Inside info on the MSF

[pmdave]

We've had the Motorcycle Safety Foundation around for so long that most of us have come to believe it's the right stuff. But, over the past ten years or so the MSF has gradually become the 500 pound gorilla--the "Borg" if you please. Resistance is futile--you WILL be assimilated.

If you'd like some insight into what's happening, consider Wendy Moon's site:
http://moonrider.journalspace.com/

Wendy occasionally writes for Motorcycle Consumer News, and was on the team that interviewed MSF president Tim Buche. What Wendy heard really infuriated her. But she has done a lot of research, and her blog includes some very interesting data about how humans learn--that happens to contradict what the MSF has based it's new courses upon.

Anyway, see for yourself, and make up your own mind.

pmdave

[basketcase]

Sooo ... if the MSF does not put on training for state licensure, what are the other options?

I may not agree with everything MSF says or does, but any (well planned, researched, proven) training is better than no training, and the accountability to some kind of grounded training is a matter of life and death.

Next, it's a free market. What's to keep other school operators from bidding on the training rights within given states? Probably nothing. So this is a good opportunity for someone with some knowledge and initiative to make a name and a buck for him or herself.

Just MHO. See my post on the fatality near my home this past weekend for additional insight on my viewpoint.

[pmdave]

It's pretty difficult to bid against the MSF, since they have all the financial records from past operators. And, in the case of California, MSF bid for the state (through the CHP) at a much reduced price; then when MSF got the contract they eliminated course subsidies. So, now CA riders pay into a motorcycle safety fund to support training, except the MSF siphons off the administration money and new riders get to pay full fee for training.

There are other options than MSF courses or no MSF courses. One big concept is accountability. In other words, it's a good idea to have someone other than the fox guarding the henhouse. It's a good idea to have someone in charge of licensing other than the people doing the training.

Personally, I'm all in favor of each state running it's own motorcycle safety program, and deciding which curricula to use--based on the needs of riders in that area. The MSF sees it a little differently. They would like to control what curricula everyone uses. And if the state doesn't see it their way, the tactic of late is to simply underbid the current program, take over administration of training in that state, and then jack up the costs to students.

I'm also in favor of having a single learn-to-ride curriculum nationwide, but if the MSF refuses to involve the state programs in curriculum development and then offers only a "dumbed down" course, the options are very limited. Fortunately, there are states where the coordinators refuse to knuckle under to the MSF. Oregon has done it's homework and created an excellent course in spite of MSF strongarm tactics. And I suspect that other states will gradually choose Oregon's training program over the MSF's "Basic RiderCourse".

So, it is possible for training programs other than MSF curricula to be offered in a state, but not if the MSF takes over administration of that state's motorcycle training. (as they have done already in PA, NM, WV, and CA)

And, what do we care what curriculum is used in our state rider training programs? Well, what happens to new riders affects us through our insurance rates, licensing fees, etc., so we're all involved whether we want to be or not. You may have noticed that motorcycle fatality rates are going up--in the same time frame that MSF has created a new training course that is so dumbed down that almost everyone passes the tests.

You don't suppose that dumbed down training has any relationship to increased fatality rates? What's really shocking to me is hearing of fatalities DURING training. It's my understanding that four students have died so far (nationwide) in the HD Riders Edge program. (Almost identical to the MSF BRC, but raw novices learn to ride on 500cc Buell Blasts)

What's really needed right now is a big mega-dose of scrutiny of what's happening in rider training in your state. Is the MSF (or the MIC, or big gun lobbyists hired by them) having serious conversations with lawmakers in your state, convincing them to do it the MSF way (and ONLY the MSF way) without informing motorcyclists? Wouldn't you rather see the MSF stick to developing training programs, and let the states manage their own training program without interference?

There's lots more, but take it a gulp at a time.

pmdave

[Montana]

I have so much to say about this, that I made an 11 minute video documentary. This is not a commercial production, I am an amatuer videographer but I am a motorcycle commuter. This is just a little rider-to-rider opportunity.

This program is part of a presentation and panel discussion that will be given at various motorcycle events in the next year or so and hopefully in locations around the country, so everyone has the chance to get involved.

This program is part of the Best of the West, the regional MRF conference in Boise, June 24 and 25, 2005. To learn more about this event, here is a link:
http://www.mrf.org/botw2005.php

Here is a link to the tentative agenda, "Street Riding in Montana: The Beep Goes On" is scheduled for a 90 minute session:
http://www.mrf.org/best2005agenda.php

Look for this program to be offered at the Lima rally, it's already been submitted for consideration. In fact, contact Susanna Parkhouse if you want to be sure we are on the agenda, we thought the topic would be timely for this rally and we'd love to have your input at the discussion. Maybe we'll get to use a big screen projector.

We intend to show "the Emperor has no clothes," to show that Montana is not whining and complaining, there are lots of ways to take care of business, and it's about more than helmet laws, it's about riding. It's about the riders having control, not the bureaucrats or the corporate lackeys. It's about owning the issues.

[pmdave]

Thanks for the mention of your videotape. I think BMWMOA is ready for some controversy, after running the piece about "Trouble in Rider Training" in ON several months ago.

Would it be possible for you to send me a copy of your videotape? I'd be glad to review it and (as a former video producer) offer suggestions, and potentially encourage a seminar on rider training at which it could be shown. One option would be to show it at the BTE seminars. We had a lot of interest in training/MSF at last years rally at Spokane.

Riders who have been paying attention to the MSF situation should know that Idaho is under attack by the MSF, and the Idaho STAR program is doing a pretty good job of holding them off. For a current explanation of what's happening, send a note to ironhors1@mindspring.com and ask for the latest Idaho Coalition For Motorcycle Safety bulletin.

Additional information about what the MSF/MIC is attempting to do in Illinois is available from the MRF at www.mrf.org You can subscribe to a list for Emailed MRF news releases.

BTW, I'm personally in favor of having a national organization such as the MSF developing training materials. I was a certified MSF instructor for a decade or so. But over the past 10 years the MSF has turned everything upside down, and I think they need a firm correction to get them back to their original course.

pmdave

[Montana]

It was reviewed while still rough (scratch tape? is that the term) by two folks at the AMA, back in October. Their input: "Gee, you should remove that loud Harley sitting at that light, we wouldn't want to show loud pipes on bikes" and "Gee, those two sportbikers sitting in front of the bar in the biker party parking lot, with drinks in their hands, you'd better remove them, we wouldn't want to show drinking and riding." Oh, and "Now you're ready to turn this over to a professional production facility, and we think Sam Elliot should redo the narration. And then it would be great to provide for driver education classes."

What, it isn't appropriate that a woman narrator speaks for motorcycling? One thing the video shows is that "who" is riding isn't simply the old "tattooed male biker" stereotype. Not that there's anything wrong with the tattooed male biker, some of my best friends are...well, you get the point. What's being overlooked in all of these statements, as great suggestions and input, is this is a documentary to show what I found over the riding season, not what I want to show. Yeah, it would have come out differently with a $100,000 budget and Sam Elliot. It was never meant for driver ed use. That's a different video. This already has gone out to a few folks with state rider programs at risk, MI and GA to name a couple. The subject material is broader than rider ed, though.

Who sets the mc endorsement test requirements in your state? How does motorcycling fit into your state's rules for graduated driver licensing for minors? Who sets what you pay to register your motorcycle every year? Do your traffic control turn lights recognize motorcycles at controlled left turns? Does your DOT allow practices unsafe for motorcycles at construction zones? What's up at your local rr crossings? Why don't more motorcyclists comment on National Park travel plan updates when National Parks rank high on our lists of "most favorite rides?" What if we were no longer allowed to ride through National Parks?

Contact me via email, give me your name and address and I'll send you something on disk, but it's done, this is not for revision. Since this is all out of pocket, I'm trying to limit reproduction and mailing to folks who have presentation opportunities in their State to rider groups and similar venues for maximum exposure, not for home use.

That's why we want to get this on the schedule at Lima.

[Emoto]

This doesn't surprize me. All the AMA knows how to do is spend more money than they need to on things that don't matter. :cry