Hot Rods Safer in a group or all alone?

Here Here, or is it hear hear? My father taught me to never hang or mix with a crowd, before he fled the state.
Delaware has three 4 lane roads, that are used for commerce, commuting, or Nascar imitations.
It is quite easy to travel anywhere here, on the back 2 lane roads. That's where I thrive.
If you wanna ride in my trunk, I either pull onto the berm, or slow, 'til you pass my ass.

 

I'd have to say that the safety in numbers with bikes has to do with two things. There are still those idiots around who hate bikes and if they catch one alone will harass them. They aren't as bad as they were 45 years ago when I couldn't figure out why one of my uncles never got his ass kicked by a biker but maybe he never played his idiot games with real bikers. He actually though I was getting smart with him when I told him that was a real good way to end up dead.
I've never cruised around town with a group of cars since I was 19 years old in 1966 when a group of us would cruise the loop in Renton Wa in somewhat of a group. I have traveled to a lot of events with my buddy in our cars back years ago and with the two couples and each having one kid it was a lot of fun. He also counted on my spare fitting his car if he had a flat.
I've done far more long road trips alone and at my own pace. The issues I have with traveling in a group on real long road trips is that someone always has a car that gets far less miles per tank than the other, one person or couple takes it on them selves to choose where you stop at rest stops and where and what eating place you stop at to eat.
On the other hand a local club about 20 miles from me seem to have a hell of a good time in good weather when you meet them on the road headed to some place as a group for dinner or headed to a local rod trot.
As far as personal safety on the road, it doesn't matter if you run by your self or with a group there are still idiots out there who will pull out in front of you, turn into your lane with out looking or ram you in the rear at a stop light while looking at their phone when they had 300 ft to see that you and the line of traffic ahead of you were not moving fast. The thing I fear most is people with cell phones. including those who will pull up alongside you at freeway speeds and try to drive with one hand while taking a picture of your car with their phone with the other.

 

I can’t think of a reason that multiple vehicles traveling together can/would be safer than traveling alone. Maybe if you look at the aspect of having help if needed, but that’s about all I can think of.
I can’t comment on bikes personally, my only street bike I bought new in ‘88, has less than 3k on it. So no real seat time.
I have read in the news a time or two about several bikes riding in a “pack” that were all in the same accident due to someone not paying attention (not those in the group).

 

Myself and wifie used to drive alone in my coupe, long distance rod runs etc. Broke a throttle cable on I-10 one Sunday, pulled over to the shoulder and i barely got the door open when a rod pulled up behind me, then about 4 more. State trooper stopped, told us to hurry and fix it 'cause traffic had backed up just to look at the rods. I've found that folks try to help if you're in a rod on the side of the road. Not so with a driver, better have an AK.

 

I find it inconvenient to call someone to travel with me to go to work or Walmart or…oh yeah but I drive mine everyday and everywhere

 

You know when I drive alone, I prefer to be by myself!

 

Sometimes I travel in groups, often I cruise by myself. Both can be good. When we go to far away shows we usually travel in groups but try to keep lots of space between cars. Helps others pass if necessary, and also it's a bit safer. One time we were heading back from a show and a car on the opposite side of the highway hit a center guardrail and all the plastic exploded and hit some of the cars in our group. Had that guardrail not been there, it would have hit 2-3 of the vehicles in the group. So now we space out more.

 

When I had a drivable heap the first ride was to the inspection station and then I usually would try a couple of times to drive to work (the afternoon rush hour ride home was scary) or ice cream on Sunday afternoon...always alone though and my head on a swivel...

I was just thinking the old saying "Safety in numbers"....

Maybe being a lone wolf is not a bad thing...

Thanks for all the insight guys

MikeC

 

Sooner or later we all sleep alone.

 

Only time I'm in a group of old cars is if I'm with friends all headed to an event, or a destination. Of course I'm always watching others as I've had numerous occasions where some idiot was turned looking at my cars and began drifting towards me. So always have to be ready to escape when that happens, or hit the horn and bring them to their senses.

 

I once remember reading an article in Street Rodder about touring in a group. It said if you do cruise in a group to add 15 minutes to your destination for every car. Some years ago I decided to join a local group going to a National Show. The start time was that we were to leave at 6:00 AM. Well, we had to wait for one couple and did not get on the road until 6:45. We all pulled into a gas stop on the New Jersey Turnpike and most cars fueled up. We all pulled away from the pumps and we realized we were missing two cars. One of the guy's went looking for the two couples and found them in the restaurant having breakfast. So we wait about 45 minuets and hit the road again. About a half an hour went by and the two cars that did not gas up and had breakfast instead, now need gas so into the next rest stop we all go and wait for the two cars to gas up. We hadn't gone 100 miles and it was now 10:00 AM. Never again, now it's my wife and I and do not have to adhere to anyone else's timeframe.

 

Driving in a group is no fun when you are playing catchup when impatient traffic starts to overtake and the group gets split up. I prefer to take my own time, go my own route and stop whenever i want. Meet the others at the destination. Slower vehicles should always be at the front to set the pace, but all too often its the other way round in my experience.

 

I sold my HD a few years back due to an inner ear issue that effected my vestibular system, in layman's terms I get dizzy. I like riding with others except when one of my friends led. Dangerous passing, high speeds, like he was trying to prove something to the rest of us.

Is there safety in numbers? I suppose, but it depends on who makes up those numbers.

 

I like looking out the windshield and seeing a long line of pretty cars. Looking out the mirror and seeing a line of hotrods. I’m just a friendly old fella who likes rod trots. It’s okay with me if you grumpy loners want to stay by yourselves. Your complaints tell me that you aren’t fun to run with, anyway. I laughed at the kvetching about people needing to stop once in a while. Hotrodders are a pretty old demographic and our prostrates and bladders make the rules.

 

I do both, my coupe is driven when ever the weather is decent and usually by myself. I ride with a group on the bike but prefer a small group about 4 bikes is good, many more and it's too many,

 

I'm pretty sure George Thorogood said, "when I drink alone, I prefer to be by myself.". I'm also pretty sure he didn't say anything about driving alone, maybe just when he's drinking?

 

"grumpy loners....complaints"
Where did you get the idea we are grumpy and it only comes off as a complaint in your mind.
Introverts and extroverts. I will note in passing and NOT a complaint that extroverts are always trying to convert introverts as they can't seem to grasp that not everyone is like them. Ever notice the introverts don't try and convert extroverts? Won't happen as we are having a great time by ourselves.

 

I mean...

 

Traveling in groups too often ends up with;

Someone need gas

Someone needs to pee

Someone doesn't like the restaurant

The hotel doesn't have high enough ratings

Someone thinks over 250 miles in a day is too much (despite my user name my current motorcycle is a BMW. A good length day is 600+ miles)

And it goes on.............

Lynn

 

If your hot rod won’t go and stop along with modern traffic, you best change some things because your rods not hot.

 

Hello,

While driving around in a Flathead sedan delivery, it was strictly alone. No one that had a hot rod was into surfing and since I could only take one other person, other cars drove when they could get there. We were at the beach at the crack of dawn, as usual. The other guys/girls came after a nice leisurely breakfast and change of clothes. For us, early to get there gets the prize of empty waves and plenty of action.

Even when we drove to the Easter Vacation (Spring Break) hot spots in Balboa, Newport Beach and Laguna Beach, it was a single black Impala on the long coastal cruise. The other guy was usually the owner of the 57 Chevy Bel Air that was also modified, but he liked going places in my Impala. So, a single entity cruising down coast highway was usually the case. But, the flathead sedan delivery did make the cruise nights down the coastal cities hot spots, just to make it interesting.

Jnaki


When my wife and I were driving around in the 327 powered Sedan Delivery in the later years, we were usually going from point A to unknown addresses up in Northern California and locations all over So Cal. No one was coming along during those photo shoot drives or vacations.

Even when we went to a central California hot rod gathering, it was a single 40 Ford Sedan Delivery or the El Camino. We liked being by ourselves and then there was no one to give us orders or go against our choices of places to stay or dine. Afterall, it was our vacation and vocation, so we made the plans for us.

Note: We went up to Harvey’s Broiler many times, as teens. Out of those times, there was only one time 4 cars went up from our group gathering in Bixby Knolls. We did not know what to expect for the larger group. It usually bothers others that we are uninvited guests and that there were quite a few of us in the cars we brought. After we won a challenge, it was dagger eyes for the rest of the night. But, the single car cruising and staying provided a nicer environment.
mods by @themoose At the time, no one knew what the 58 Impala was, a cool cruiser only with Buick Skylark Wire Wheels or a fast sedan with lots of power to back up the sound and looks... We surprised a lot of so called... "Hot Rods" with 6 red taillights showing in their windshield.

We were accustomed to hanging out in Bixby Knolls, Lakewood, and Southeastern Long Beach at the drive-in gatherings. For some reason each distinct location had their own gathering of teens. We knew the local rules and had some friends from the other locations, just to make the outing fun and not a giant rivalry. Harvey's was out of our local cruising area and was not the most friendly of places.

In greater Long Beach/Lakewood areas, no one was border centric and kept others out. Afterall, we were all hot rod guys and girls. The people that we knew in those different areas of So Cal were friends and it was a friendly gathering when we drove up in one car. We never drove with several cars to those other locations. YRMV

 

My car friends and I like to take summer day trips (100 miles or less)to surrounding towns for lunch or to visit some cool garages or museums.
The camaraderie makes it pretty fun. There have been a couple times with mechanical breakdowns where the collective intellect has proven its worth getting the stalled hot rod back on the road as well.

 

I've been traveling alone many times in the last 50+ years I've had a hot rod. Nobody around here to run with. When I jump in one of my hot rods, Corvette or Silverado and take off cross country my wife does enough worrying for the both of us. I used to pack heat but have quit that, afraid of getting shot by law enforcement.

 

To quote an old friend "whatever happens to you in the column happens to the two guys behind you." There are some tricks to not dyeing when someone goes down in front of you but they really would add nothing to the conversation.

I think that the idea behind traveling in a group is that it makes you more visible. I have traveled both ways in cars and on bikes. I really do not think that it matters. Learn to drive defensively. Your life is your responsibility.

 

I've driven my coupe all over the country without another tagging along. Sometimes just myself other times my wife is with me. When I do my tin hunting trips it's always alone. Those trips are usually at least 10 days or more and 4-5000 mi. Yes I can enjoy my own company just fine

 

Most of my driving is not to a show, so I'm usually by myself (or at least only with the people in my car). I did take a ride out to Indiana with a buddy, which was great for a long haul where we swapped drivers a bit so we could get some rest. But generally speaking I prefer to just be on my own and on my own schedule. Drivers on the road are crazy no matter what, no excuse to not get out there and drive

 

Traveling with others is great if you experience mechanical issues however I like to be able to move at my own pace which can be slower or faster than others.

 

A few years there was a tragic accident when a dually pick up went out of control and plowed into bikers riding in formation..Many were killed and injured.....You just have no where to go to avoid it..
But riding in dense fast traffic can increase you presence to drivers... but aways leave enough spacing for an escape,car or bike

 

Defensive driving 101, always know where you are going to go. That works on the road, the track or a parking lot.