A few facts of MI's 2012 MSF rider training

[Momz]

Students trained                                                          Pass Rate
Beginning rider course                     3,636                              73%
Returning rider basic course                167                              89%
Advanced rider course                       264                              97%  

Total                                           4,067
   
Highest pass rate                   St.Clair Comm. Coll.                    89%
Lowest pass rate                  Henry Ford Comm. Coll.                 64%

EMS runs in 2012                                                                    3
Instructors injured by student                                                   1 (my wife)
Instructors injured during demo                                                  1


Student donations for replacement M/C purchase
7/1/2011 - 6/30/2012                                                         $11,121.50
7/1/2012 to present                                                             $2,830.00
Total of all prior years                                                           $4,937.00

Number of old M/Cs disposed                                                    35      

[Momz]

Does anybody on this forum board care about proper training?

Does anyone hear care about anti-motorcycle ledgeslation and/or insurance discrimination.

Are the majority of VRCC members apathetic? Speak up or slowly lose your right to ride.

[Romeo]

George, not sure why you think we are apathetic. I am glad you and Pam do what you do. But having said that, please don't assume you have any idea about my what I think about things based on whether or not I reply to you posts.

[Robert]

I too, do care but the stats you provide don't say anything about legislation or if these stats are even important. Please state their relevance to whats happening that you are upset about then we can all join in.  

[Gryphon Rider]

I'm not sure what kind of response you were expecting to your first post?  Yay statistics?!  35 bikes disposed of, how sad?

[Momz]

George, not sure why you think we are apathetic. I am glad you and Pam do what you do. But having said that, please don't assume you have any idea about my what I think about things based on whether or not I reply to you posts.

I did not say any one person was apathetic, but why aren't we all working together to make (at least in MI) to make the MCCA accountable to anyone that insures any vehicles.

Why aren't we "up in arms" because motorcycles are not considered "motor vehicles", thus exempt from MIs no-fault law?

As riders what have we done about the EPAs mandate on E15 fuel? It will ruin all our gasoline powered vehicles.

Our riding season is quickly coming to an end and all riders need to get involved. Sure you can buy an AMA, ABATE, or MRF membership. But it takes more than paying for a membership, it takes getting to know your Senators and Represenatives. It takes showing that as motorcyclists we are voters too. It takes educating and volunteering time to help repair M/Cs for the MSF. It takes going to driving schools and teaching motorcycle awareness.

There are ledgeslators ready to pounce on what they consider an extremely small voter segment. Insurance lobbyists are trying to get our rates increased. I insure four motorcycles, to pick-up trucks an a sedan, and going broke doing so. Do you believe that your insurance rates are fair?

 http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/

 http://mrf.org/

 http://www.abateofmichigan.org/

[Momz]

I'm not sure what kind of response you were expecting to your first post?  Yay statistics?!  35 bikes disposed of, how sad?

4,067 better prepared riders, that is a significant amount of educated people.
And the 35 bikes that were disposed of were beyond being safe to be used as trainers, many had usable parts scavenged to repair the current fleet.

[Robert]

You know I agree with what you are saying about being active, but how about you start petitions on the problems that you see. Anyone who is in support can sign they can be sent to any Senator or Congressman and would be cheap to do. Most dont have the time or keep up on the issues and since most all threads are allowed here maybe there could be a section for new motorcycle laws or legislation. Just a idea you are the one that sees the need you are closer than me and I would say alot of others so how about filling the need??

[Momz]

You know I agree with what you are saying about being active, but how about you start petitions on the problems that you see. Anyone who is in support can sign they can be sent to any Senator or Congressman and would be cheap to do. Most dont have the time or keep up on the issues and since most all threads are allowed here maybe there could be a section for new motorcycle laws or legislation. Just a idea you are the one that sees the need you are closer than me and I would say alot of others so how about filling the need??

ABATE and the AMA have found that petitions don't work. Face to face conversations are the most effective way to influence political opponents. They see the their constituants are not just a signature on a petition. Letters to your ledgeslators are another effective method, but mass mailings are very effective.

[Hoser]

I am a lifetime AMA member, I fully support your efforts to train and inform all riders, don't fret, a lot of us appreciate your efforts, as well as those of the AMA.     Hoser

[cookiedough]

Politicians are just that Politicians.  They tell you one thing and then don't follow thru.  I have wasted hours emailing and meeting in person back about 5 years ago our state rep. in the legislature who said he was going to see what he could do about changing WI youth ATV laws that make sense.  One issue I had was why cannot a youth under 12 with a youth ATV ride behind or within eyesight say 200' with their parents ONLY ride on frozen waters in WI?  WI ATV laws do NOT allow any youth ATV with youth under 12 rider on ANY frozen waterways in WI with their parents, very dumb!  Another change I wanted to make which makes sense is to allow parents ride their adult ATV with their youth under 12 on a youth under 90cc ATV next to their parents or behind on a rural ATV road route that connects one ATV trail to another ATV trail.  The current stupid WI law states the youth ATV has to be NOT running with the kid sitting on the ATV while being pulled with a tow rope on a rural ATV road route - LIKE THAT IS SAFER TO HAVE A ROPE OR CHAIN CONNECTING A LARGE ATV TO ANOTHER SMALLER ATV BEING PULLED DOWN THE ROAD WITH THE KID EXPECTED TO KEEP AN EYE ON THE ROPE TO MAKE SURE IT IS TIGHT APPLYING THE BRAKE AS NEEDED?   Most WI rural ATV connecting road routes are less than 3 miles long and rarely used by vehicle traffic so shouldn't be a problem getting laws changed.  Well,  after several wasted attempts,  the state legislature rep was useless and probably did nothing to change the stupid WI ATV laws. 

Good luck on changing laws in your state.  Maybe if a group of 1,000's spoke up, it would make a difference instead of just a few?  Common sense doesn't belong in the same sentence as state legislatures.