San Francisco Dykes on Bikes®
Women's Motorcycle Contingent
San Francisco EST. 1976
Parade Rules & FAQs
RULES
First rule: Be SAFE and follow your Road Captain's instructions. The Road Captains ensure that everyone has a fun and SAFE ride during the Parade. If you are stunt riding, have more than one passenger, weaving back and forth, etc., a Road Captain can and may pull you from the Parade as you are putting other riders (and yourself) at risk. You will then have to sit on the side by the barricades until the Parade is over. And that would be embarrassing.
1) There is no stunt riding. This includes, but is not limited to, wheelies, weaving, passing bikes in front, dropping behind, breaking out of line, doubling back against the flow of the Parade, riding right up to the spectators, purposely creating gaps, crowding or endangering other bikes.
2) There is a 1 person per seat rule. If you have a sidecar, you can put an extra person there; otherwise, there is a max of 2 people per bike.
3) Do NOT intentionally stop your bike. What may seem like a slight pause to you has a significant impact on the bikes behind you.
4) Keep moving forward along Market St. Under NO circumstances should you turn your bike around and ride against traffic. See #1 above.
5) If you have a problem with your bike (overheating, mechanical, etc.), please pull over to the side and wait for a Road Captain to assist you.
We keep a record of all bikes that violate riding rules in the Parade. Offenders will not be allowed to ride in any subsequent Pride Parades as part of the SF Dykes on Bikes®.
OTHER RULES
HOW DO WE RIDE?
Dykes on Bikes® Pace Bikes will establish the speed and columns at the front of the route. We will ride down Market Street in 2 columns—ride behind the bike that was parked in front of you and next to the bike you were lined with. Road captains will ride to the left of the 2 columns. They are the ONLY riders that should be outside of the 2 columns. Please stay within your column and keep the gap between you and the rider in front of you-no more than 2 bike lengths.
WHO ARE ROAD CAPTAINS?
Road Captains help the SF Dykes on Bikes® WMC ensure that everyone has a fun and SAFE ride during the Parade. Road Captains may help line up bikes and direct you to where to park at the end of the Parade. Please follow the Road Captains' instructions. Road captains will ride to the LEFT of the 2 columns. They are the only riders that should be outside of the 2 columns. Please do not ride behind the Road Captains. Road Captains have the final say in all matters concerning riding in the Parade.
WHERE AND HOW DO I PARK?
If you are registered to ride with a club, you will be directed up (West) on Market Street. Ride along the lefthand side of Market Street until you see your club. Once you see your club, you will line up at a 45-degree angle with your back wheel to the curb. Please ride slowly because pedestrians and photographers love the SF Dykes on Bikes®, and for some reason, they like to stand on the road. Do NOT hit one of them; it will make for a bad day.
If you are not with a registered club, you are an "Independent" rider. Independents line up in four rows. We will line up columns 1 and 2) most of the way down Market Street, close to the corner of Market and Steuart Streets. Then we will start another 2 columns on the inside (columns 3 and 4). I know it sounds a little complicated, but it's a lot better than having four big motorcycles all heading toward our volunteers at the same time; plus, it helps keep our rows straight (but in a gay kind of way); and it is a Parade!. You will be flagged into your column much like an airplane at an airport. Just look for the volunteers with the flags. Independent bikes line up parallel to the curb.
Please only leave a few inches between your front tire and the back tire of the bike in front of you. We have hundreds of motorcycles to line-up and not much room, so every inch counts.
WHAT IF I WANT TO RIDE NEXT TO MY FRIEND?
If you want to ride next to your friend, you need to arrive at registration with your friend! Once you have passed registration, you must line-up immediately. Remember, we have over 400 motorcycles coming through registration and lining up in a mere 3 blocks on Market Street.
To maintain a safe and organized contingent, we can not allow people to "save a place in line" for their friends or hang out in the registration area waiting for friends. Therefore, if you plan on riding next to your friend, you will have to arrive with them. Once you have lined up your bike, you will be unable to move it until the Parade starts. Please keep this in mind when planning for your Pride morning.
WHAT TIME DO I NEED TO BE AT THE PRIDE PARADE?
Registration opens at 8 AM (PST) on the corner of Steuart Street and Mission Street. Registration is from 8 AM to 10 AM. Please note that we close registration at 10 AM sharp. If you are not in by 10 AM, you will not be able to join us on the ride down Market Street. So please, be sure you are at registration by 10 AM.
