Merfman

I just got into biking, both mountain and road, within the last year or so. My background for riding comes from dirt bikes. In dirt biking, when you get to a turn, etiquette requires you to wait on the guy behind you, the next guy waits on the guy behind him, etc. If you get to a turn and nobody waited, you usually just wait there until somebody comes back to ensure you're OK, not lost, etc. That said, how are similar situations handled when bicycling?

big john

It depends on the people you're riding with. If joining a group ride, you might want to ask at the start. If everyone has route slips, there's less chance of someone getting lost. On a mountain bike ride, I absolutely think waiting at turns is important. Also, on remote road rides, I don't leave a woman alone to fend for herself, even though some of them don't mind.
Some road rides, however, are every man for himself.

colorado dale

depends on the group
some rides are no drop
some just hand you a map, cue sheet or you follow painted lines

generally
the younger the group / group leader the more you are on your own
the faster the advertised speed the more you are on your own

Merfman

Perhaps a bit more detail: These are usually lunch-time rides with cow-orkers. Example: Yesterday, me and one other guy were headed out for a climb up to Gold Camp Road. Each of us knew where we were going. We had a short stint down a narrow busy road. We were together at the beginning of the entrance onto the road. I'm scared of traffic so I hammered to the turn. I waited at the turn, no partner. After waiting a couple of minutes, I rode back to where I'd last seen him. Not there. I decided he wasn't dead, flat or otherwise in distress so I headed back on route. I caught him about 1/3 the way up the climb. I wound up waiting around 45 minutes total on what should have been a 60 to 75 minute ride.

big john

Perhaps discuss this before the ride?

The Weak Link

I used to be a cow orker but they threatened to put me on the registered sex offender list so I had to stop.

pgpdlr

depends on the group-it is considered considerate to wait for the slower riders at any upcoming turn so as not to lose them. we often bust-a** for a few miles, lose slower rider(s) and slow up or stop for others to rejoin the group.

BSLeVan

As others have indicated, different rules for different groups.

In your situation, however, it sounds as if the two of you need to discuss expectations, and come to agreement about them.

Denny Koll

Cow orkers are difficult to ride with.

cyclinfool

Thats Utter-ly rediculous

dvs cycles

What is it that you do to a cow to ork with it?

Mojo Slim

Ork? Isn't that where Mork was from?

snavebob

Sounds like a lotta bull.

10 Wheels

Yep, That is the way we ride.

stapfam

Try to get a bit of sanity back to your question. Off road and we operate a complete no- drop system. Top of every hill- at every junction and before changing terrain to say go into the wooded areas. That means that the whole of the group will wait for the last man. If the group is large enough- We have a couple of walkie talkies and the one who is known to get to the top first has one- and a fit rider- who will be changed so he doesn't always get the boring bit- Will sit at the back with the other.

Then again- if we have a large enough group with a range of capabilities- we will split the group and meet at an arranged point. But no-one ever rides on their own. Even if he is the old git that has come back to offroading to see if he still has the legs and finds that he hasn't.

Kragg

Our group is considerate. If a rider is having a bad ride and is not keeping up, we will take turns staying back at that persons pace. That allows the faster riders to get some hammer time in. You all know what I mean, sometimes you just gotta take off !! We'll usually wait at any large intersections and turns to re-group and make sure everyone is OK. We never drop our friends, no matter how slow they are.

Ames

If a no drop ride you wait?

Just hope you are not misstaken for a cow and get orked.

Pamestique 

I used to laugh about what a "no drop" road ride means... it generally means we won't drop you if you can keep up. If riding with friends nothing wrong with saying "let's all meet up and be together at the turns"... if you are doing a club ride, where a route slip is provided, that generally means you are on your own unless you make arrangements with someone to wait. One reason why I got to know all the streets and bike paths in Orange County was of all the wrong turns I made when I first started riding with my club. That typical 30 mile club ride was usually closer to 40 for me. Oh well, now I don't get lost all that often. Been there, done that.

Road Fan

Gold Camp Road above Colorado Springs! Sounds like fun!

I get frustrated by coordination issues like this. Have your own route slips, but watch out for each other. Everyone will be happier.

gcottay

+1 on talking about it before the ride begins.

Myself, I like to ride hard for a bit then slack off so enjoy waiting for stragglers at the turns or even back tracking a bit to meet them on the way.

BLIZZ

I think the OP was put off more by the fact that the other rider strayed from the intended coarse {they did talk about where they were going} as this can be a safety factor as well.
If a rider has trouble {mechanical or other} help will be along shortly if the other riders know where to find them.
Don't know why the other rider went off coarse. Maybe they didn't like being left behind. Maybe they thought of another way that had less traffic. Maybe they thought they would give you something to post the next day on BF.

Pamestique 

But that is standard club ride behaviorl... no one says you have to stay on course. I routinely take other turns, maybe a bike path, a neighbor route etc. Bottom line we all just have show up at the same coffee shop. If someone is unfamiliar with the area, then they should stay with the route slip. If there is no slip, then the rider should ask someone to stay with him until he gets to know the area. Unless it is posted otherwise, there is no rules about watching out for others.

BLIZZ

And if some one doesn't show up at the coffee house. Then what?
Did they have bike trouble? Did they just decide to go home or somewhere else instead?
Do you go looking for them? Or just wait to see if they show up at the next CLUB ride. Maybee scan the evening news to see if anything interesting happend to them.

That IMHO is NOT a club ride. That is a meet at the coffe shop social. Bike, walk, drive or take a taxi.
In our area, a club ride is when we meet at a specific place in time to ride at a specific time on a turn by turn marked coarse.
Riders get in small to large groups based on rider abillity or personal preferences.
If you notice a new rider, you say hello, introduce yourself and invite the rider to ride with you or another group that they would probably fit into.
All riders including the newby have some one to ride and visit with.
If there is a problem along the way, there is some one among the group that has a solution.

Retro Grouch 

A good game for leading a fair sized group is called "Sweeps and Corners".

A sweep is designated who has a distinctlve jersey. The sweep always rides last and keeps all of the other riders ahead of him. At every turn the ride leader designates a corner who waits and directs the remaining riders along the route. To keep the ride moving, it's important for the corners to jump on their bikes and accelerate as soon as they see the sweep coming. Otherwise the sweep has to wait and the ride gets strung out.

If you want a work out, volunteer to be a corner. That way you can ride as fast as you like and sprint up to the head of the pack for repeated corner assignments. If you just want a casual ride or if you're naturally slow, sit in and let other people be the corners.

Red Baron

Im a Solo Rider. I waited one time but I never showed up so I just went on home and to my amazement , there I was.