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Seasoned Rider Course

Street Smarts

Reprinted from the August, 2009 BMW Owners News, with permission of the BMW MOA and Roger Wiles.

By Roger Wiles #32797

Take a look outside. Dark, dreary skies, rain, snow, sleet, bare trees… not the kind of riding weather to promote the fellowship and camaraderie among members of your BMW MOA Chartered Club, is it? “Wait,” you say! It’s August. Clear skies, hot weather and our club members are out on the road! In a few months, however, the riding season becomes limited, or ends, for many riders.

Chartered club presidents and program chairpersons dread these upcoming dark months; it’s hard to get riders out to a club event, and sometimes, even more difficult to keep in contact with club-members. The BMW MOA Foundation, utilizing programs from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s ‘Host-an-Event’ library (http://www.msf-usa.org), is pleased to offer some cold-weather, indoor rider-safety and rider-training opportunities for BMW MOA Chartered Clubs, as well as outreach programs that clubs and individual club-members may take out into their communities. Take a read over these offerings and think about how your club can offer some social and self-improvement opportunities when the cold winds blow later on in the year.

The MSF Host -an-Event Series is a set of community-based workshops dealing with motorcycling issues for riders and non-riders alike. The Host-an-Event kits described below contain audio-visual materials, leader and participant guides, and other unique props to present compelling topics to both teen and adult audiences.

SeasonedRider—Aging Awareness

Growing older is a good thing, when one considers the alternative! Aging does not necessarily mean that a proficient rider must hang up the helmet and gloves, but confronting and considering the realities of aging and motorcycling can enable the senior rider to make better decisions about riding.

This one-hour, classroom-only program (although the fun-factor can fill a couple of hours, if you wish!) is about how to be a safer rider as one gets older. It consists of several engaging learning activities that allow a rider to personally determine how age may have affected their own personal mental and physical skills that one needs to ride more safely. A modern audio-visual is used to highlight key points. Take-away materials are provided. Offered annually by the Foundation at our annual International Rally and other regional events, this workshop has proven extremely popular.

Street Smart—Rider Perception

When riding, do you always see what you think you see? Do you know where to look? What to look for? Is your brain on the same page as your eyes? What to do, what to think about, when you see a completely new-to-you hazard? This fun and challenging ninety-minute classroom only program is designed to improve riders’ perceptual skills. Modern visual technology is used to stimulate using the eyes and mind for improved identification of traffic hazards. Take-away materials are provided.

Share the Adventure—Group Riding

Your Chartered Club probably hosts a number of group-riding events each year. On a good day, members arrive on time, prepared, and the ride progresses smoothly; a good time is had by all. On a bad day these events can challenge the patience, and much more importantly, the safety of all involved. Differing riding styles, a wide variety of riding-skills and different levels of cooperation among participants can tax the abilities and patience of the ride captain, and increase the risks of riding in a group.

This is a one-hour, classroom-only program that provides information on proper group riding procedures and techniques. Stressed are riding formations, traffic strategies, and group communication. A modern audio-visual is used to highlight key points. Take-away materials are provided.

Riding Straight—Alcohol Awareness

Alcohol is inexorably interwoven in motorcycling’s social fabric; many riders gravitate to the Bier Garten after setting up camp at rallies, and many riding events are held at or near facilities that provide alcohol service. Since proficient motorcycling is largely a matter of personal responsibility regarding our decisions and the resulting actions, considering the unique challenges of riding a motorcycle and the effects that drinking and other substances can have on the visual, mental and physical skills required to ride a motorcycle more safely is the all-important first step in making good decisions about alcohol and riding a motorcycle.

This one-hour, classroom-only program, presented in a fun, factual, nonjudgmental fashion, is designed to provide basic information about the effects of alcohol and other drugs on the riding task, and serves as a reminder of the dangers of riding impaired. A modern audiovisual is used to highlight the unique and surprising key points, and participants experience simulated levels of alcohol impairment through the use of interactive Fatal Vision® simulator goggles. That, in itself, is an educational experience! Takeaway materials are provided.

Intersection—Motorist Awareness

Reportedly about 40% of motorcycle fatalities are multiple-vehicle crashes at and around intersections. The majority of these fatal crashes are caused by another motorist who violates the right-of-way of the rider, and whose first words to the first-responders are usually; “I never even saw the motorcycle!” Your Chartered Club, as well as individual members, can reach out to your community in an effort to improve the motorcycle-riding environment for all riders.

This is a one-hour, classroom-only program for non-motorcyclists that stresses ways to share the road with motorcycles. Classroom activities can be tailored to meet the needs of new drivers in driver education courses, courses for senior-citizen drivers, such as those offered by AARP and AAA, large employers, and other civic groups. The flexible nature of the presentation can keep attendees on the edge of their seats as scenarios progress. The workshop is valuable for experienced drivers, who may or may not ride a motorcycle, and professional drivers and truckers. A modern audiovisual is used to highlight key points. Take-away materials are provided.

These Workshops are designed to be presented and facilitated by any person, MSF RiderCoach or not, with reasonable communication skills; the kits contain all necessary material, although presenters will need DVD, TV and/or projection equipment. While it is not necessary to have an MSF-Certified RiderCoach on hand, experience has shown that many ancillary questions about proficient riding techniques often arise during the round-table discussion; your Chartered Club may well have a RiderCoach on the membership roster, and you may want to invite this person. The BMW MOA Foundation may also make arrangements to have either a Presenter and/or MSF-Certified RiderCoach in attendance, if your club wishes.

Chartered Club Presidents and Program Chairpersons, begin planning now to offer your members a fun-filled, sociable and valuable club-meeting when the weather precludes riding. The BMW MOA Foundation offers financial assistance, sponsorship and guidance to BMW MOA Chartered Clubs, so contact Foundation headquarters at: (636) 394-7277, or contact BMW MOA Foundation President Eric Simon at: ericmsimon@ bmwmoa.org.

Ride safe, ride often and well, and send your thoughts to MotoSafe!

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The views expressed in MotoSafe are not necessarily representative of the BMW MOA, the BMW Owners News, or its staff. The views in this colum are solely those of the author or authors.

The BMW MOA Foundation’s “MotoSafe” is intended to present responsible viewpoints on thoughtful and safe motorcycling skills and practices; the authors, the Foundation, the BMW MOA and the Owners News do not guarantee readers’ personal safety and take no responsibility for readers’ application of this material. Professional motorcycle safety trainers are invited to submit articles for inclusion in the “MotoSafe” column. Please contact Roger Wiles (.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)) for submission guidelines and instructions. The BMW MOA Foundation is a not-for-profit, tax-exempt Public Educational Foundation dedicated to increasing and promoting the safe and enjoyable sport of motorcycling. Tax-exempt donations to the Foundation will provide funding for current and new Foundation Projects & Programs. Contact Foundation Headquarters at: PO Box 3982, Ballwin, MO 63022 - (636) 394-7277 for further information