300 strong converge for safety

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Connor Estes
  • 48th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England --  On April 1, 2011, a combined RAFs Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Feltwell mandatory pre-season motorcycle briefing was held, and more than 300 riders met at the Lakenheath Strike Eagle Complex for the training.

All motorcycle riders must attend a mandatory pre-season brief at the beginning of the riding season. Riders were encouraged to bring their motorcycles and were offered free safety checks on their bikes at the event.

One of the many requirements raised at the briefing was the motorcycle rider courses, which all U.S. personnel who intend to ride their motor bikes on U.K. roads must attend.

For these courses, riders must provide their own bikes or rent one to use. However, riders are advised to use the bike they will be riding on a normal basis if at all possible.

"If you rent a bike for the course, it probably won't be the same weight and size as the one you will normally be riding," said Tech. Sgt. Jeremy Curlin, 48th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Personal Reliability Program manager and lead motorcycle safety instructor. "If you must rent one, I would recommend going through another course on your own bike to get a feel for the curves and road conditions."

Also discussed were personal protective equipment minimum requirements. All riders must wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts or jackets, full-fingered leather gloves, hard-soled over-the-ankle shoes or boots, protective eyewear, brightly colored clothing during the day and reflective clothing at night and an Economic Commission for Europe certified helmet.

Riders were also reminded to be aware of conditions around them while riding including road conditions, wildlife, weather and daylight hours. Now that there are more daylight hours, there will be more people on the roads.

"Riding motorcycles is inherently risky," said Lt. Col. Jeffrey Alexander, 48th Fighter Wing chief of Safety. "The key to motorcycle safety is to know your limits and ride within them.  "Risk management starts with thorough route planning, proper safety checks, and the correct protective equipment. It continues during the ride by constantly assessing the road and weather conditions."

The top 10 motorcycle safety foundation instructor tips were also discussed. These include: 

  1. Making eye contact with drivers.

  2. Read "vehicle language"- drivers misjudge distance and speed. 

  3. Watch out for right - turning vehicles at intersections. 

  4. Watch your mirrors to ensure you have plenty of space behind you when turning from the roadway.

  5. Look out for hazardous road conditions. 

  6. Take it easy on the curves - many crashes occur there. 

  7. Wear a good helmet - they prevent head injuries in 67 percent of crashes. 

  8. Wear your protective riding gear in layers so you can adjust to changing conditions. 

  9. Protect your eyes and face from flying insects and debris that can hurt them.

10. Be visible - ride in the lane position where drivers can easily see you and avoid their blind spots.

After the brief, riders participated in an hour and a half ride through Stanton, Bury St. Edmunds and Newmarket, that ended at Defender Park on Lakenheath.