There is no question that riding impaired increases your risk for injury while riding. So, let's do something about it. Go out to your clubs and local riding groups, and present the riding straight module form MSF. Anyone can teach it, you do not need to be an MSF instructor. They have done the work for us, invested the time and money, made the tools, we just need to get the tools, and use them. https://store.msf-usa.org/Store/MoreDetails.aspx?pid=137
Riding Straight Module: To encourage motorcyclists to carry the message to other motorcyclists that the social activities of drinking and riding a motorcycle must remain separate, MSF is offering an $80 discount to the first 125 purchasers who are presenting to their riding club. The Riding Straight Module is a stand-alone product that can be used by anyone who is interested in helping motorcyclists make wise choices regarding drinking and riding, through education and prevention efforts. The Riding Straight Module is designed to allow facilitators maximum flexibility to develop the best activities to meet the needs and interests of a variety of audiences in a multitude of venues including riding clubs, high school demos and motorcycle events. A session can last from 15 minutes to 45 minutes. The Riding Straight Module contains a Facilitator's Guide, a 12-minute Riding Straight VHS Video, Fatal Vision Simulator Goggles, a roll of MSF floor tape and a CD with digital copy of the Facilitator's Guide.
Maybe a local chapter could purchase it, and sponsor events where they teach it... Telling people "Don't drink when you ride" isnt going to work. We need to educate them, and then hope they use that information to decide for themselves that the risk is too great. I personally do not drink and ride. I am a mother of 2, and I feel the risk is too great. But that was a decision that I made. Obviously there are many riders that do not feel that way... but maybe if they had some more facts... but there is more to their decision to drink and ride than the facts...
I mentioned in another thread on grassroots research, theat there should be a national online survey done, to assess self-report of attitudes and behaviors when motorcycling. I suggested that we ask in the survey, "Do you drink alcohol when riding?" (we would need to work on the wording, but you get the idea)... If they do answer yes, I think they should be given an extra set of questions, that address their attitudes towards drinking. We need to collect the data to find out what are the riders that are drinking thinking, and then address that further.
My understanding of this forum is to get us together, so we can DO something. So, let's get involved and do something. Petition your riding club or group to purchase this training module, or one similar to it (Does ABATE offer something similar? Does anyone know?) and go out into the motorcycling community and spread the word... And we don't want to go out there in an accusatory fashion... it is all in the approach... We want our fellow riders to know that we care about them, and their lives are valued to us, and that's why we are there to talk about riding straight. Because that is why we are here. To save lives.
Thanks- Laura
"The destination is only the excuse" - Daniel Meyer