Education=safety

[DragonBlu]

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Motorcycle deaths in Oregon are at an all-time high and transportation officials believe most could have been prevented. Many victims were never trained or endorsed to ride on two wheels. We had 51 motorcycle deaths in Oregon last year. Just a safety reminder for the new riders here.
Not preaching,just advocating. Thanks for your time!

 

[JSP]

Thanks for the reminder! They are always welcome.

 

[Fizzer6R]

raises the question - do they basically give anyone a motorcycle endorsement if they can just ride in a straight line now-a-days or ?

showing my age, I honestly don't recall what they made me do for it. anyone recently get theirs for the 1st time

having gone through a MSF course, it really should be required. I didn't take one until many years of riding, and it was still a great refresher on some things, while learning others you never really consider riding until taught in a class room and hands on experience

 

[FlyZ6R]

The MSF course will get you your endorsements in at least some states (maybe most or all???). If you don't do the course, you'll have to take a written exam and I think some sort of driving test too. The MSF is the way to go in my opinion. I learned a lot, and I get my endorsement to boot!

I'm getting my endorsement for my Oregon licence by the way. It may not be a matter of experience/education as much as physically. Do you know what the vision requirements are? 20/70! You can be practically blind and ride! I'd be interested to read some stats about that!

 

[alaskanflyboy]

raises the question - do they basically give anyone a motorcycle endorsement if they can just ride in a straight line now-a-days or ?

Given that he said most didn't even have a permit — much less an endorsement — I highly doubt whatever they could require for endorsement would solve the issue. These deaths are with people who just buy a bike and think it's governed like a bicycle. "Licenses? Permits? Endorsements? Helmets? What are you smoking man? It's just a bicycle with an engine and I don't need any of that for a bicycle!"

Laws unfortunately are powerless to prevent these things. It would require every cop to pull you over every time they saw you to make sure you had an endorsement. Even in that scenario, they could kill themselves on the bike before a cop ever checked them.