Authorities stress importance of motorcycle safety on Virginia roadways

Charles Camden loves the freedom that comes with a motorcycle.

He rode his regularly until 5 years ago, when he hit a pothole and crashed, breaking every rib on his right side and puncturing his lung. He was hospitalized for 18 days and out of work for three months.

Now, though, he’s ready to ride again.

“The wife said no for many years,” Camden said. “She finally came around when the gas prices got high.”

Camden joins a growing number of motorcycle riders on Central Virginia roadways as more turn to the bikes because of rising gas prices.

That has authorities concerned over biker safety, and for good reason. More than 30,000 Virginians have motorcycles, but do not have a motorcycle classification on their driver’s license, according to state records.

Getting the classification requires a motorcycle knowledge exam, a road-skills test and other indicators of proficiency. The gap between the number of Virginia residents who own motorcycles and the number of drivers with the classification on their license has authorities questioning the skills of those on the road.

At the same time, the number of riders who died on state roads nearly doubled from 2006, when 70 died, to 2007, which claimed 126 motorcyclists’ lives.

Law enforcement officers say the two biggest factors in motorcycle crashes are speed and inexperience.

Sgt. Dan Jessee, of the Virginia State Police, said one of the biggest mistakes motorcyclists make is overestimating their ability.

“They think they can ride better than they do,” he said. “They take chances without really having the experience to know what to do.”

One case recently involved a man who wrecked on the Lynchburg Expressway at the Grace Street exit, said Lynchburg Police Officer Ronnie Sitler. It had been years since the man had been on a motorcycle.

He crashed on a bike he had owned for only about 20 minutes, Sitler said.

“You have to drive more defensively than you would in a car,” Sitler said. “It’s a lot smaller and not as protected.

“It’s a very deadly toy if you don’t drive defensively.”

Sitler estimated that one out of every five motorcyclists that police stop does not have a valid class M license. Some aren’t wearing proper protective clothing, like shoes that cover the ankles or long pants. And some aren’t wearing a U.S. Department of Transportation-approved helmet to protect them.

Law enforcement officials suggest motorcyclists take a “basic rider” course at area community colleges, which is designed to train beginning riders in safe bike practices.

At Central Virginia Community College, that course has been filling up months in advance and organizers have had to add more classes to keep up with demand.

“We encourage everyone that has never taken a motorcycle safety course to take one; even people that have licenses for a long time should take it,” Jessee said. “There are a lot of new things and it will probably help out on their insurance.”

There is a waiting list for the classes, Jessee said. Some who have already purchased a motorcycle are riding the bikes anyway, without proper licensing, he said.

“The state is working on trying to get more instructors qualified and offer more classes,” he said.

Jessee said he sees a lot of baby boomers who rode motorcycles while in college but stopped when they started a family. Now they are getting back into motorcycles.

“They make mistakes and end up getting hurt,” he said. “If you haven’t ridden in a while, you should take the course.”

Speed is the most common cause of motorcycle crashes, Sitler said.

“You are putting your life in the hands of eight inches of rubber on a motorcycle,” Sitler said, of the amount of tire actually touching the road. “All that speed and you are putting it on six to eight inches of rubber.”

Brian Sodders took a recent class at CVCC because he wanted to drive a motorcycle to save on gas. The last time he sat on a bike was in the late 1970s when he took one out for a test drive. He got the bike up to 85 miles per hour before deciding that riding wasn’t for him.

“I realized that if I bought a motorcycle at that age, I would not live long,” Sodders said. “I’m older now and I have more respect for a motorcycle.”

The rider-training program is designed to take someone who has never been on a motorcycle and teach the basics for safe operation. Coach Roger Hamner calls it a “blueprint for practice.” He said what separates an average and a good rider is practicing those skills.

The class isn’t the most important thing, though, he said.

“You’ve got the completion card but at the end of the day, that will not save your life,” Hamner said. “It’s what you learn and how do you apply it on the road.

“Legal is one thing, but how qualified are you?”