Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/492070
26 UCW APRIL 1-7, 2015 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM 2015 Spring FLING Dates May 1st, 2nd & 3rd All proceeds to benefit "THE CHAMBERS of HOPE" For more information, call 4624 BRAGG BLVD. APRIL 11 • NC BUFFALO SOLDIERS M/C OF FAYETTEVILLE 5TH ANNUAL PONY EXPRESS CHARITY RIDE at Fort Bragg Harley Davidson, 3950 Sycamore Dairy Rd. Fayetteville, NC. This is a charity motorcycle ride, police escorted, to raise funds to benefit the community. Registration 9:30 a.m. Kickstands-up 10:30 a.m. $15 Riders and $5 passenger. Food/ Refreshments/Door Prizes. For more information call 910-494- 4513. APRIL 25 • NAM KNIGHTS OF AMERICA MC "TARHEEL CHAPTER" CLUBHOUSE in Spring Lake. Food. Music. Gates open 4 p.m. Call 910-514-8614 for information. MAY 2 • 5TH ANNUAL HOME GROWN HEROES/FALLEN OFFICER MEMORIAL RIDE Sign in at 8 a.m., kickstands up 9:45 a.m. Rain or shine event. All bikes back by 1 p.m. $20 per operator. $15 per passenger. Preregister at www.fayettevillencblueknightsXII. org. MAY 9 • TORCH RUN CHARITY RIDE Retired Military Association Bldg. Parking Lot. Registration and breakfast begin at 8 a.m. Ride begins at 9:30 a.m.$15.00 per rider or passenger. Price covers ride, breakfast and lunch. Rain Date: Saturday, May 16. For more information, call 824- 4208. A few weeks ago, I read a blog and the writer said that there is no proof that motorcycle training decreases the chances of an accident. At first, I did not believe that because I have always been an advo- cate for training. Anytime you can learn something about riding you should consider it an investment in your life, but the blog made me wonder. A few years ago, my wife took the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF) Basic Course. From there, she was able to go to the DMV, take the written test and get her license. A few days after she got her license, we pulled out of the driveway and I was honestly terrified and so was she. I told her that I could not believe that someone passed her. She told me that they did not make her ride on the road. You would think that after a class and a test from the state, anyone would be skilled to ride the roads but that is not the case. Over time, we worked on her skills and I found myself retraining her. So what was missing? As I researched this article, I wanted to see if training equaled a safer driver. I found that the data was inconclusive. I found many articles on the subject but the most noticeable one was published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), titled, "Approaches to the Assessment of Entry-Level Motorcycle Training: An Expert Panel Discussion," written in 2010. In that report, the panel members concluded that, "all agreed that the problems of motorcycle safety are real. All agreed that data supporting any rider training program are neither strong nor plentiful." If you think about it, we all have different degrees of experiences. We have all had different car driving experiences, different driving conditions, frequency in riding and various degrees of skills. We all have different reflexes, field of vision, ages and luck. Today, the Basic Motorcycle Course is just that, basic! There you will find dedicated instructors teaching you the basics. Like any kind of study or skill, there are students that want to learn everything they can and others who just want to get by. As with any skill, one needs to take the basics and develop them. I have had many friends take that course. For many, that was the beginning of a great journey of riding. For others, they discovered that motorcycling was not for them. That is nothing to be ashamed of and it is better to find out there than in the middle of an intersection. Therefore, what should a rider do after the basics? This advice applies to not only the rookie, but also the seasoned. I would tell you to take every opportunity to learn anything you can about riding. The MSF offers an advance riders course. My wife attended MotoMark1's Maximum Control course last fall. Because of the class size, she was able to have one-on-one training. These are courses for all kinds of riding genres. Find a mentor. Over the last few years, I have ridden with some wonder- ful, experienced riders. This has led to great friendships and my riding skills have grown exponentially. Visualize yourself in various situations. Ask yourself what would you do if a dog jumps out in front of you or what would you do if bee goes into your helmet. This little mental game trains your mind how to react. Study. I own many books on riding but one of my favorites is Proficient Motorcycling by David L. Hough. He does a great job of breaking motorcycling down to a practical science. Yes, there is a science to making two wheels go where and when you want. When I find myself in a situation that I did not understand what happened, I come home and research what I did and how to do better next time. Finally, practice, practice, practice! As the weather gets warmer practice and get your riding skills back into shape. It would be nice that when someone gets a motorcycle licenses that the state is telling the rider and the public that you are a safe and competent rider but that is not the case. If you are new to riding, take it easy and slow. Do not confuse enthusiasm with compe- tence. Do not confuse education and training with experience and proficiency. At the end of the day, no course, no test, and no one else is respon- sible for your riding experience but you. JIM JONES, Motorcycle Enthusiast, Contributing Writer. COMMENTS? Editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. Motorycycle Training by JIM JONES It takes more than a basic safety course to become a good motorcycle driver.