As a fairly new member to the biker match community I am slowly realising the difficulties of finding or arranging "meets" and rideouts with other members!

I would like to congratulate the organisers of events on here as it can really help to focus our attention and arrange in advance with work etc to be able to get there. So big thanks for that. :-)

But being spontaneous on here is difficult! I have contacted lots of members to inniciate a chat for the whole purpose of arranging quick and spontaneous meets and rideouts...but lots of reticence obviously as few people reply!

There may be transport, work or family issues etc but for people to get the best from the site we should affect a response from people and get out and about in groups?

Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining about the site or the people on here, but let's get together and hopefully bond in our own locale's and affect favourite meeting spots!

When meetings are arranged, I think there is the difficulty of recognising the people we are arranging to meet, especially at places like squires and popular biker haunts! I reckon we should all wear something for us to be recognisable to bm members if we are arranging group meetings! A flower in the lapel maybe! Lol I dunno I think I'm just waffling now! Lol

Hopefully this will initiate a response and highlight issues for a few people to address.

Anyway, I will be at Kiss V (Saturday and maybe Friday!) so maybe I will meet lots of new people to call friends and discuss rideouts and local meeting spots :-D

Ciao                                                                                                                                                                             

Hey Able2,

I can see and agree with you, the problem I have is that I work shifts, I get 2 weekends off in eight so I'm available mainly during the week when most normal people ( using that word loosely on here ??)

Oh and I'm not wearing a chuffing flower...

Ian

Abel, arrange a night out, either pub grub or curry, locally and send a group pm out to folk within a set radius to either yourself or the meeting place.

Now the biking season is starting to draw to a close its a great way to meet folk for one and to chat about what kind of things folk like to do and an idea of when they are free to do it.

We have regular meets in brum through out the year, mainly for food, to keep JP smiling, always end up discussing what we want to do and when, many a next day ride out has been arranged over a sip of lemonade the night before :)

problems arise when the firm operates 28hrs a day 9 days a week
relies on demand not supply and does not turn down work 

                                                                                                                                                                             

Yes Ian I agree that wearing a flower is not the way to go! Lol
Yes Jackie, I could send out a group message but I would need to have a group! If no-one replies to a polite enquiry about availability of meets/nights out then I can't help them!
Perhaps those people are only on here for 'chat' and not to meet for nights out?....another thought that comes to mind is that I have contacted both sexes and perhaps men have issues replying to other men?

Anyone else with thoughts and recommendations?

Well, I'm normally up for ride outs no matter what the weather, as long as it's not snowing that is. Will be even better once the bike is built.

Starting to think about this weekend. Will give you a jab if we're planing to pop out in advance.

Abel, I have trouble getting a lift, so I'm usually found begging on here. Shame your bike isn't closer to where you live, I could have sent you a begging letter lol. Looking forward to meeting up with everyone at the rally. If you see me please say hello :-)

Trouble is it takes a long time to build up the local groups we were lucky in the Mids as there is a strong "get off our ass feeling " Other areas have tried and given up the south east worked hard to get there group going and they have plenty of events now. Stick with it it will pay off 

Hi Abel, it can sometimes be hard work getting things set up for many reasons. I try and set up a few rides (with lots of help with routes) each season.

Have done a couple of nite outs too which were successful.

Did try and see if the north west ladies (other terminology available) who ride wanted to do a meet up, but only got four replies.

Also suggested a singles night....not one reply

You just got to keep plugging away at it tbh.

For spontaneous stuff just post a topic, ride tomorrow meet someplace 10am.
Usually no one turns up but that's the way it is.
On good days people do turn up.
On bad days other people turn up :-)
Best bet is to not choose a megga busy place and describe your bike.
It's a bloke thing. Look out for a blue VFR works, tall fella with purple eyebrows doesn't.

I do feel that it is easier for us with transport, which is why I contact people to find out if they are up for meets and ride outs in the future. Then I can ask if they mind helping someone else near them to get there, that would mean that we have (mainly for ladies) pillion rides to meets, but that would necessitate people trusting others I guess!?

Obviously the way to go for people is to make it to the organised events on the calendar which is a great way to meet up with new friends. I am sure that people with transport would gladly give a lift to those who don't, but if I don't get a response from a polite 'chat' on here then obviously I can't facilitate this!

I contact people because I would like to include them in our community here on bm for rides out, but I sometimes think they are only thinking I would like to date them! (Possibly the men think that too!? Lol).... But I guess this is a dating site too!
And yes I would like to get to know someone for a relationship... But ultimately I realise that 99.9% of people wouldn't want to and I accept that fact :-) so I realistically try to help others if I can...

I can now say that if I fancied a rideout I can contact at least 5 people on here to organise something for a weekend or midweek to squires etc. Which is great, but I feel I could encourage others there too.

Stuie, I only have 1 day off work this weekend so unless it's a late evening Saturday at squires I reckon this weekend is a bust! :-(

We normally have a pillion day which Brummie jackie sorts out which is for the members that dont have a regular back seat or have never been pilly. This year we had to give it a miss due to the calendar being to full. Im sure it will be on for next year , I can understand members being reluctant to jump on the back of a bike with an unknown rider as you do but as they get to know you at the meets and other events you will get plenty of members who need a seat to get to meets and if your really unlucky you will get a partner in with the deal lol

Abel, set your matchmaker alerts to flag anybody within a set radius to you.  Send them a welcome message with details of up and coming events they might like to look into.  You get some replies but not everybody will.
 
We started posting night sout a few years back and some events there are only 2 or 3 of us, other times theres 20+, depends on what other stuff people have planned.  Patience is the key.
 
The secret is arrange something you want to do yourself, so if its go watch a band locally or ride to x from y, then at least you dont feel disappointed if nobody else turns up lol
 
As JP stated there is usally an annual PIck up a PIlly day but due to exam committments and lots of other events happening, it did not happen this year.
 
KISS is always a great way to meet new folk and work out who likes to do what.                                                                                                                                                                               

Thanks Jackie and JP... I did exactly that jackie, I sent messages to people within a set radius and hoped for more than a couple of replies! Ah well! :-\
As I said, I was hoping to get people to meets by finding out who wouldnt mind offering a pillion seat, but it seems most people ignore chats!? Or are the none 'full' members restricted to a certain amount of messages they can send?
Well its Kiss 5 soon so I will hopefully meet people who are local to me there!...but am sure I could get more there by organising more pillion seats...hmmm...that would need people not to drink!....lol not gonna happen! ;-)

Standard member messages are restricted.
 
Every event logged on the calendar has a section for folk to offer and request pilly seats.
 
I organise the annual Pilly Day and what i can tell you is, ladies are cauious about who they pilly with.  I get numerous pm's each week from ladies saying so and so has offered me a pilly, do you know them, what do you think.  Most will not just pilly with somebody they do not know.  I would not.  At the end of the day as a pilly your destiny is in the hands of the person holding the bars lol ...............  and not everybody who rides a bike is careful or considerate to pillies, which has in the past caused some folk to never want to get on a bike again.
                                                                                                                                                                              

as you are so close to squires, ideal meeting place once you know folk! a few on here meetup there regularly  I do not normally do  rideouts, I meet folk at events! and those that know me, know i dont do direct routes!                                                                                                                                                                             

Yes, once I get a garage sorted for my bike, I reckon I will get out and about more and with squires around the corner it is a natural meeting point! :-)