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Show TlMES 5 HILLTOP TIMES Motorcycle safety cnrinn mandatory briefings Spring available just ahead Motorcycles and the art of evading the March 18,2010 s threat posed by automobile drivers BY LT. COL. JEFF ZEMKE 75th Air Base Wing Chief of Safety T he snow has almost melted and spring is right around the corner, a time when many will roll out their two-wheeled "Deployment Specials" and look for a sunny day to check out the top end of their freedom machines. -• Those first few rides of the year are when too many of our Wingmen crash and burn by either being hit by an automobile, or pushing the top speed and riding faster than they are capable of handling. These mishaps produce what is referred to as the "Spring Bike Spike" — a significant four times the average increase in motorcycle mishaps in the springtime, and especially in the month of April. There is a reason every fighter pilot flies with a Wingman — each person is directly responsible for watching out for the other. Being responsible for another person's safety is not only smart, but it reduces the chance that someone will make a poor choice. For these reasons, the U.S. Air Force has not only embraced the concept, but extended it to watching out for family, friends and coworkers by getting involved in their lives and acting as accountability partners to en- sure their well being. For those motorcycle riders getting ready for the season, please don't take tl^ose first rides alone. You should get your bikes ready together with your riding Wingman, Your ride has probably been in storage for many months and needs a thorough preflight. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation recommends the T-CLOCS (Tires, Controls, Lights, Oil, Chassis, Side stand) inspection checklist. Accomplish this well before your first ride, so you have plenty of time to fix any "redballs" from the cold weather. Nothing could be worse than a mechanical problem at a high rate of speed, and the subsequent mishap that tends to follow. The majority of "skiing" accidents are directly attributable to skiing out of control. Please don't push the top limits of your bike, especially with roads full of leftover salt and sand from the snow plows. Start your first rides slow, ride together, and keep an eye on your Wingman. Many young fighter pilots learn early on that one of the greatest assets of the F-16 Fighting Falcon in a dog fight is its small size, and pointing right at you the F-16 is hard to see. For automobile drivers the motorcycle is also small and also hard to see. Motor- EP MOTOF ists spend the entire driving day looking out for other four-wheeled vehicles, and BY MARY LOU GORNY will often see right through Hilltop Times editor a motorcycle and don't realize it, until it is too late. The llan Woods, Motorcycle Safety Program Manager, motorcycle campaign "See reminds riders that the Hill Riders Association and. Me, Save Me" has proven '5th Air Base Wing Safety personnel will be hosting that just being aware of the the Mandatory Annuaiypreseason Motorcycle Safety Briefings on March 30 and April 7. Briefings each day will be number of motorcycles on a 6 am., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. military base helps prevent "Military personnel and Department of Defense civilians accidents. Please keep a look will need to schedule their briefing times and dates through out for motorcycles, and ridtheir training manager in the TSS system prior to atteners — wear brightly colored dance," Woods said. "That attendance will be tracked in the attire to help the automobile TSS system. Bring your Computer Access Card with you to driver see you. If you are unit scanned for credit after the briefing." have sure of the definition of All other motorcycle riders with base access are enbrightly colored, ask a couraged to attend the one-hour briefings. child for a brightly col"As we clean and polish our motorored crayon; they cycles for that first big ride, we need surely won't hand to remember the most important you a black one. pre-ride step, Woods said. "Before Remember, you climb on your bike and head your life defor the open road, you will need to pends on the perform a thorough inspection of automobile your entire motorcycle to insure it driver seeing is safe and ready for the road you, and "too "I suggest using the T-CLOCS incool for that," Watch for the upcoming "See Me spection checklist... This is a great just might end Save Me" program during the 120 inspection guide or tool," Woods up taking your Critical Days of Summer safety said life. campaign. This checklist will guide you through a thorough inspection of We're all your motorcycle and when completed your motorcycle Wingmen when it comes to should be ready to ride. motorcycle riders. Every year Woods also suggests that once you have made sure your we continually see mishaps motorcycle is road ready, every rider should consider rewhere there was an opportufresher training. nity for a Wingman to step in "Since a large number of our riders have many years of and interject a bit of advice experience, we don't all feel that refresher training is necthat could have prevented the essary," he said "If we make it a habit to become lifelong mishap. Don't let yourself be learners, we give ourselves a much better opportunity to the one who allowed a mishap become very old riders. Actually it is our veteran riders to occur because you didn't who provide the most positive comments concerning our want to say, "No, let's not do Experienced Rider Course." that," "Slow down," "Put your The Experienced Rider Course, or ERC, is a one-day vest on" or "Watch out for course spent primarily on the training range riding your that motorcycle!" motorcycle. One team, one fight, watch He recommends it because, "It's the bad habits we arent out for your Wingman. aware of that eventually catch up with us and cause a problem." ERC riders with an endorsement on their state-issued license can pick up a temporary pass from the Safety Office (Building 383, Room 202) to ride on base for 30 days prior to a scheduled course. The Basic Rider Course on base is a two-day course and is designed toward the newer rider, scooter riders and riders who haven't ridden in a few years and are getting back into the sport. New riders and scooter operators must complete the BRC prior to attending an ERC. Part of the course is spent in the classroom and the rest of the time riding on the training range. The BRC helps new riders familiarize themselves with their motorcycles, learn how to properly operate them and learn how to recognize and avoid road hazards. Most of all they learn to be comfortable with operating their motorcycle and its handling in order to pay full attention and enjoy the safe riding experience. Woods suggests BRC riders pick up their course materials to familiarize themselves with the course content and a temporary pass from his office three days prior to their scheduled course date. "When you come for your pass you will need to bring proof of insurance, registration and your license or permit," he said You must have a state issued temporary permit or a license with a motorcycle endorsement on it to ride on base for your class. If you have a temporary permit you are only allowed to ride beginning on the day of your scheduled course. It is a requirement for all military personnel and all DoD civilian employees to have an endorsement on their license along with a Motorcycle Safety Foundation completion card on them at all times and all required personal protective equipment, or PPE, in order to be eligible to ride on base. Military personnel must observe these regulations while riding on and off an installation. Tb find out exactly what the required PPE is for base riding contact your UMSC or the 75th ABW Ground Safety Office. "Last season we had a huge campaign to help educate our riders concerning the use of proper personal protective equipment while riding on base," Woods said Over all there was a great response and riders became compliant, he said. As a reminder, all base riders must wear a brightly colored outer upper garment by day and reflective during hours of darkness at all times while riding on base. This includes leaving the base after your shift is finished If you wear a backpack it must be brightly colored by day and reflective during hours of darkness. Retirees, dependants and contractors are not required to complete a MSF course to ride on base at this time, however, all PPE requirements apply to all base riders. Woods highly recommends the completion of one of the safety courses for riders safety. The courses are free of charge and begin April 22 through October. After March 15 you will be able to schedule your course at https://www2.hilL af.mil/safety/moto/index.php. "Tb get a copy of the T-CLOCS Inspection Checklist, see your Unit Motorcycle Safety Coordinator, or UMSC, in your area," Woods said If you don't have a UMSC assigned in your area, call him at (801) 777-3333 Ext. 2. For more information on the T-CLOCS Inspection checklist visit www.msf-usaorg. t^^U I III • ' A* |