

Also, it says in the MSF book that you should wait side-by-side at a stoplight or stop sign, does this apply when there's only two of you AND do you still proceed through the intersection one at a time??

My husband just got his scooter, too, so we're riding together and until now I've always ridden behind him, as if he were just another vehicle on the road. On one occasion, I did pull up beside him at a stoplight that didn't sense he was there, just to make it turn green, but let him go through ahead of me like he was just another vehicle on the road. I just want to make sure we're doing it right and not developing bad habits.

Thanks!

_________________

It's key to ride staggered, particularly as newbies.
The point is that when you stop suddenly, there's less danger of crashing into each other.

And yes, it's nice to stop side by side so you can chat. Then one person leads off and you get back into staggered mode.

(Although if I'm aggravated with the husband,
I do tend to stop slightly behind him and staggered, so he'll get less chance to aggravate me further )

_________________
~~~~~ Linda ~~~~~

Great! Thanks for the info. Just one more question, to clarify. At a four way stop, if we wait side by side, when it's our turn to proceed through the stop sign, do we go together or does he go and then I wait until the other cars have taken their turn before going?

_________________

I think that if you stop side by side, folks will expect you to go together.

_________________
~~~~~ Linda ~~~~~

Usually when I see folks side by side at stop signs, lights, I see them leave in staggered formation.

We always ride staggered. Too dangerous to ride side by side unless you have to signal another rider that you need to stop for gas or whatever and then it's okay to pull up to signal and then resume the staggered riding.

I'm funny. I hate it when anyone rides behind me. It's like I have someone looking over my shoulder and it makes me nervous. Guess I wouldn't be a good 'club' rider.

_________________
There are two types of people in this world, people who ride scooters and
people who wish they could ride scooters.

Now I'm confused.

What I meant to say was that if you're stopped side by side,
they usually expect you to leave in staggered formation, but at roughly the same time.

_________________
~~~~~ Linda ~~~~~

Ride staggered unless you get into twisty roads. Then move to a move single file type arrangement as people will need more space in their lane.
Riding staggered will help keep cars from trying to cut in between and separate you and drivers are more likely to see two bikes than they are one. Being on different sides of the lane gives you much more maneuverability than side by side will. If there is a pot hole or debris in the road you will still be able to swerve around it.
MSF also recommends that the more experienced rider stay in back. The idea is they will be able to adjust their riding for the person in front and have better ability to avoid them should they go down for some reason.
We come off stops as TV said. Just barely staggered so cars will not try to come between us but quickly fall back into a staggered formation. If you or your husband both can't take off in a straight line (I've seen some noobs have problem with it) be sure to practice it somewhere safe til you get the hang of it.

Adding to Alter's good points...
You definitely want to practice this stuff on quiet roads before you take on traffic.

_________________
~~~~~ Linda ~~~~~

Riding staggered is the safest way. Stopping side by side at lights & stops signs is totally acceptable, one of you takes off a tiny bit ahead of the other, usually the person on the left. Where I live it is illegal to ride side by side, the only motorcyclists permitted to do this are police officers. They are trained to ride in tight formation, the average rider is not.

_________________
Dar ~ I was born to ride!

my blog: Princess Scooterpie http://scootermayhem.blogspot.com/