ridealong

Deverbal from ride along.

ridealong (plural ridealongs)

1. The act of accompanying, or volunteering with, a police, paramedic, or firefighting group, usually by a student seeking hands-on experience.
   • 1996, Mohamed S. El-Genk (University of New Mexico, Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies, United States Defense Nuclear Agency), Space Technology and Applications International Forum, link:

     It is these small payload experiments that could potentially benefit from low cost ridealong opportunities.

   • 2006, Edward J. Glantz (Pennsylvania State University), Challenges supporting cognitive activities in dynamic work, page 46:

     The ridealong probe questions used to initiate the unstructured interviews are listed in Appendix A.

   • 2010, Peter A. Weiss, Personality Assessment in Police Psychology: A 21st Century, page 42:

     But even before the ridealong, a good police psychologist has examined the job description and the job analysis.

2. One who participates in this.
   • 1983 August 20, Ruth Borenstein, “Harassment, Bad Judgment Cited in Twin Cities Bust”, in Gay Community News, volume 11, number 6, page 6:

     Bouza also confirmed that the police had brought two civilians with tem, including the 19-year-old son of one officer who helped to carry out the beer which was seized as evidence. Both were registered as "ride alongs" that night and their presence did not violate any laws, but Bouza saw this as another instance in which the officers showed "questionable judgment."

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