Course keeps biking safe

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Samuel Morse
  • 35th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
MISAWA AIR BASE, Japan --  It was a clear day in June last summer as Master Sgt. Kurt Rice and a fellow motorcycle enthusiast went for a ride on their motorcycles near Lake Towada. As they came around a blind turn, a large van in the oncoming lane approached, straddling both lanes of the narrow road.

The side of the road consisted of a simple guard rail to prevent vehicles from falling down a cliff into the lake. Luckily, both motorcyclists had taken the Basic Rider's Course at Misawa Air Base prior to riding out to Lake Towada, and successfully swerved and came to a stop mid-turn, missing the guard rail and van by mere inches.

The Basic Rider's Course is a free, motorcycle safety course required for people planning to ride a motorcycle at Misawa Air Base. The course is designed to give riders the tools they need to safely enjoy cycling around northern Japan.

"It's a progression," said Sergeant Rice, 35th Security Forces Squadron NCO in charge of standardization and evaluations and volunteer BRC instructor. "We're helping you develop basic riding skills."

The course starts riders out with basic tasks such as checking over the bike, checking protective equipment and mounting the bike. Students then progress to exercises simulating standard and corrective actions they might make on the road such as hairpin turns, swerving and stopping in a turn. At the end, students are evaluated on their ability to perform these tasks and receive their certification.

Japan has a lot of very small roads with hidden intersections, Sergeant Rice added, allowing vehicles to unexpectedly enter traffic. Knowing how to properly negotiate these situations helps to prevent accidents said Sergeant Rice. Misawa Air Base has not had a motorcycle-related death since 2005 and no major accidents since 2006. Sergeant Rice attributes much of this success to the Basic Rider's Course at Misawa Air Base.

"The riding population has increased every year for the last three years," said Sergeant Rice, a native of Inkster, Mich. "We have a larger motorcycle population than any other base in Japan. With this many riders, safety is even more important, and this base has risen to the challenge."

The volunteer instructors underwent a 10-day course through the Motorcycle Safety Foundation certifying them to properly train Misawa community members. This accreditation allows service members who take the course here to bring their certificates back to their respective states for motorcycle endorsement on their driver's license without having to retake the practical examination.

Anyone interested in riding a motorcycle in Misawa must consult their unit motorcycle mentor. Motorcycle mentor names can be obtained from the unit first sergeant. The mentor will help with the paperwork and forward it through the unit commander. Once the paperwork is approved, the motorcycle mentor will schedule a class for the rider with the 35th Fighter Wing Safety Office.

"The motorcycle experience is freer, closer -- it's more personal," said Sergeant Rice. "Motorcycles can go places you can't with a car. It just gives you a completely different perspective of Japan ... but you have to have the knowledge and training to ride safely."