Virginia State Police Running A Free Moto Safety Course This Weekend

Looking to brush up your riding skills? If you’re in Virginia, the state police are running a motorcycle course on July 25, 2020, aimed at helping motorcyclists survive a wide variety of riding scenarios.

The Ride 2 Save Lives course is run by the Virginia State Police Motor Unit, and takes place at Morton’s BMW in Fredericksburg, VA. According to the press release, the course will help riders learn how to handle “Hazards, Special Situations, Interstate Highways, Curve Negotiation and much more.” Instructors will go through the S.I.P.D.E (Scan, Identify, Predict, Decide, Execute) process, teaching riders how to recognize dangerous situations, and handle them safely.

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Sounds like it isn’t exactly track day-level training, but this is certainly valuable for beginning riders, or for those returning to two wheels after several years away from motorcycles. Besides, no matter how fast you can burn off your chicken strips, everyone needs to learn how to be alert on the roads, and avoid danger. These are skills that will prove valuable for your whole riding career.

Police say attending riders must have a valid driver’s license with a Class M endorsement. They also require riders to have a DOT-certified helmet, eye protection, and proper riding gear. Don't show up in flip-flops and a tank top, or with an unsafe attitude, or you’ll get sent home. There’s also a waiver, of course—more details at the EventBrite sign-up page here.

With room for only 30 riders, it’s not like this one-day course is going to transform Virginia’s motorcycle safety record. However, it is a good move for motorcyclists, for two reasons. First, riders will learn survival skills that can make the difference between life and death. Just as importantly, taking non-required training may set the stage for further advanced rider education down the road. Whether it’s off-road adventure riding lessons, a track day course, or a high-performance street riding academy, advanced rider training will improve anyone’s two-wheeled performance. This police-run course is a step in that direction, starting with important basics.

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