Can you be sued for leading a ride? | Page 2 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Can you be sued for leading a ride?

IMO stay far away from group rides. When I was 18 and got my CBR600 I used to do them all the time as a way to meet other riders - anyone remember the Elements days? Ironically I was one of the more reserved riders and never went down. The amount of crashes and stupidity I witnessed makes me cringe looking back to 17 or so years ago. It's usually the ones trying to keep up to others in the corners, or that blast it WOT on the straights that are the ones that cause the problems. One of the worst was a wheelie gone wrong leaving Yorkville in the early morning hours... front wheel came down on an angle, the bike low sided and bounced off 3 or so parked cars on the side of the street. The guy got his pickup nearby, loaded it up and took off to his condo. I can only imagine the people getting into their cars the next morning and discovering their rocker panels, etc. were smashed in... That was the end of the whole group ride thing for me, went solo since then and don't ride with more than 3 people I know really well (and often twice my age, LOL).

Just last year a friend called me up to ride on our own and then had his younger friends join in midway and it turned into a s%t fest again... Since I was leading my anxiety was through the roof watching how aggressive these guys were in behind me, literally riding my ass like we were in a race. Zero enjoyment. I ended up stopping on the side of the road and telling them I was done, had to get home to the kids, etc. No thanks!
 
IMO stay far away from group rides. When I was 18 and got my CBR600 I used to do them all the time as a way to meet other riders - anyone remember the Elements days? Ironically I was one of the more reserved riders and never went down. The amount of crashes and stupidity I witnessed makes me cringe looking back to 17 or so years ago. It's usually the ones trying to keep up to others in the corners, or that blast it WOT on the straights that are the ones that cause the problems. One of the worst was a wheelie gone wrong leaving Yorkville in the early morning hours... front wheel came down on an angle, the bike low sided and bounced off 3 or so parked cars on the side of the street. The guy got his pickup nearby, loaded it up and took off to his condo. I can only imagine the people getting into their cars the next morning and discovering their rocker panels, etc. were smashed in... That was the end of the whole group ride thing for me, went solo since then and don't ride with more than 3 people I know really well (and often twice my age, LOL).

Just last year a friend called me up to ride on our own and then had his younger friends join in midway and it turned into a s%t fest again... Since I was leading my anxiety was through the roof watching how aggressive these guys were in behind me, literally riding my ass like we were in a race. Zero enjoyment. I ended up stopping on the side of the road and telling them I was done, had to get home to the kids, etc. No thanks!

Krime for Prime Minister. The guts to say enough is enough.
 
It’s not just ride organizers, all riders in groups can be fair game. Lawyers have been testing the laws lately, (like rats — if they smell bounty they’ll work at ways of getting their piece.)

Last summer I declined joining a ride with a couple of good friends because I didn’t know any others in the group AND the group had several riders go down on previous rides. My two closest riding buddies went on the ride. The organizer rode off a cliff while rounding a corner, he survived but had to help rescued and needed an air lift to a trauma center. Not cheap in the US.

The down rider did not have adequate medical ins so the accident wiped him out financially. He hired a lawyer who tried to setup a lawsuit to spread liability across the group of riders. That didn’t work so the next move was to extort fellow riders insurers to accept partial liability - settle or pay huge legal cost of fighting him. Didn’t work either, but without a legal ruling possible outcomes unknown.

My advice?

1. choose rides with folks you know and trust
2. stay away from group rides without exceptional ride captains
3. If the ride goes beyond your ability or the behaviour of other riders make you uncomfortable, peel off and finish solo

If I never take out my helmet during the group ride how can they identify me? I can claim someone else was riding my bike; or I can claim that I was never in the group and was just a random rider that happened upon them.
 
If I never take out my helmet during the group ride how can they identify me? I can claim someone else was riding my bike; or I can claim that I was never in the group and was just a random rider that happened upon them.
Witnesses? Also, Depending on how dumb your antics are, there are also forensic techniques to identify you from images/clothing etc. I doubt they would go to that level for a traffic infraction but for a hit and run I could see them bothering.
 
Witnesses? Also, Depending on how dumb your antics are, there are also forensic techniques to identify you from images/clothing etc. I doubt they would go to that level for a traffic infraction but for a hit and run I could see them bothering.

There's also the "reasonable doubt" standard. Your bike, your leathers, your helmet, your physical description and you have no alibi? They've got you.
 
IMO stay far away from group rides. When I was 18 and got my CBR600 I used to do them all the time as a way to meet other riders - anyone remember the Elements days? Ironically I was one of the more reserved riders and never went down. The amount of crashes and stupidity I witnessed makes me cringe looking back to 17 or so years ago. It's usually the ones trying to keep up to others in the corners, or that blast it WOT on the straights that are the ones that cause the problems. One of the worst was a wheelie gone wrong leaving Yorkville in the early morning hours... front wheel came down on an angle, the bike low sided and bounced off 3 or so parked cars on the side of the street. The guy got his pickup nearby, loaded it up and took off to his condo. I can only imagine the people getting into their cars the next morning and discovering their rocker panels, etc. were smashed in... That was the end of the whole group ride thing for me, went solo since then and don't ride with more than 3 people I know really well (and often twice my age, LOL).

Just last year a friend called me up to ride on our own and then had his younger friends join in midway and it turned into a s%t fest again... Since I was leading my anxiety was through the roof watching how aggressive these guys were in behind me, literally riding my ass like we were in a race. Zero enjoyment. I ended up stopping on the side of the road and telling them I was done, had to get home to the kids, etc. No thanks!

I also joined a "spirited ride" some years ago and split from them when they started going 210 km/h on 90 km/h country roads north of Orillia. One guy on a supersport almost didn't make a curve at over 140 km/h and literally touched the mirror of a SUV that was coming the opposite direction. I did 210 km/h on a 90 km/h road to keep up with them.... I said screw this, I'm not throwing away my cheap insurance rates and good record for these guys.
 
I also joined a "spirited ride" some years ago and split from them when they started going 210 km/h on 90 km/h country roads north of Orillia. One guy on a supersport almost didn't make a curve at over 140 km/h and literally touched the mirror of a SUV that was coming the opposite direction. I did 210 km/h on a 90 km/h road to keep up with them.... I said screw this, I'm not throwing away my cheap insurance rates and good record for these guys.
Good choice.
 
If I never take out my helmet during the group ride how can they identify me? I can claim someone else was riding my bike; or I can claim that I was never in the group and was just a random rider that happened upon them.
The PEGASUS personalized license plate might give it away :unsure:
 
Everybody thinks that if their face isn't visible when in MC gear that they're untouchable.

Pretty sure a number of the manchildren from that Ride Of the 6ix BS a few years ago found out to the contrary. Exactly what @Rob MacLennan said above.
 
Everybody thinks that if their face isn't visible when in MC gear that they're untouchable.

Pretty sure a number of the manchildren from that Ride Of the 6ix BS a few years ago found out to the contrary. Exactly what @Rob MacLennan said above.

A few of them, at least. Want to roll the dice?

 
A few of them, at least. Want to roll the dice?


"Mubashar Aladdin, 21, and Mark Bradley, 38, both of Mississauga, have been charged with mischief, dangerous driving and conspiracy charges, while Ikjyot Gill, 22, of Brampton, has been charged with dangerous driving, mischief, driving while under suspension and conspiracy charges."

Legal bills, criminal records, Hope it was worth the fun. Kudos to the cops for the diligence.
 
"Mubashar Aladdin, 21, and Mark Bradley, 38, both of Mississauga, have been charged with mischief, dangerous driving and conspiracy charges, while Ikjyot Gill, 22, of Brampton, has been charged with dangerous driving, mischief, driving while under suspension and conspiracy charges."

Legal bills, criminal records, Hope it was worth the fun. Kudos to the cops for the diligence.
But did they get criminal records? I'd be shocked if much stuck in court. Plead guilty to a few HTA charges and the prosecutor can go home with an easy win. The cops are probably just as frustrated with our crap justice system as we are.
 
But did they get criminal records? I'd be shocked if much stuck in court. Plead guilty to a few HTA charges and the prosecutor can go home with an easy win. The cops are probably just as frustrated with our crap justice system as we are.

There's nothing in CanLii nor OntarioCourts.ca but that's not unusual. Given the gravity of the charges they might not even have been adjudicated yet.
 

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