A.B.A.T.E. came to my Dr.Ed class today

[Cav47]

As some of you know, I teach Driver Ed to high school students at our local high school. I teach mostly U.S. History to 8th graders but our school has a before school class for kids who are trying to get their license. The state of Illinois still has the schools teach the class as opposed to some other states that have shipped it out to private industry and schools.

Anyway, the H.S. Principal tells me there is a guy that likes to come and talk to the kids about the ABATE program and specifically educating students about motorcycles and other safety stuff. As a rider, I thought this would be great.

Well they send me this "situation"

1. The guy a pirate!

2. He smells like an ashtray

3. He show up in his riding gear -Leather vest with lots of patches. Dirty jeans, Big Belt and Bigger Buckle.

4. His car is parked in a handicapped spot out front with a some "colorful" decorations that include a huge set of bull balls from the hitch

4a. He clearly does not look handicapped. (but okay, maybe he hides it well. I am not a doctor)

5 He is late and not very organized. His papers that he is handing out are super faded and hard to read.

6. He has a smokers cough that nearly killed him twice while attempting to speak.

7. He had a hard time reading the questions off of his own paper.

8. His paperwork had a few errors about following distance and other safety practices.

9. He portayed himself as a big time rider. Then my own kid asked him "where do you go on your motorcycle" He responded "Poker Runs mostly" I told my kid to make sure he had a good question to ask the speaker if he allowed questions at the end.

10. He made a joke about how his girlfriend did not like putting her feet on the pegs.....but don't tell his wife.

11. He referred to most car drivers as cagers that don't care if they kill motorcyclists.

12. He showed off his riding gear and when asked about required gear, he was quick to point out that only eye protection was required by law and that Illinois was not a helmet state and that ABATE would fight for the right to ride free.

13. He stated that 90% of all motorcycle crashes were the fault of Cagers.

14. He was the poster child as to why some people justifiably hate motorcycles.

I give up listing all the stupid stuff he said. I will spend my time figuring out how to repair the damage this guy did to our reputations. I hope I can restore legitimacy to us as motorcyclists. He gave me a survey. I don't want to burn a bridge with a local partner of the schools, but seriously this guy was the worst speaker ever. I did not sign him up, and I had no idea he was this bad. I will be apologizing tomorrow. UGH.

 

[LCB]

Good thing my daughter wasn't in that class - she'd have read him the riot act. And if he even tried to treat her like a stupid female, he would have left with a limp (if he was lucky) or a bloody stump (if he wasn't).

 

[wnyfjr]

Good thing my daughter wasn't in that class - she'd have read him the riot act. And if he even tried to treat her like a stupid female, he would have left with a limp (if he was lucky) or a bloody stump (if he wasn't).

Well, at least then he could have legitimately used the Handicapped spot! Sounds like a tool. Always thought the 'balls' hanging from a vehicle were a bit over the top. Lucky I never had to explain them to a small child or anything. "Dad, what are those things hanging under that truck?"

 

[steveoreno]

Indiana Abate has even lost their contract with the state for motorcycle safety classes. I am a member but really have a sense of disconnect when I speak to anyone very high up in the organization. Seems like they think the most important thing they do is keep the feds from making us wear helmets and a lot of Abate members have real antipathy towards the AMA even though in this state they reprint most of their articles from the AMA magazine. I can't say for certain but imagine that the bulk of their funds came from running the rider training classes so Indiana's branch may be in trouble.

 

[TomInPA]

I think rather than apologize to the kids in class, have a conversation, starting with what did you think of the ABATE representative? Do you feel that is representative of the motorcycling community?

I'd really be interested in the kid's reaction and commentary. You're the last one likely to underestimate them Josh, so use this as an opportunity to discuss motorcycling and how they, as drivers, can compensate for the pirates to keep everyone safe. It's a great chance to discuss what to do when they encounter formation riding, and anticipate what these kind of riders are capable of...crossing double yellow lines, unsignalled stops and turns, poor visibility, and vulnerability to injury. Some of those kids will become motorcycle riders. It's a chance to say "don't be THAT GUY"!

 

[bluesdog]

I think rather than apologize to the kids in class, have a conversation, starting with what did you think of the ABATE representative? Do you feel that is representative of the motorcycling community?
I'd really be interested in the kid's reaction and commentary. You're the last one likely to underestimate them Josh, so use this as an opportunity to discuss motorcycling and how they, as drivers, can compensate for the pirates to keep everyone safe. It's a great chance to discuss what to do when they encounter formation riding, and anticipate what these kind of riders are capable of...crossing double yellow lines, unsignalled stops and turns, poor visibility, and vulnerability to injury. Some of those kids will become motorcycle riders. It's a chance to say "don't be THAT GUY"!

+++1 & Gunny!

Any chance of inviting a msf certified instructor to do a follow up? Maybe ask your students if they'd be interested in talking with a real motorcyclist instead of a poser pirate..

 

[airboss]

Good thing my daughter wasn't in that class - she'd have read him the riot act. And if he even tried to treat her like a stupid female, he would have left with a limp (if he was lucky) or a bloody stump (if he wasn't).

If my daughter had been in the class he might have lived, maybe.

She probably would have beat him badly with her helmet.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Make sure you direct them to www.rockthegear.org and be sure they watch Brittany Morrow's video. That has the potential to make a very bold statement to those kids, and since she's nearly a kid too, maybe they'll listen.

 

[SacramentoMike]

Any chance of inviting a msf certified instructor to do a follow up? Maybe ask your students if they'd be interested in talking with a real motorcyclist instead of a poser pirate..

Very good suggestion. I was going to suggest something similar, but with you doing the follow up, since you heard his b.s. presentation first hand. I'd go over what he said point by point and refute everything that was wrong or stupid, and make sure the kids know you're a serious rider who believes in and practices ATGATT (right?). Just because this clown was imposed on them (and you) doesn't mean he knows anything, and they should hear that.

+1 on the Brittany Morrow vid AJ mentioned, especially if any of them want to learn to ride. And good on Illinois for still offering driver training in the schools. We had to send our kids out with private trainers with who-knows-what degree of competency.

 

[Denver_FJR]

Sounds like someone who was begrudgingly working off his community service requirements.

 

[Cav47]

All great suggestions with the MSF person coming in. I am going to be looking into that. We did have a good conversation about the good things he intended to say and some of the things that were inaccurate.

The good thing about the conversation was that it was not bashing of him specifically. It was more the presentation and information that "sucked" (their words....but I agree silently)

Part of our biggest problem here is the amount of Harley riders that are stereo-typical. This type of rider is pretty much all they know. Hard to change perceptions when their parents are the reality.

We were able to talk about some common mis-perceptions and why people have those beliefs. These kids know squids and pirates. Very few responsible riders exist to these kids.

The re-education is ongoing. Thanks for the responses. I shared my perceptions with my principal and he was less than happy that we had this clown in.

Denver, That actually crossed my mind at some point about community service.

 

[HotRodZilla]

I would also call ABATE and make sure whoever is in charge knows you're not happy and why. Even if they side with their guy, maybe you'll come off as a complainer, and the next time the principal calls for one of their people, they'll be "busy sir, all booked up."

It's win/win. Unless biker pirate gets severely disciplined and decides to come over with his bar-hopping poker run buddies to teach you a lesson. Haha. Then it's win-ouch-lose-ouch-tie-ouch-lose-lose-lose.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Wow, great suggestions and notions about this imbecile's motivation. One thought about the bumper scrotums popular with the mental pygmy crowd. These clowns have to look at these hideous appendages every time they walk behind their vehicle, and also get to scrub, wash, and fondle them whenever they clean their truck/car. That sounds pretty 'sexual-preference specific" to me. I happen to own the real thing, not some rubber reproduction, and even I admit that it's pretty damn ugly. I don't like seeing them in the mirror when I get out of the shower. Why would I adorn my vehicle with them?

On that note, if an innovative company produced a nice set of knockers to hang there, I might be a customer. I got it! Bumper ****s!

 

[Dr. Rich]

This issue is easily solved. If you believe that the information provided to your class by this presenter is inaccurate, you have an obligation to contact your Director of Human Resources and your Curriculum Director and ask that this individual be restricted from being in the classroom. No one in schools wants students being given information that is not correct and could lead to future safety issues. You will be doing other teachers a favor by reporting this individual. Teachers have significant oversight regarding who is in the classroom and the subjects taught. I also think you should anticipate some pushback either from the individual or his group. Documenting the elements of the presentation that were incorrect will help you defend your position. Protecting students is your obligation.

 

[beemerdons]

Sounds like someone who was begrudgingly working off his community service requirements.

Speaking of which Cav47: Old Michael, ShinyPartsUp and Papa Chuy Viejo need to bank a few community service hours for ourselves, if you can get us Greyhound Bus fare from Sacramento, CA to Illinois: You can count on The Forum Irish! By the way, we can bring Whiskey and Wild Women with us can't we? jes' sayin' and nuff said Aye, Slainte!

 

[Cav47]

This issue is easily solved. If you believe that the information provided to your class by this presenter is inaccurate, you have an obligation to contact your Director of Human Resources and your Curriculum Director and ask that this individual be restricted from being in the classroom. No one in schools wants students being given information that is not correct and could lead to future safety issues. You will be doing other teachers a favor by reporting this individual. Teachers have significant oversight regarding who is in the classroom and the subjects taught. I also think you should anticipate some pushback either from the individual or his group. Documenting the elements of the presentation that were incorrect will help you defend your position. Protecting students is your obligation.

I agree wholeheartedly with your plan of action. The only hiccup in that is that we do not employ a Director of Human Resources nor a Curriculum Director. Our principals serve that role and that means it falls to the classroom teachers. I have documented the errors and forwarded them to my principal to cover my back. The pushback is not something I am really concerned about because I anticipate our principal handling this by not allowing him back. I concur that protecting students is my obligation and have taken steps to make sure his information was corrected. Him not returning will solve the problem mostly. I anticipate they will hire a new Dr. Ed teacher next year full time. ( it took the position because the old teacher left the day before school for another job)

I have to be careful about burning a bridge with a person from the area. Somehow his ineptitude will come back on me if I report him. While not correct, perception can become reality.

Good advice

 

[wheatonFJR]

Sounds like someone who was begrudgingly working off his community service requirements.

Nail on the head.

Good on you for trying to correct the BS instead of brushing it off.

 

[Spud]

OK, I'm going to go out on a limb here and be devil's advocate. He's exactly the right guy to get the message across to your students.

Follow up by explaining to them that you ride a motorcycle too, but you are hyper-alert, sober, skilled and ride a bike that handles well and brakes on a dime. So you pretty much watch out for yourself. Then explain to them that responsible members of society need to protect the lowest common denominator--that guy. The drunk semi-skilled ***** out on the road is the most vulnerable. Maybe throw in a little economics about how his "poker runs" affect mom and dad's insurance rates....

It will be a good lesson for them to learn about being an adult.

 

[Cav47]

Sounds like someone who was begrudgingly working off his community service requirements.

Speaking of which Cav47: Old Michael, ShinyPartsUp and Papa Chuy Viejo need to bank a few community service hours for ourselves, if you can get us Greyhound Bus fare from Sacramento, CA to Illinois: You can count on The Forum Irish! By the way, we can bring Whiskey and Wild Women with us can't we? jes' sayin' and nuff said Aye, Slainte!

Ride on up here near the end of school and give a synchronized riding demonstration in the parking lot. I am sure that would be entertaining.

Or you could make it a lesson about how Alcohol and Bikes don't mix.

You could crash in the parking lot with various assortments of gear on. ATGATT vs Pirate gear vs Squid in shorts.

I could get the whole student body out there to watch.

You know I am completely kidding. A trip to the hospital around here is sure to get you a staff infection or worse.