Here it is, the beginning of a new year. Welcome to 2006. It's time to start anew. Resolutions have been made, and most of them have probably already been broken. There is one resolution that we all can make and keep. That is to make 2006 accident free.

There are tools we can use to help achieve this goal. One of the best ways is with a rider safety course. If you haven't taken the Motorcycle Safety Foundations (MSF) Basic Rider Course (BRC), you should. Yes, even experienced riders can learn and/or re-learn from taking this course. If you have taken the BRC, then do the Advanced Rider Course (ARC) this year. You should also take advantage of the safety courses offered by GWRRA. This may sound like "old hat" but constant training plays a key role in accident reduction. For those of us that ride on two-wheels, why not come out to the next trike course and watch the trike riders go through the paces. Riding a trike is a totally different experience.

This year will offer new opportunities. Wing Ding will be at a totally new location this year - Nashville, TN. Take time to watch the "precision drill teams". A lot of the competitors are MSF Rider Coaches. Check out Top Gun. If you haven't seen Top Gun before, you're in for a treat. And just for a bit of fun, check out the "precision trike team" as well. You might be in for a bit of a surprise on that one.

Last year my articles focused on different scenarios. The idea was to get you thinking about street strategies and how to handle them. This year's plan is to focus on "Back to Basic" riding skills. Even so, there is no substitute for formal safety training such as the BRC and ERC (Experienced Rider Course, a.k.a. ARC). And don't forget the co-rider. Safety training is just as important to them as well.

So, again the challenge is to go accident free in 2006. We can do it.

Till next time - Ride Safe and Stay Visible.

Collen Campbell
Chapter M-2 Rider Educator