Motorcycle safety saves lives

Photo By Cpl. Jacob A. Singsank | Sgt. Randolph A. Fink, a machine gunner with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 30, from Harrisonburg, Va., enjoys a ride on his motorcycle at Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 1.  

CAMP PENDLETON, CA, UNITED STATES

09.16.2009

Story by Cpl. Jacob A. Singsank 

1st Marine Logistics Group

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — With Labor Day marking the end of the 101 Days of Summer, service members still need to continue practicing safety awareness, especially motorcycle enthusiasts.

"The success of this fiscal year is due to a training and leadership push," said Chuck Roberts, safety director for Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif. "It was a push by the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps and the executive safety board."

The safety push was due to the record high number of motorcycle related deaths in the Marine Corps throughout 2008.

"More service members are buying bikes, and they don't provide nearly as much protection as a car," said Roberts, 55, from Elyria, Ohio. "All things being equal, your injuries are going to be much more severe when riding a motorcycle."

The Marine Corps provides free motorcycle safety courses on base every week for service members. They offer the Basic Riders, Experienced Riders and Military Sport Bike Riders courses. No matter how much service members are instructed on safe driving, the decision to ride safely is up to them.

"Motorcycle riders need to slow down and go with the flow of traffic on the highway instead of weaving in and out, and cutting lanes at 70-80 miles per hour," said Gunnery Sgt. Rhonda L. Mera, combat camera chief with Headquarters Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group. "A Marine's life isn't worth shaving 10-15 minutes off your commute time."

Driving motorcycles safely goes hand-in-hand with wearing the proper gear required by the Marine Corps.

"Motorcycle protective gear is to be worn for a reason," said Mera, 34, from Niagara Falls, N.Y. "It's ultimately there to save your life."

A while back Mera had a close call when she was doing a U-turn in a parking lot and drove over unstable asphalt, spun out, hit a curb and was thrown over her windshield and landed on the grass.

"I was lucky I landed in the grass, but that's not always the case," Mera said. "Had I landed on asphalt and not have had a helmet on, I could have gotten a concussion."
Even with wearing protective gear, service members must always be alert of the vehicles around them.

"Motorcycle riders should be aware of vehicles changing lanes without looking or not using their blinkers," Mera said. "You're much smaller of a footprint compared to a car."

With the proper training and smart decisions, service members can decrease the number of motorcycle fatalities each year.

• Date Taken: 09.16.2009
• Date Posted: 09.16.2009 13:43
• Story ID: 38860
• Location: CAMP PENDLETON, CA, US