Why Do Motorcycle Groups Ride Staggered Instead Of In A Single File?

From the outside looking in, there are a lot of strange things happening in the motorcycle world. Why would someone on a motorcycle tap their helmet as they ride along? Seems pretty silly, but it's a sign to warn other riders about the presence of law enforcement officers and along with other hand signals, it's a helpful communication tool. Ever see a motorcycle pulled over on the highway and wonder if they need your help? If the rider's helmet is on the ground behind the bike, that could mean they're having mechanical troubles — it's a nice differentiator between someone who needs help and someone who's just taking a break in the shade. It's almost its own language, but it's one that most people can learn pretty easily and gain a lot from. 

There's a riding style that goes a bit beyond simple signaling, though. Often, especially on highways, you'll see riders traveling in groups, staggered so that they're not riding directly behind or next to another rider. So why is this happening? It's primarily for safety. Riding in a staggered formation gives riders more time and space to react to changing road conditions, a mechanical issue that they or another rider has experienced, or an emergency-braking situation. It also makes riders more visible to other motorists. There are added benefits like taking up less space than a long single-file line of riders, but the primary benefits are related to keeping the rubber on the road.

According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, staggered riding gives riders more space and time to "react to hazards" and these are better than side-by-side formations. With a staggered formation, riders can add more space between themselves and the rider ahead and have the ability to swerve and avoid a road hazard without the concern of side-swiping fellow riders inside the same lane. Or, for example, if the lead rider has to suddenly brake, the rider behind can brake as well without worrying about rear-ending the lead rider.

On top of active accident avoidance, a large part of motorcycle safety is visibility. We know there are lots of good practices to follow to keep you safe and visible at night, but even in the daytime, staggering can be helpful. If other motorists can see you, they're less likely to move into your lane without warning and put you in jeopardy. Riding in a staggered formation with as little as two riders makes you more visible in a car-driver's rearview mirrors and to cars approaching from behind. Two headlights and two taillights are easier to see than just one, but staggering extends side-profile visibility too. Looking over into the next lane and seeing two motorcycles, staggered front-and-back, is simply a larger area occupied by motorcyclists, and less likely to get lost in a blind-spot. Staggering isn't always best though – on curvy roads, MSF recommends a single-file riding formation with longer following distance to increase safety.