A briefing on the Drop-Off Routine will be held at the start of each ride
- The Routine allows a group of bikes to negotiate their way efficiently together through urban and rural environments in safety without the need for members of the group (other than the LEADER) to consult a map.
- The Leader leaves a Marker Rider when the route ahead is not obvious and all riders do not have the leader in sight.
- It is a simple Routine, and works extremely well provided that ALL riders apply the Routine consistently and sensibly.
- It embraces riders of various skill levels; no rider should be pressured to ride faster than they are comfortable with.
- The Routine provides variety as everyone except the LEADER and BACKSTOP move position within the group; this can occur very frequently when in built up areas where there are frequent junctions.
- The Routine allows for the fact that the group can be spread on the road. This is not a bad thing. Having the ride spread out allows riders to proceed at their own pace.
It is preferable to leave the marker well ahead (e.g. 20/30 yards/metres or more) before the direction change. This is for a number of reasons:
- It gives the approaching riders early warning of the direction they need to take allowing them to signal and adopt the appropriate position and speed for the hazard in good time.
- It provides a safer position for the marker to stop and is less likely to cause confusion to other road users
- It provides a safer position for the back marker to ‘collect’ the rider who has stopped.
More information on the Drop-Off Routine, including recommendations on where to place markers is available by downloading this document: