RiderCoach Training

I recently took a govt position at the MCB Quantico VA. As you may or may not know, the Marine Corps, actually Dept of the Navy (Navy and Marine Corps) have taken a healthy interest in motorcycle safety. To ride on base (and off if you're active duty) you have to have the MSF Basic Course and wear certain Personal Protective Equipment - extrememely liberal on what they call PPE, but that's another disucssion. To their credit, they've had Keith Code come to the base and give a class and they're working with the MSF to start a Sport Bike class.

Even though I'm a retired Marine, I still take the dictum to "Take care of your Marines (and Sailors)" as a solemn duty and want to get involved the the program at Quantico. The first step is taking the MSF Rider Coach training. I'd like to know if anyone has taken it in N. VA (DC to Richmond), what are your opinions of the class, and what other suggestions you might have for my getting involved.

The imputus for this started just the other day when I read a DoN safety magazine, "Sea and Shore." It had 3 or 4 articles about motorcycle accidents written by the "victims." Really pissed me off on how at least one guy, a Navy CAPT, was so proud that he was wearing effective PPE - long sleeve shirt and long pants and of course a, "DoT approved helmet." You got it, it was Dot approved, one of the "peanut" helmets that afford protection only for the lucky. The only guy who was wearing effective PPE was the BMW rider. You guessed it, he was covered head to toe in proper (matter of opinion, mine) PPE. I sent off a missive to the editor and got back a fairly benign email - we're trying, etc. Then another guy wrote back that they'd appreciate an article on PPE, I told him it's mostly done! It just pisses me off that we won't let Marines outside the wire in IZ or AF without 30+ pounds of PPE, but we see nothing wrong with telling them that a long sleeve shrit, long pants, and "DoT approved" helmet are effective PPE - Bull. We don't serve our Marines and Sailors well when we tell tham that. It's worse when a "senior" officer reinforces wearing ineffective PPE. I'll stop here.

Thanks - Jim

Coming from a rider coach, I think you summed up every reason why you should coach the MSF.

Enjoy it , it's a lot of fun!

SPORT said:

Coming from a rider coach, I think you summed up every reason why you should coach the MSF.
Enjoy it , it's a lot of fun!

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Couldn't agree more.....with BOTH of you. I'll also add that the Einstein quote in Jim's signature pretty much says it all.

I'm smiling to myself at the minimal requirements for PPE. With the exception of helmet and gloves, I'm wearing all of that to sit at my desk right now. On the back of the chair is a real riding jacket, and real pants and helmet on the floor. To me, it would feel like driving a car with the door open, or no seatbelt, to ride without my gear.

Are they working on a theory of 'something is better than nothing?' If we can get guys to wear at least the minimal stuff, it's better than the wife beater, shorts and flip flops.

Jill

The AMA, Rider's Rights Groups, and maybe? even the M/C industry, itself, will disagree/oppose you on this.

"The defendant has rights....."

Also, it may cut-into sales waay too much.....

America is all-about 'freedom'..... :blink:

You may become too frustrated as a rider-coach/instructor?

charismaticmegafauna said:

The AMA, Rider's Rights Groups, and maybe? even the M/C industry, itself, will disagree/oppose you on this.

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REALLY? You believe they'll disagree or oppose presenting intelligent views on riding responsibly?

charismaticmegafauna said:

"The defendant has rights....." Also, it may cut-into sales waay too much.....

America is all-about 'freedom'..... :blink:

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I don't know of anyone in rider education who wants to limit riders' rights or freedom.

charismaticmegafauna said:

You may become too frustrated as a rider-coach/instructor?

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If you believe you're going to change the world overnight, probably so. However, when you KNOW that by providing intelligent views on risk management, including what is and isn't effective "PPE", that someone (certainly not everyone) may learn from it and incorporate it into their riding style and it may possibly save their life someday, it's far more rewarding than frustrating

Again, setting the example doesn't hurt either.

Before this devolves into interneccine warfare - the difference between Marines and Sailors as opposed to the rest of US citizens is that the Dept of the Navy and the services CAN tell them what PPE to wear on/off base for active duty service members and on base for everyone else. To be perfectly frank, if ******* Joe blow and the Mrs. (pardon me, if a free-born thinking/reasoning Americans) want to ride on the streets in a light coat of oil and shower shoes, that's ok by me - ride free!! I do however care what Marines and Sailors wear and "we" can "make" them wear effective PPE.

As to "effective" PPE, folks can argue forever on leather vs cordura vs kevlar vs nylon vs light coat of oil, but I'm pretty sure most reasonable, agenda-free, thinking motorcyclists can agree that "long sleeved shirt and long pants" of no specific material is not effective PPE. To their credit, the safety center new order of 10 Mar 08 does, for the first time, recommend "Motorcycle jackets constructed of abrasion resistant materials such as leather, kevlar, and/or cordura and containing impact-absorbing padding..." They also recommend "garmets constructed of birghtly corored and reflective materials..." Stops short of requiring, but perhaps a start.

Jill - same here, but my pants/helmet are in my sidebags!

I am also a RiderCoach and agree with the comments of the other RiderCoachs.

I do agree with you that enlisted personal can/should be required to wear true protective gear. In my opinion as someone who has not been in the military (damn flat feet) the government has invested a good amount of money and time into the training and heath of the enlisted person, an effort should be made to protect the investment.

As a RiderCoach I do my best to help guide the students to make the choice to wear quality protective gear. Do I make a difference? Yes, I have gotten emails from students who own novelty helmets asking additional questions about full face helmets so they can go buy one. In fact, I gotten emails from a enlisted guy from a class I taught at the Fallon Naval Air Station about getting fitted head to toe with gear. Since that time I ran into him at the Scuba shop and he had MotoPort pants and a TourMaster Jacket. He is planning on getting a yellow MotoPort jacket when he has the extra cash.

Without a doubt being a RiderCoach does make a difference. A good portion of the students do take your advice and get proper gear. I have zero regrets about become a RiderCoach. The simply fact is I do make a difference in riders choices, and it can save a live.

I agree with you John. One note, ALL Marines/Sailors are required to wear gear and not just enlisted. Heck, if more officers set the example, more junior officers and enlisted would probably think again and wear more than the "requirement."

JimLor said:

I agree with you John. One note, ALL Marines/Sailors are required to wear gear and not just enlisted. Heck, if more officers set the example, more junior officers and enlisted would probably think again and wear more than the "requirement."

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Take that dumbassed O-6 aside and jack him up Jim ... he should be setting the example for all lower ranks.

Semper Fi.

JW