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Duties of a Road Captain?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Tman, Jan 10, 2004.

  1. Road Captain: the leader of a group while traveling.

    Thats my description, but what is a road captain? How many of you have held the title? I know the captians job is to keep the group moving AND in the right direction, but what is your thoughts?
     
  2. Nick32vic
    Joined: Jul 17, 2003
    Posts: 3,050

    Nick32vic
    Member

    This is a neat question. I certanly have not been a road captain but my dad has a little bit and we always travel with 5-10 cars. It is a big responsibility to be the captain. A couple times in the last 2 years we took it a little bit and it certanly was diffucult even for me, the passenger. I had to keep an eye out and make sure everyone was there. Once we drove with a bad group and it definately makes the trip unpleasent to have half the group separated and half way up ahead. Passing is one thing our road captain is great at. We will stick with him. Its a tough job but somebodys gotta do it.

    Nick
     
  3. On the Road-who's the "TENIELE" that goes with this Captain guy? [​IMG] [​IMG]
     
  4. Radshit
    Joined: Mar 2, 2001
    Posts: 1,420

    Radshit
    Member

    I am the Master Of My Domain........but I have never been Road Captain for any past journeys.....

    Traveling the Road to Climax Canyon.........does that count?
     

  5. Rolf
    Joined: Jul 23, 2002
    Posts: 1,835

    Rolf
    Member

    Well, if you ever ride motorcycles, you will hear the term alot. Any group riding (or driving) together needs one. Yes, it's a big responsibility, but a "leader" that makes sure everyone is together makes any group travel great.
     
  6. Yes, thats a start, any stories?
     
  7. chopolds
    Joined: Oct 22, 2001
    Posts: 6,208

    chopolds
    Member
    from howell, nj
    1. Kustom Painters

    In my old bike club, it was the Road captain's responsibility to choose the destination, pick the travel route, lead the group, keep everyone together, and organized. He also had a set of hand signals that we would relay back to everyone in line. Things like 'cops ahead', 'slow down', 'speed up', 'tighten up' (ride closer together), etc. Also was responsible for deciding what to do if someone broke down, i.e., try to repair it, or go ahead for help, or leave another member behind with them, to wait for assistance.
    Good RC's always were fun, picked good runs, on nice scenic roads, with good bars along the way!
     
  8. Skate Fink
    Joined: Jul 31, 2001
    Posts: 3,472

    Skate Fink
    Member Emeritus

    .....these days, it's a lot easier. I have led groups of .............well, you know.........those late model vehicles.....of up to 25 vehicles on 20 mile tours. It would be easier with less vehicles, but the responsibilities would be the same.
    Keep the group together, make sure you know where you are going. Make sure you have rest stops, bathroom stops, gas stops planned out. Make sure that you have some spare tools/oil/etc. for roadside repairs (not much need with late models). I would try to have a first aid kit for cuts and busted knuckles. Keep the group together. Don't lose anyone at a redlight. What we did was try to have several people use those FRS radios (walkie talkies) that you can get pretty cheap at Radio Shack or any department store. At a minimum, have the lead vehicle and the last vehicle equipped. That way, when you make an exit, turn or have an intersection, you are sure that all vehicles stay together.........When you are setting the pace, check from time to time to make sure that everyone is keeping up. Have fun.......
     
  9. [ QUOTE ]
    In my old bike club, it was the Road captain's responsibility to choose the destination, pick the travel route, lead the group, keep everyone together, and organized. He also had a set of hand signals that we would relay back to everyone in line. Things like 'cops ahead', 'slow down', 'speed up', 'tighten up' (ride closer together), etc. Also was responsible for deciding what to do if someone broke down, i.e., try to repair it, or go ahead for help, or leave another member behind with them, to wait for assistance.
    Good RC's always were fun, picked good runs, on nice scenic roads, with good bars along the way!

    [/ QUOTE ]

    I was R/C for a bike club and this pretty much sums up what was expected of me. I and the President would usually ride the run route the day before looking for things like new construction, detours, loose gravel on roads, etc. That way prez would know the route and I would ride in the back of the pack. Most clubs had the R/C in the lead but we found that by me running in the back it was more efficient. Prez would lead and do the signals and watch road conditions.

    At the back of the pack makes me the first the cops would talk to if we got pulled over, so I had to be legal and was responsible for PR with the Man in Blue. I would do the talking as well as a few select individuals but some members were told to keep their mouth shut.

    The back of the pack makes it easy to watch who is lagging behind, not following hand signals and whos bike is breaking down. I am/was also the wrench so I had tools, nuts, bolts and other stuff in my saddlebags. Keep the first aid supplies handy as well as an extra roll of toilet paper. The "herd" became my responsibility and I was the sheepdog. It is a lot of work and can be frustrating but it is worth it.
     
  10. Smokin Joe
    Joined: Mar 19, 2002
    Posts: 3,770

    Smokin Joe
    Member

    Actually it takes 2 if you travel the back roads. You need one who leads that knows the route and who the slowest cars are. Keep the slow ones near the front so he can keep an eye on them. The second guy travels in the rear to make sure no one gets lost and things don't get too spread out or confused by the inevitable stoplights, etc. that split up the groupe. Plan stops where everyone can get back together along the way after say going thru a small town with a batch of red lights and turns. I went on a trip with a bunch of restorer guys a while back and one of the guys was overheating and decided to head home. The next 5 guys followed him several miles because they thought HE knew the route. [​IMG]
     
  11. hotrodladycrusr
    Joined: Sep 20, 2002
    Posts: 20,765

    hotrodladycrusr
    Member

    I've hung out with quite a few M/C clubs where the RC's responsabilties were all those that were listed PLUS at the begining of the riding season it was his responsiblty to make sure everyone bike got a through inspection. If your bike did not pass the clubs inspection, you did not ride in the pack for the safety of the others. A tire blowout or something similiar can effect the rest of the riders behind him.

    This issue isn't as important for cars as it is for the bikes BUT if your questions are geared toward keeping everyone safe and moving while going thru the Black Hills in Aug, it might be a good idea to give everyones car a once over the nite before or early that morning just to look for things that might effect the fun factor of the cruz. You certainly don't want the day ruined by someone breaking down and holding everyone up. Of course, things will happen on the road that are unavoidable BUT you might be able to foresee a problem and fix it before heading off on the adventure.
     
  12. Ahh Denise caught me! [​IMG] Yeah, the Rendevous was one reason I posed this question, but really I just thought it a valid topic that we have not hashed over before. Good points from everyone. Someone driving sweep is a GOOD idea. One thing I like to do with a group is have a brief itinerary with alternate routes and shortcuts. I have had the need to shortcut and get back with a group after doing my own thing.
     
  13. atch
    Joined: Sep 3, 2002
    Posts: 5,625

    atch
    Member

    tman,

    I agree with everything said above, but if you can get everyone (or at least most) to have a CB radio installed you can avoid most of the issues that the RC would otherwise have to deal with. And it also facilitates when someone wants to tell everyone else "look at that '32 roadster in that field out behind that barn" etc.
     
  14. tommy
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 14,757

    tommy
    Member Emeritus

    One of the biggest responsibilities is to impress on the followers what their responsibilities are. There is always some dodo that won't keep up and gets the whole crew whacked out of shape.
     
  15. Have a plan already decided what everyone does when part of the pack get's stuck at a traffic light. Either the lead group continues at a normal pace, and the second group catches up, or you stop at the next ???? and wait, or the lead group slows to 10 mph under speed limit until the second group catches up.

    ...or the 4th option (easier on bikes) the last two through the light (hand signals let the others behind know not to do the same) peel off and block traffic so the rest of the pack can go through even when the light is red. Then they are last two in the pack. [​IMG] I was the lucky one once and stood at a light in front a cop car with my hand up until the rest of the bikes passed, he didn't even follow us.
     
  16. quickrod
    Joined: Nov 5, 2003
    Posts: 394

    quickrod
    Member

    tman given any thought to rollin through spearfish canyon one of the days?i was just thinkin first timers may get a kick out of it,it's probably my favorite route into deadwood,very scenic ya know?
     
  17. OGNC
    Joined: May 13, 2003
    Posts: 1,194

    OGNC
    Member Emeritus

    Um, is that the guy who steers the.... um, road?
     
  18. quickrod, yes, the Canyon is prob the way we will head out on Saturday to hit Deadwood.
     
  19. Sam F.
    Joined: Mar 28, 2002
    Posts: 4,225

    Sam F.
    BANNED

    do you get a cool hat to wear if your the captain?
     
  20. Nick32vic
    Joined: Jul 17, 2003
    Posts: 3,050

    Nick32vic
    Member

    Captain
     

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  21. DRD57
    Joined: Mar 5, 2001
    Posts: 4,165

    DRD57
    Member

    Although I've never been given the official title, people rely on me from time to time to lead the pack because I know the territory and/or destination.

    I absolutely suck at this job. I just get out in front and haul ass. It's their job to try to keep up.
     
  22. Model A Vette
    Joined: Mar 8, 2002
    Posts: 1,075

    Model A Vette
    Member

    I was RC on the way back from Louisville one year. Only my car and one other. I was alone in my roadster and for the first time in years the car was running right, the tires were new radials and I was fearless! The second car was my friend's 34 3 window with a guy, as shotgun, who usually took his own car but decided not to this one time. He doesn't see all that well and won't wear his glasses when he is not driving. I was leading and going about 10 miles over the limit in a pouring rain. I pulled out to pass a semi and the following car lost sight of me. They thought the semi had "swallowed" me! At the next stop the passenger took me aside and asked me to please go slower as he now had trouble closing his eyes or even blinking! He was pretty much terrified being in the other car and going that fast. I would have offered him a ride in my car but at 6'4" he just can't fit. I tried to stay 5 mph below the limit after that.
     

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