Route Sheet Guidelines

Transcription

1 Fairfax VA H.O.G. Chapter Rute Sheet Guidelines THIS DOCUMENT IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND IS NOT FOR GENERAL DISTRIBUTION. ANY INTERIM USE BY AN OFFICER OR VOLUNTEER OF FAIRFAX VA CHAPTER H.O.G. IS FOR THE EXPRESSED PURPOSE OF REFINING THIS DOCUMENT TOWARD ITS FINAL VERSION FOR PUBLICATION.

2 Fairfax VA H.O.G. Chapter - Rute Sheet Guidelines * THIS IS NOTICE OF A RELEASE, READ BEFORE USING THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT * Use f this dcument in part r full, fllwing instructins, guides r advice cntained within it r emulating any examples ffered within it cnstitute full and abslute acceptance f the fllwing Release. If yu d nt accept and will nt adhere t this release, please discard r return this dcument t Fairfax VA Chapter, Harley Owners Grup, Inc. The reader/user f this dcument r its cntents des release and hld harmless the Harley Owners Grup (H.O.G.), Harley-Davidsn, Inc., Harley-Davidsn Mtr Cmpany, the Spnsring Dealer the prviding Chapter their respective fficers, directrs, emplyees and agents (hereinafter, the "RELEASED PARTIES") frm any and all claims and demands, rights and causes f actin f any kind whatsever which the reader/user nw has r later may have against the "RELEASED PARTIES" in any way resulting frm, arising ut f, r in cnnectin with the any f the actins r techniques described r alluded t herein. Draft 2014 Page 2 f 7 Rev Date: 12 Feb 2014

3 Fairfax VA H.O.G. Chapter - Rute Sheet Guidelines Overview These rute sheet guidelines are ffered as a cllectin f ideas and suggestins based n experience and lessns learned abut what wrks well when creating a rute sheet. Mst f these guidelines are intended t 1) assist new Bss HOGs and 2) ensure the safety, cmfrt and enjyment f bth riders and passengers. These guidelines are nt intended t be hard and fast rules t which everyne must adhere withut cnsidering the specific circumstances f yur ride/rute. If yu have any questins abut creating yur rute sheet, please cntact yur primary Activities Officer (see the Bss HOG Guidelines fr mre infrmatin). Rute Sheet Guidelines Planning Overview Think abut hw lng yu want yur ride t be in terms f bth mileage and duratin. Shrt distance rides can be arund miles. Average r medium distance rides are generally between 80 & 120 miles. Lng distance rides can be arund miles r mre. Overnight destinatin rides are usually lnger. Cnsider factrs such as: Time f year (i.e. daylight hurs available) Average speed n the rads yu are planning t travel Weather cnditins Rad cnditins Traffic, which may vary due t vacatins, hlidays, rush hur, etc. Activities that take place during the ride (i.e. lunch, pker stps, etc.) r at the end f the ride (i.e. dinner), etc. that may increase the verall duratin f the ride. Cnsider the best start time fr yur ride based n the verall duratin f the ride and the activities that take place during the ride (i.e. lunch, pker stps, etc.) r at the end f the ride (i.e. dinner reservatins), etc. Rute sheets typically g thrugh several iteratins. As a result, start planning yur rute early. Ride yur rute n a map first. Fairfax H.O.G. has maps f mst Mid-Atlantic States fr yu t use. Ask yur primary Activities Officer if yu wuld like t brrw these. After yu develp yur first draft, pre-ride it t verify mileages, directins (i.e. turns, rute numbers, etc.), stps, ptential prblems (i.e. cnstructin, etc.) Once yu are cmfrtable with yur rute, distribute it as early as pssible t the peple listed n the checklist s they have enugh time t review and pre-ride the rute befre the event. This includes yur vlunteers, s they knw in advance where they are ging. At the very least, the fllwing peple must have an pprtunity t review yur rute sheet at least 2 weeks prir t the event: Draft 2014 Page 3 f 7 Rev Date: 12 Feb 2014

4 Fairfax VA H.O.G. Chapter - Rute Sheet Guidelines Head Rad Captain will make arrangements fr Rad Captain supprt fr yur event Safety Officer primary Activities Officer Ask pre-riders t ffer cnstructive feedback what may seem bvius t yu may nt be bvius t thers. Once yu receive feedback frm fficers and vlunteers, revise yur rute and, if apprpriate, d a fllw-up pre-ride t verify any new infrmatin. The need fr a fllw-up pre-ride is dependent n the type f feedback yu received. If the revisins are minr, anther pre-ride may nt be necessary. Hwever, if the feedback includes relatively majr changes (e.g. a rad r bridge is washed ut due t recent heavy rain), then a pre-ride t verify the current status f the rute r select a different rute may be necessary. Nte that if changes t the rute are fairly substantial, anther review by the fficers listed abve may be necessary. If yu have any questins, please cntact yur primary Activities Officer. Once the rute is finalized, print it ut and make enugh cpies fr the event. Think Safety First Use cautin and discretin when planning yur rute: Cnsider the number f bikes that will travel the rute as a grup. Cnsider that yu may have riders f all experience levels including nvices participating in the ride. Try t avid rads with substantial dirt, gravel, cnstructin, pthles, etc., t the extent pssible and practical. Try t avid sharp r blind curves (e.g. hairpin turn n Snickersville Turnpike) r prvide an alternate rute if pssible. Try t avid the fllwing types f intersectins t the extent pssible and practical: Blind intersectins. Lts f traffic traveling in different directins at high speeds, particularly withut stp signs r traffic lights. Turning left acrss rads r intersectins with heavy and/r fast-mving n-cming traffic FYI - accrding t the Mtrcycle Safety Fundatin, a car turning left acrss yur path f travel at an intersectin is the mst frequent cause f multi-vehicle mtrcycle crashes. Three-furths f mtrcycle crashes invlve cllisins with ther vehicles, the majrity caused by the ther driver. Majr highways have prs and cns: Prs Cns All traffic is mving in ne directin. N crss-traffic r traffic lights t split up yur grup. Heavy traffic. Draft 2014 Page 4 f 7 Rev Date: 12 Feb 2014

5 Fairfax VA H.O.G. Chapter - Rute Sheet Guidelines High speeds. Frequent lane changes by cars and trucks. Mre large vehicles (i.e. trucks, RVs, etc.) that may nt be able t see bikes as easily. As a general rule f thumb, fr lcal rides, it is recmmended that yu use majr highways nly t get ut f twn and away frm heavy traffic areas as sn as pssible. Lng-distance rides (e.g. Overnight Destinatin Rides) may want t use majr highways in rder t take advantage f the prs listed abve and reduce the time required t get t the destinatin. As a practical matter, yu prbably will nt be able t avid these rads r intersectins entirely given the areas we live and ride in. Hwever, yu shuld use cautin and discretin when planning yur rute arund these areas. Highlight hazards and ptentially challenging segments n yur rute sheet s that riders knw what t expect and can ride accrdingly. Stp Planning Plan stps based n distance, time r bth: Plan stps that: Remember that: Sprtsters and V-Rds have smaller gas tanks. Passengers are typically riding n smaller, less cmfrtable seats than the rider. Sme riders and passengers may have a greater need fr mre frequent cmfrt stps. On average, cnsider stpping: Abut every miles r Abut every minutes Are lcated n the right whenever pssible. This will make it easier fr the grup t stay tgether. Are easy t find. Have sufficient parking fr ne r tw grups f mtrcycles at the same time. Are biker-friendly. Are multi-purpse (e.g. have gas, fd, large rest rms, etc.). If yur ride invlves a cntest (e.g. Pker Run), make sure there is a suitable area t cnduct the cntest withut disrupting the flw f traffic r peratin f the business at the stp. When planning the rute, cnsider these ptins fr yur departure and destinatin lcatins: Start frm a relatively lw-cngestin lcatin (e.g. Bb Evans in Chantilly when heading west). Start r end at a restaurant s peple can scialize and eat befre r after the ride. Start r end at Patrit H-D s peple can use the facilities and shp. Draft 2014 Page 5 f 7 Rev Date: 12 Feb 2014

6 Fairfax VA H.O.G. Chapter - Rute Sheet Guidelines Cnsider having multiple departure pints fr peple wh live further ut r alng the rute. Writing the Directins - Lay ut yur rute sheet s it is easy t fld and secure t a bike (see sample rute sheets). If pssible, limit rute sheet t a single sheet f paper. Be brief, but specific in yur descriptins. Use mst bvius rute identifier frm pre-ride - either rad name, number r bth Use landmarks r ther descriptins nly if necessary. Try t ensure that the mileage in yur rute sheet is as accurate as pssible t minimize cnfusin. (Nte that mileages may vary due t differences in dmeters, etc. Differences f miles are nt unusual.) Use bth leg mileage and cumulative mileage. Use start f turn t mark mileage. Cnsider using icns t identify directin and the type f traffic markings/cntrls at each intersectin (Stp Sign, Yield Sign, Traffic Light), if any: Please visit the Fr Bss Hgs Only link under the Members Only sectin f the chapter website ( r ask yur primary Activities Officer fr cpies f these dcuments. Draft 2014 Page 6 f 7 Rev Date: 12 Feb 2014

7 Fairfax VA H.O.G. Chapter - Rute Sheet Guidelines * THIS IS NOTICE OF A RELEASE, READ BEFORE USING THE CONTENTS OF THIS DOCUMENT * Use f this dcument in part r full, fllwing instructins, guides r advice cntained within it r emulating any examples ffered within it cnstitute full and abslute acceptance f the fllwing Release. If yu d nt accept and will nt adhere t this release, please discard r return this dcument t Fairfax VA Chapter, Harley Owners Grup, Inc. The reader/user f this dcument r its cntents des release and hld harmless the Harley Owners Grup (H.O.G.), Harley-Davidsn, Inc., Harley-Davidsn Mtr Cmpany, the Spnsring Dealer the prviding Chapter their respective fficers, directrs, emplyees and agents (hereinafter, the "RELEASED PARTIES") frm any and all claims and demands, rights and causes f actin f any kind whatsever which the reader/user nw has r later may have against the "RELEASED PARTIES" in any way resulting frm, arising ut f, r in cnnectin with the any f the actins r techniques described r alluded t herein. Draft 2014 Page 7 f 7 Rev Date: 12 Feb 2014