Safety Is Our Highest Priority

The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride is an automotive fundraising event. We endeavour to make the ride as safe as possible for all participants of the ride as well as those around us. We have enlisted the help of www.riskfacilitator.com to highlight safety issues and address them.

They have also been set up with an email address safety@gentlemansride.com for any queries or feedback.

How a DGR Ride Works

Once you have registered your profile, prepared your bike & outfit and the day has arrived, It is time to ride dapper!

There are many components to a DGR ride including volunteer corner markers, mid group markers, first aid riders and support vehicles.

The most important points are:

  • To follow instructions
  • Ride behind the ride leader
  • No Overtaking
  • Follow the speed of the ride. It’s not a race.

What is the role of a Ride Host?

A Ride Host is the person/team that is officially authorized from DGR to organize the event in their respective city.

While passionate and enthusiastic, it is important to remember all ride hosts are volunteers. They are there to represent The Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride and work alongside us to achieve our mission in changing men’s lives.

How does one become a Ride Host?

We require all Ride Hosts to apply to host a ride in their city. Once initially approved they are required to complete a set of Guidelines and Modules that encompass the core rules and responsibilities of becoming a Ride Host. Only once complete, DGR will approve the ride online.

Organizing the Ride

The main responsibility of a Ride Host is to organize the ride route, event times and the start & finish venues. Without our Ride Host’s this event would not be possible, they deserve your gratitude and respect.

Riding Safely: Important Points

Low-Speed Limits

The ride takes part through the heart of each city to ensure low speed limits while riding dapper.

Helmets Are Mandatory

All riders must wear helmets that are legally compliant within their state/country.

Obey Signs & Street Lights

  • Do not block any roads without the consent of local authorities.
  • Do not run red lights.
  • Giveaway signs to be followed.

Strictly No Burnouts! We Are Gentlefolk!

Do not do stunts, burnouts, bike surfing or ride recklessly. This is not appropriate behaviour for this event. We ask all riders to set the best example. This event is a great way of combatting often negative motorcycling stereotypes.

Ensuring Safety: What safety procedures does DGR use?

Rides are required to be short in length and slow in speed

A DGR ride is not a typical motorcycle ride. We are raising awareness in your city for men’s health. Limit the length of your ride to 30-40km / 20-30mi. Rides should stay off freeways and high speed roads.

Don't forget to listen to the Ride Safety Speech

It is required that our Ride Hosts give a ride safety speech. It is ideal to arrive as early as possible to the Ride Start Time to ensure you listen in to the Ride Safety Speed. Your Ride Host should cover the details of the ride, introducing the volunteer riders helping and most importantly the safety points of the ride. These vary across each city, state and country.

Motorcycle Breakdowns

Each ride will endeavour to have a support vehicle that has the capability to load up a broken down motorcycle. The DGR Support Vehicle stays at the back of the ride so they can sweep up any motorcycles along the way. They will drop the bike off either somewhere safer than it was collected or at the final destination where it is the participant’s responsibility to pick up the bike.

 

To report any incidents please click here and complete the incident report form

For any other information send an email to safety@gentlemansride.com

Safety FAQ

What does DGR do to ensure there are no collisions?

The Ride Host for your particular city is reminded to give a safety briefing prior to the start of the ride to remind all participants that bikes should maintain a slow speed and safe distance.

DGR will also send an email reminder to all registered participants to highlight the risks and information on how to ride safely.

What happens if I have a malfunctioning motorcycle as a result of poor maintenance or age?

Control - Organisers will attempt to have a sweeper vehicle with the capacity to safely move broken down vehicles. The vehicle should contain a tool kit, first aid kit (or a first aid certified provider riding at the rear of the pack with a first aid kit). This may not be possible in each domicile. Please ensure your bike is in working and safe order before joining us on the event.

DGR will create imagery throughout the campaign to promote to participants that their bike needs to be in a roadworthy state. This will be included in the safety memo emailed to all registered participants.

Infringement of local law as a result of inappropriate riding behavior?

Control - Inappropriate riding is not accepted. Organisers will announce that inappropriate riding behaviour will not be accepted and anyone who attempts to ruin the event will have their number plate details given to local authorities. We communicate this via email and on social media.

What does DGR do to ensure everyone is wearing the minimum personal protective equipment?

We continuously inform all riders that they must wear personal protective equipment that meets local legislation requirements especially helmets and goggles. We communicate this via email and on social media.

What if the weather is inappropriate to ride?

In the interest of safety and bad weather, the organiser can postpone rides if the weather appears unsuitable.

DGR will give access to ride hosts to communicate this via email and facebook to all participants.

What happens if the ride is too large? What controls does DGR implement?

We encourage the use of loudspeaker (if possible) to ensure participants can hear the pre-ride safety briefing. Organisers are to monitor and record numbers of actual participants in order to safely estimate the next year’s numbers. In case of the ride hitting capacity, there will be a limit set on registrations for that ride. DGR will continue to promote itself as a classic styled bike event to keep the number of attendees down.

Riders should also print out the details of the ride to ensure they have them on hand at the event.

What to do when there is excessive sun exposure resulting in dehydration, fatigue and sunburn contributing to incident or accident.

Rides are encouraged to start at places that offer shelter, food and drinks. The event is short and usually only goes for approx. 3 hours. If it is expected to be extremely sunny or hot, we will encourage riders to bring and apply sunscreen.

Riders speeding to catch up with group if the group is separated at intersections.

Part our guidelines are that the route should be well mapped out and published in advance. This is a suggested route with participants choosing alternative routes if they feel unsafe. The route will be covered at the safety briefing by your ride host. Each ride may have multiple re-group points to ensure people do not rush to catch up to other riders.

How do you stop excessive speeding and thus resulting in an incident?

The speeds on the ride will be low, managed by lead riders and marshals. DGR is a slow-paced, short event that takes place in busy locations to ensure the speed is limited.

Intoxicated while riding resulting in an incident.

If someone is deemed intoxicated they must be removed from the ride and the local authorities informed. We take this very seriously and we will communicate this with all participants via email and social media.

What to do in the event there is inadequate parking at the start, finish and stop locations resulting in traffic congestion, illegal parking and traffic hazards.

Organisers are advised to select areas suitable for the numbers they are expecting. Some rides may have unexpected riders join through friends. We ask that all riders register to ensure we can provide adequate space for these riders.

Deliberate or unexpected incursion by motorists into the ride group.

We remind all participants of our gentlemanly ways and if the vehicle does not cause injury or damage to a participant regardless of how it intrudes, give it room and let it carry on.

If the vehicle causes injury or damage to a participant:

  • We encourage riders to ensure that the welfare of the rider(s) is attended to immediately and that the safety of all other participants and the general public is maintained.
  • We encourage riders to ensure the welfare of the motorcycle is seen to and obstruction of traffic flow is minimized.
  • If the motorist fails to stop, DO NOT pursue them, simply ensure that all details of the vehicle (make, model, colour, license plate number) are recorded to pass on to police.
  • If the motorist stops to assist, DO NOT threaten, abuse or attempt to engage the motorist. Instead, have them wait in a safe place until police arrive. 

What happens if local law enforcements cancel the ride?

We will do our best to work with ride hosts and communicate with local law enforcement prior to and during the event if required (each country has different rules).

If the ride is shut down, we will accept the request. Ensuring the safety of participants is our utmost priority.