Bike cops: i know they good but...

Like I said I know they are good with regular training, but is it common to see two riding side by side down the road? I saw this last week and thought it a bit odd.

Typical?

 

Goes back to the days of no radios and having out out holler the noise from HD flatheads. Not only odd but not too smart.

 

I see cops in Denver riding side by side exclusively. Don't remember the last time I saw two cops staggered. Funny thing is that those two cops would pull a friend and I over and issue tickets if they saw us side by side.

 

Its quite typical. Some will do perfectly side by side and some will do slightly staggered. I have no problems riding two abrest so long as it is with someone I trust. Others that I know won't do it at all.

 

You may very well be correct. I have always been under the assumption that two abreast riding was illegal. Probabily because the state manuals have always said that a staggered formation was the proper way to go about it (unless stopped). Also, untill recently, bicyclists were forbidden from two abreast (still f#@king should be), so I have just always operated that way. To be honest I wouldn't ride around two abreast anyway.

 

It is standard Military and LEO Motorcycle training to ride that way from what I have read. I have no idea why they still do that, staggering is way safer. You guys remember we had this conversation when that HD club had the massive pileup on the freeway when an suv slammed on the breaks in front of them. all 26 or so bikes wen't down because they were not staggered and were following too closely to eachother - no where to go but into the bike next to or in front of you.

 

Riding side by side is standard practice. It's used so the pair can travel in one unit so to speak. They are trained accordingly to minimize the added risk. Also when there's an escort, riding side by side reduces the escort length to a smaller and much more manageable size for going through intersections etc. When riding side by side one must not only think about the dangers facing you but also the other rider, parked car doors flying open etc cause you both need to react the same at the same time. Bottom line though is they are trained accordingly, they are aware of the added risk, they're not just doing it like the HD riders most likely were. There's also a lot that goes on between two officers and most of the time it's non verbal. Being close together to be able to read the other is part of officer safety.

 

FYI, riding two abrest varies state to state. There are some states that it is illegal. Can't really say that I've ever heard of cops enforcing it though.