Group ride, a blind crest and a slower rider
You lead a group of five motorcycles on a two-lane rural road with a 90 km/h limit. The road rises to a blind crest 200 m ahead, then bends right. The rider behind you, on a 400 cc bike, is riding 25 m back and has been braking late into corners, drifting wide. Two other riders are further back. A tractor pulling a trailer is 300 m ahead, moving at 25 km/h in your lane. The sun is low behind you, so the crest is backlit and the far side of the road is hard to read. Your group rule is that the leader waits at junctions.
1. What is the main hazard at the crest, and how should the group approach it?
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The crest is blind: you cannot see what is beyond it, and the low sun behind you makes the far side hard to read while possibly dazzling oncoming drivers. A slow tractor 300 m ahead may be closer than it appears, and there may be traffic beyond the crest.
Approach: reduce speed before the crest so you can stop within the distance you can see to be clear. Do not overtake the tractor before the crest. Keep to your lane, avoid crossing the centre line, and use the mirror to check the group. Signal early and make your intentions obvious to the riders behind. Only after the crest, with clear visibility through the right bend, should anyone consider passing the tractor.
2. How do you manage the rider 25 m behind who brakes late and runs wide?
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25 m at 90 km/h is about one second - too close, and his late braking and wide lines make him the highest-risk member. As leader, set a smooth, predictable pace and brake early and gently so he has time to react. Do not accelerate hard out of corners, which invites him to chase.
Before the crest, ease off so the gap grows and he is not forced to brake sharply. Use a clear hand signal or indicator to show slowing. If he continues to run wide, the group should reassess: either slow the whole group, or have a more experienced rider take the lead and place him second, where his line can be watched.
3. The group rule is that the leader waits at junctions. How does that interact with the tractor and the crest?
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The rule keeps the group together, but it must not override safety. If you pass the tractor after the crest, do not stop immediately in a blind position to wait; choose a safe, visible place past the bend where the group can regroup without blocking the road.
Before the crest, the rule does not require you to stop. Keep the group compact enough that no one is left exposed, but maintain spacing for the blind crest. If a rider is dropped, the leader should wait only where it is safe and legal, and the group should have a agreed regroup point rather than stopping on a blind crest or beside a tractor.