Safety Report

by Gary Klinker

Fall is here and all of our 2019 classes are completed. We had a good year. Thanks to all of you who took part in any way. I want to be sure to thank the members of Region 3A for their donation to Safe Rider from the Buck Memorial Ride.

I was recently joined by Rider Coaches Larry and Jack attending the Governor’s Highway Safety Conference. The evening before the conference we attended the Motorcycle Peer Exchange session and the MOSAC meeting. Our Deputy Director John Reblin did a fine job of leading the discussion at the Peer exchange. Some of the topics included bringing the learner permit test for motorcycles up to date, providing more licensing opportunity around the state, unlicensed riders, and a discussion of the current motorcycle crash statistics. Following a short recess, the MOSAC meeting was called to order. Topics there included a report on motorcycle fatalities to date. They are running behind last year, always a good sign. We were also told that the governor has not filled appointments on his Council on Highway Safety. Wisconsin is running pilot programs for a 3-wheel BRC2 and a 3-wheel Advanced Riding Course. It appears that there is a lot of interest in these 3-wheel classes. I know that the ones we ran this year were very well received.

The next morning, the Conference opened with introductions and a short address by the governor. The keynote speaker was a life coach from Madison who did not have anything to do with highway safety but did have some good strategies for busy people in a hectic world. I did get some good tips from it. The Connected and Automated Vehicle workshop had more questions than answers. Did you ever wonder that if the Artificial Intelligence that controls a self-driving car must make the decision to crash the car or kill something in the road, what would it do? I also learned that Adaptive Cruise control may not recognize motorcycles and low-boy trailers. Since Shawn’s car has this, I think we should go do a test. Several other sessions involved drugged driving and the ways to detect it. This was also a topic last year. Many DUI arrests are not only alcohol, but also drug mixes. THC is the most prevalent, but also opioids and meth. If marijuana is legalized in Wisconsin, there will no doubt be a huge increase in drugged driving. There is a new device being tested in several counties that is an oral swab test for drug use. It will detect several classes of drugs in a driver’s system.

The best session of the conference – in my opinion – was the Unlicensed Riders and Drivers. John Reblin and Sarah Buzzell, the head of the Wisconsin Motorcycle Safety Program, led a discussion on the topic. The room included law enforcement officers, bikers, rider training people and tech school people. It was the one session I attended that had a real discussion and exchange of ideas. Many in the room agreed that putting driver education back in the high schools would help the situation. I believe it should be a required class for all students. Even if they don’t drive, they would understand more about rules of the road, bicycling or even being a safer pedestrian. I want to thank Safe Rider for sending the three of us to the Conference. I think it is important for us to make our presence known and make good contacts with the DOT employees and safety professionals from many different areas of expertise. After all, ABATE is the Motorcycle Issue Experts.

October 4-5 is the BMWMOA Get Away rally in Tomah. I’m hoping to get there to meet a large group of riders from around the country. There are many ABATE events to attend, especially our annual meeting in Johnson Creek. Stash and his whole district have a lot of events planned to entertain us. I’m looking forward to seeing many of you there. By the time you read this bow season will be open. Help keep our roads safe and feed the family at the same time, go hunting. Get out there and enjoy the fall riding. Remember that every time you climb on the bike you are practicing your skills.

Ride Safe, Gary