Notices posted by the Officers.
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Hey everybody.... Everyone now has a Guard Dog Email Address.... It is your road name at neoguarddog.com. So a example is like notyet@neoguarddogs.com... The link is HERE.
Notice: Any member that hasn't paid their past dues for last year has until next month's meeting " April " to catch up. Those Bad Dogs have been posted and you will be receiving a letter in the mail from your last updated membership information. Bad Dogs that haven’t paid, your patch will be collected up by the Chapter.
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T - Shirts are still available for those patched members.
Auxiliary T - Shirts still not available.
For Information on T - Shirts, patches and other items see Herc.
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Guard Dogs N.E. Chapter
Ride Procedures
April 20, 2007
Order of March:
Below is the designated order of march when participating in N.E. Chapter rides:
1st – Lead Chapter RoadCaptain
2nd – Chapter President
3rd – Chapter Sergeant at Arms
4th – Chapter Secretary
5th – Chapter Treasurer
The remainder of the N.E. Chapter will occupy the pack all the way to the last three ride positions.
3rd to Last – Designated Runner
2nd to Last – Chapter Vice President
Last – Chapter Road Captain ridding “Sweep”
In the event that there are State Officers participating in a N.E. Chapter Ride, the State President, State SAA and State VP will ride up front immediately behind their chapter counter parts. All other State Officers will fall in as normal members of the pack.
Ride Interval:
Starting with the Lead RC in front left or “Suicide” position, each bike should be staggered and with proper spacing between you and the bike staggered in front of you.
Open Highway 55 mph or more your spacing should be approximately 1 ½ to 2 bike lengths apart or roughly two seconds from the bike in front of you. This also leaves room for the Road Captains to move in and around the formation.
Congested freeway in and around cities, no matter the speed, close the interval up to about one (1) bike length. This is to keep vehicles from merging into the formation and causing potential for an accident.
Parade Riding – Riding in a parade formation is where the formation is closed up and the bikes are side-by-side and are normally traveling at a speed less than 30 MPH but can be more. Parade is normally rode during escorts, parades or some other formal event and the order will be given to ride that way.
Hand Signals:
All riders are required to know and use hand signals. Hand signals are the most effective way to communicate while riding in formation. Below are the basic universal hand signals that all N.E. Chapter members should know.
In addition to the above hand signals, riders should use their foot to point out obstacles in the road as they pass to warn the riders behind them of the hazard.
Road Guard Actions:
All members will be required to perform Road Guard during rides. The Road Guards will come from the members of the pack who are directly behind the officers.
1. When a Road Guard is required, the first two bikes behind the officers will move out to the left and right and block traffic.
2. After the Road Guards move out everyone else will move forward and fill their position in the pack except for the last 3 bikes (Runner, VP, Sweep RC) who stay in place to allow room for the Road Guards to rejoin.
3. After the pack clears the area being guarded, the two Road Guards fall back in formation in front of the 3 bikes mentioned above (Runner, VP, Sweep RC). To make it simple…...it should work like a reverse Indian Run or Daisy Chain.
All rides are different. Numbers play a big role in how it works. If our numbers are small there is less need for Road Guards, but, when needed, some of the officer may have to pick up the duty. Situation will dictate.
Actions During a Breakdown:
1. Before a ride, Road Captains will designate a “Runner” that will ride in the back of the pack with the Road Captain who is ridding sweep and the Chapter VP.
2. When a breakdown happens the rider will come to a stop as safely as possible in regards to other riders and getting to a safe of a distance off the road as possible.
3. The rest of the pack will continue on and the RC, VP and Runner will drop off with the breakdown.
4. Everyone else in the pack will start signaling forward to the lead RC that there is a breakdown.
5. The lead RC will pull the remainder of the pack over at the first available spot that will allow all the bikes to get off the road, still be visible from the route and have the most facilities possible.
6. The Sweep RC, VP, broke rider and Runner will determine what the conditions are and estimated down time if it can be fixed on the spot.
7. The Runner will then catch up to the pack, report the problem, bring back any support available.
8. With the info provided the Ranking Club Officer along with the remaining RCs will determine weather to wait or go on. If the pack goes on then the Sweep RC, VP and the Runner will wait with the broke rider until the Sweep RC determines that he/she has the situation under control and will not be left totally stranded.
9. The Sweep RC, VP and the Runner will then catch back up with the pack at a determined rally point.
Notes:
These are guidelines and each situation is going to be different depending on location and extent of the breakdown.
Each RC will carry a small amount of repair tools and emergency repair “Rigging” (ie wire, bungee cords & duct tape) and we highly encourage everyone else to do the same.
Cell phones will be used to the maximum.