Experiences

On a Wednesday evening, during a three-hour theory lecture, I felt like a university student again.

So, unlike the vast majority of the 40-odd pupils, I took notes, out of habit but also to write a better story for this Web page.

That story, like all good ones, starts with history.

The MSF, the American Motorcycle Safety Foundation, known for its rider course south of the 49th parallel, can trace its origins to Ottawa, where I live.

In 1967, the Ottawa-Carleton Safety Council, as it was then known, was searching for a  "Centennial Project" and decided to set up a training program for motorcyclists. It was the first in North America, and was the blueprint for the MSF's, in 1973-74. (A few years later, the OCSC motorcycle rider course went national here, with the Canada Safety Council.

The instructors are all volunteers, and, in their own words, "Why do we do it for free? Because we love it. And because we're nuts." We were told that all the dealers in the area sponsor the OSC, and the course, because, as an the lecturer put it "We keep their clients alive."

Once signed in, we were each asked the questions "have you ever ridden a bike?" and  "do you know how to use a clutch?". With that information, the instructors will split us up in groups of five of similar experience. Which is absolutely none in my case, unless you count sitting on a bike at a bike show.

We also learned about the graduated licensing system, the other courses taught at the OSC and what to expect of the upcoming weekend. Dehydration is one of things to be careful about, and who can forget the stern warning we received:  "Don't show up hung over Saturday morning on the range at 7:30 a.m.!"

In a nutshell, safety wise, I did not learn anything this curious mind had not read before somewhere at one point or another. But it felt really great to hear it, as opposed to figuring out by myself what the authors meant.

And, of course, actually doing it this weekend will be the best way to learn.

On to day two of this course.