Safety Report

by Gary Klinker

 Here we are in the heat of summer-I hope. Our BRC classes are filling up at a very nice pace. The BRC2 classes are all filled. Both the Skills and the License Waiver. We may try to add a few more. We have a new Rider Coach who will be joining our team. Jenna Strickler has moved into the area from Florida and contacted us about our program. She will be a welcome addition to the group. She is young and enthusiastic, and very experienced, just what we need! We also have another recruit who is attending Rider Coach Prep as I write this.

 I want to take a minute to send a very special thanks to Vickie Sanfelipo and Accident Scene Management for the donation of two trauma kits to Safe Rider. They are much more comprehensive than a simple first aid kit, but I hope we will never need them in the classroom or on the range. I’m very glad to have them.

 I also have a request to throw out to any ABATE members. We are looking for someone who has some CAD or architectural type training who would be willing to help us out with an artist’s rendering of what a future Safe Rider range and facility would look like. I’m sure you have all seen these drawings of what new buildings or facilities will look like upon completion. If you would be able to help with this, please contact me using the contact information on the back of the Newsletter.

 I would like to address the Letter to the Editor from Ed Williams that was published in last month’s newsletter. I have had questions on the subject from other members, though maybe not quite as forcefully as Ed’s. First, the state is divided up into regions that are covered by rider training sites. The area we have served for over 25 years is roughly a 45-mile radius around Tomah. Geographically we are talking about an area from Hixton to Viroqua and La Crosse to Wisconsin Dells. Well over 90% of our students live in this area. We are the only training site in this area. On the other hand, the location of ABATE Acres is served by three separate training sites, Eau Claire, Wausau, and Wisconsin Rapids. All are Tech Schools in larger population centers and closer to the land than our site.

 Driving distance is another issue. All our Rider Coaches live in our service area, except Diana, who moved from Sparta to Madison for work. Using a calculation of three round trips for a weekend class, the closest students or coach in Black River Falls would go over 250 miles. Someone in Viroqua would have a 600-mile weekend. La Crosse is 575 and Tomah is 430. Other sites in the state would be closer and have better road access. The lack of any close motels does not help to counter the driving distances and would only add to the costs for students and coaches even if they were available. There is also a lack of any close restaurants to send people for lunch breaks. In preparing for the season I made five trips to our range at Fort McCoy in a two-week period to haul bikes back and get the range ready. Instead of the total of 230 miles that took, it would have been 800 miles going to Clark County.

 The financial issue is another consideration. Keep in mind that Safe Rider Inc. is a separate corporation from ABATE of Wisconsin. Safe Rider is able to receive charitable tax-deductible donations from companies or individuals. That would have to be a large source of the funding for building a facility. To sink that much money into land owned by another entity would be fiscally irresponsible. Though I hope it would never become a possibility, re-sale value is highly dependent on location. The cost of construction is also dependent on location and travel times. Getting students directed to our classroom or range is an ongoing headache that we deal with. I can guarantee that downtown Tomah or Fort McCoy are easier to find than W8742 Capital Road. Greenwood. I guess geography and map reading are not big priorities in school these days.

 I hope this clarifies the situation for everyone. I have talked to Ed and we still disagree on some points, but these are the solid facts of the matter. Many of these same points were made at the time a land purchase was being considered. In fact, Troll and I had located parcels in our service area that would have made good locations for all our purposes. In my opinion the primary purchase of land was for a remote party site with very little consideration given to ease of access, multiple uses such as a range or office, or fiscal responsibility. That may stir some people up, but like I said, it is my opinion.

 After a new tire, next week, I’ll be heading to the MRF Bikers in the Beltway with the rest of the Wisconsin delegation. I’ll report on that next month. Until then, enjoy the riding season and be careful.

 Ride Safe,

Gary