Gold Wing Road Riders Association. We hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving.

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1 FL2D Dec Newsletter of Harbor City Wings Melbourne, FL Gold Wing Road Riders Association Hello Everyone. We hope everyone had a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving. Don't forget we are having a meeting Dec 2nd. For all that are going to be attending the Christmas party, the meeting will be the last chance to pay for your meal. The price is $10 dollars per person. If you would like to participate in the gift exchange please bring a gift for around $15 to $20 dollars. Please bring something you would want to take home. The gifts can be for male, female or unisex. We will be needing some help to set up and break down after the party. Those interested get with Steve or Scott. If you have anything to donate for gifts at our January luncheon, please bring it Meetings - First Tuesday of each month. Currently meeting at : MeMaws on Babcock in Palm Bay. Eat, Chat and Mingle at 6:00pm. Meeting starts at 7:00 pm CONTENTS: Directors Comments pg. 1 GWRRA Events pg. 3 Birthdays/Anniversaries pg. 4 Ride Coordinator pg. 5 Rider Safety pg. 6 Dates pg. 14 Chapter Meeting pg. 16 Kick Tire pg. 18 Kick Tire pg. 19 District Rally pg. 21 Sale Items pg 22 Advertisers/Supporters pg.23,24 NATIONAL, REGIONAL & DISTRICT TEAM DIRECTOR GWRRA Ray & Sandi Garris DEPUTY DIRECTOR EAST Bob & Nan Shrader REGION A DIRECTORS Jim & Sue Jackson FLORIDA DISTRICT DIRECTORS Bill & Gina Berry ASST DISTRICT DIRS. Harry & Lynn Anderson CHAPTER FL2-D STAFF CHAPTER DIRECTORS Steve & Barb Squires ASST. CHAP. DIRECTORS Scott & Sandy Myers RIDE EDUCATOR Bill Harris TREASURER JoAnne Davies SUNSHINE LADY Rachel Moyer NEWSLETTER EDITOR Richard Mitts RIDE COORDINATOR Lynn Anderson

2 to the meeting. That's about it. Stay safe. Steve & Barb Squires CHAPTER DIRECTORS 2

3 Oct. 26, 2014 Dec FLORIDA GWRRA EVENTS Chapter Christmas Party 2015 FLORIDA GWRRA EVENTS Jan. 1 First Ride of the Year Shrimps r Us Welaka Jan. 11 Chapter Conference Kissimmee Jan. 17 FL2-L Chapter Rally Lakeland Jan. 17 Chilly Run DeFuniak Springs Jan, 31 FL2-D Multi Chapter Lunch Micco Feb. 7 FL1-G Chapter Rally Deltona Feb 21 FL2-G Chili Cook-Off Fort Myers Mar Florida District Convention/Rally Kissimmee Apr. 4 FL1-K Rally & Party St. Augustine Apr. 11 FL1-B Road Rally Seffner May Alabama District Rally/Convention Eufaula, AL Jun Georgia District Rally/Convention Dillard, GA Jul So. Carolina District Rally/Convention Anderson, SC Sept. 3-6 Wing Ding Huntsville, AL Oct, Region A Rally/Convention Eufaula, AL To view our FL2-D Calendar, click on Present Calendar Posting. GWRRA MOTTO: Friends For Fun, Safety and Knowledge 3

4 Birthday s Anniversaries 12/28 Scott & Sandy Meyers 12/9 Charlotte Mercer 12/11 Lee Blackwell 12/18 Brenda Wilson 12/19 Paul Girard 12/23 Debbie Colby 12/27 John Colby 4

5 Ride Coordinator MY gosh. Can you believe this is the last month of 2014??????? Where did the year go? I guess what they say is true that the older you get the faster time goes by. Why is that..? There just doesn't seem like there is enough hours in the day. Then how in hell did we hold down jobs, raise a family, enjoy our different hobbies and still seem to have time left over thirty years or so ago? Amazing. You know, I find now that after I get off work, my main thing is to take a little nap and by then I don't feel like doing anything else and now have the bad habit of saying "I'll do it tomorrow". Are you there yet? I'm sure some of you are. I am also learning now to get up and get it done. And let me tell you sometimes that really takes some mental pushing. Now there is something most of us need and have now.mental PUSHING. I know that came into play a lot of times for the kick-tires. Your home, you're comfortable in front of the evening news and it is time to leave for a kick-tire. Then is when you MENTAL PUSH comes into play. For that I am grateful. We had some great kick-tires this yea. I tried to play to the various palates and taste. I hope you enjoyed all of them. In this coming year, I hope to see the chapter grow stronger. Our attendance to other chapter functions were a little low this year. I hope this also improves in Harry and I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a very very Happy New Year. REMEMBER.Watch out for the guy behind the guy in front of you.that is you, we like ya and want to keep ya around..lynn RIDE COORDINATOR 5

6 Safety Educator Texas Motorcycle Rider Survey, 2012 This month s article is another survey; however, this survey is fairly current and very interesting. Source: Higgins, L.L.,Texas A&M Transportation Institute; 2929 Research Parkway, College Station, TX ABSTRACT As part of an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle crashes and injuries in the state, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) sponsored a study of existing and potential motorcycle crash countermeasures, with the goal of producing a strategic motorcycle safety plan for the state of Texas. A survey of Texas motorcycle riders gathered information about the characteristics, experiences, and attitudes of Texas motorcycle riders for the purpose of identifying and prioritizing effective countermeasures for reducing the frequency and severity of injury-producing motorcycle crashes. INTRODUCTION In the summer of 2012, TTI researchers conducted an online survey to collect information about the experiences and attitudes of Texas motorcycle riders, particularly those pertaining to motorcycle safety and safety countermeasures. The survey s objective was to help identify and prioritize crash countermeasures for inclusion in the Strategic Motorcycle Safety Plan. The survey included over 40 questions and included topics of particular interest to motorcycle safety stakeholders in Texas, including reasons for wearing (or not wearing) DOT-approved motorcycle helmets and other protective gear; training experiences, riding habits, and crash experiences. Some survey questions solicited respondents opinions regarding a selection of advanced technologies for motorcycles and other vehicles. Survey participants were recruited primarily through the mailing lists of the Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition, Texas motorcycle clubs and organizations, and individuals who had provided contact information to TTI at Texas motorcycle rallies and events. Because of the recruiting mechanism, survey respondents overall represent an older, more experienced, and likely more safety-aware sample compared to the overall rider population in the state. The survey results therefore do not reflect universal rider behaviors and safety records for the state of Texas; however, the concerns and opinions of this group of riders helped to highlight some persistent motorcycle safety issues. SURVEY RESULTS A total of 1,386 riders responded to the survey; not every respondent answered every question, so analyses were based on the total number of responses to each question. This paper presents some of the highlights of this survey, focusing on the questions and answers that contributed most directly to the development of the Strategic Motorcycle Safety Plan for Texas. 6

7 Demographics and Riding Experience Eighty-five percent of respondents were male and 15 percent female, ranging in age from 21 to 81 years (see Figure 1). The average respondent was over 50, and had been riding for more than 30 years at the time of the survey; as noted above, this represents an older demographic compared to the state s overall rider population. Just over three percent of respondents were younger than 30, and only five percent were beginning riders (less than two years of riding experience). Figure 1. Age Distribution of Survey Respondents M 40 W M 100 W M 250 W M 375 W M 270 W M 55 W 0 Figure 2. Type of Motorcycle Respondents Most Frequently Ride Type Response Percent Cruiser 39.8 Touring 33.2 Sport 5.0 Sport Touring 9.1 Standard 4.1 Dual Purpose (On/Off road) 5.7 Three Wheel 2.8 Training Experiences and Needs Just under 72 percent of respondents have taken at least one motorcycle training course. Most of these (82 percent) indicated that motorcycle training had significantly improved their riding skills, and 92 percent of respondents indicated definite or potential interest in taking additional training courses in the future. Comments on this question indicated interest in courses that specifically address high-performance, track or off-road riding, as well as courses designed specifically for three-wheeled motorcycles. Respondents criticisms of available basic and advanced courses in Texas tended to focus on the teaching abilities of particular instructors, the number and quality of motorcycles available for use in the basic courses, and the quality and completeness of instructional materials. Helmets and Other Safety Gear Texas law does not require motorcycle riders aged 21 years and older to wear motorcycle helmets. Approximately 71 percent of survey respondents reported wearing a DOT-approved helmet every time they ride; another 13 percent reported wearing a helmet most of the time. This percentage varied by age, as shown in Figure 3; respondents under 30 years of age and over 60 years of age were the most likely (over 80 percent) to state that they wear a DOT-approved helmet every time they ride; this dropped to 64 percent of the riders between 30 and 49 years of age. Figure 3. Reported helmet use (by age group). 7

8 Seven percent of respondents reported that they rarely or never wear a DOT-approved helmet when they ride a motorcycle; another nine percent said that they wear a helmet sometimes or about half the time. This percentage also varied by age group, with respondents aged 30 to 39 most likely to say that they rarely or never wear a DOT-approved helmet to ride (11 percent). Table 1 lists the reasons that respondents gave in their comments for either occasionally or regularly not choosing to wear a helmet. (Respondents could select more than one answer to this question, so the percentages do not total 100.) The most frequent reason respondents gave was personal freedom (58 percent of respondents answering this question). Hot weather (37 percent) and discomfort (26 percent) were the next most frequently stated reasons, along with it s more fun to ride without a helmet (25 percent). A number of participants stated that they see better (18 percent) or hear better (16 percent) without a helmet. Interestingly, while some respondents said they were less likely to wear a helmet if they were going to be riding on smaller roads at low speeds, others asserted that they didn t wear a helmet because it would offer no protection at higher speeds. Table 1. Participants' Reasons for not Wearing a Helmet. Reasons for Not Wearing a Helmet # Percent Personal freedom/choice % Weather (too hot/humid) % Uncomfortable % More fun to ride without helmet % See better without helmet 98 18% Hear better without helmet 86 16% I tend to give my passenger the only helmet 43 8% Habit 32 6% Know someone who was injured because of helmet 31 6% 8

9 I'm a cautious rider helmet not as important 26 5% Helmet not as important if I'm not in heavy traffic 21 4% No protective benefits 20 4% Too expensive 10 2% Peer pressure 5 1% The helmet I have doesn't fit 3 1% Other 98 18% Total responses: 539 Respondents were also asked about their use of other motorcycle safety gear. Respondents most frequently reported wearing boots (89 percent) and gloves (85 percent) when riding, followed by goggles/ eyewear (73 percent) and protective jackets (57 percent). Conspicuity Approximately half of all motorcycle crashes in Texas involve another vehicle, and of the survey respondents who reported having been in a crash, 47 percent indicated that their crash involved another driver who did not see them. Respondents were asked about the ways in which they make themselves or their motorcycles more conspicuous to other road users. Most of the respondents provided more than one answer to this question, describing multiple strategies for maximizing their conspicuity on the road. Figure 4 summarizes the responses given. The most frequent answer (74 percent of those responding to this question) was strategic lane positioning to place the rider and motorcycle in other drivers most likely field of view while on the road. Fifty-one percent of respondents used auxiliary lights. Just 32 percent use reflective materials, and even fewer regularly wear brightly-colored helmets (24 percent) or jackets (22 percent). Figure 4. Methods used to improve conspicuity. 9

10 Alcohol Use Survey respondents were asked whether they had consumed alcohol within an hour prior to riding a motorcycle during the past year. While most respondents (69 percent overall) stated that they had not consumed any alcohol within an hour of riding, 31 percent stated they had consumed one more alcoholic drinks prior to riding at least once during the past year. These percentages varied by age, as shown in Figure 5. The highest percentages of reported alcohol consumption prior to riding were among respondents aged 30 to 39, with 38 percent of this age group stating that they had consumed one to two drinks prior to riding sometime during the past year. It should be emphasized again that respondents to this survey likely represent a more safety-conscious sample compared to the overall Texas motorcycle rider population and therefore a population less likely to ride under the influence of alcohol. Figure 5. Alcohol use prior to riding - by age group. Respondents were asked to rate the effectiveness of various strategies for improving the safety of motorcycle riders. Figure 6 illustrates the percentages of respondents who rated each of the strategies on a five-point scale from very effective to very ineffective. All of the listed strategies received high percentages of effective or very effective ratings. Basic rider training, the use of safety gear such as vests and body armor, and improving conspicuity through lights and reflective materials were rated the highest overall, with just over 87 percent of respondents rating each of these as effective or very effective. Nearly 85 percent of respondents rated the use of DOT-approved helmets as effective or very effective. Participants provided additional suggestions as comments, such as greater emphasis on motorcycle awareness in driver training courses, more stringent licensing standards for both drivers and motorcycle riders, and measures (including increased education and stricter penalties) to reduce distracted driving. 10

11 Opinions on Advanced Vehicle Technologies The survey presented respondents with a selection of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and other advanced technologies that are currently available or emerging on the market for motorcycles and riders. These included motorcycle airbags, airbag vests, alcohol interlock devices, anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems for three-wheeled motorcycles, adaptable headlights, proximity alert systems, and rear view displays and blind spot detectors within motorcycle helmets. The list also included blind spot detectors and motorcycle proximity alerts for passenger vehicles. The technologies rated highest by survey respondents included anti-lock brakes for motorcycles, motorcycle proximity alerts and blind-spot detectors for passenger vehicles, traction control for motorcycles, and adaptable motorcycle headlights, as shown in Figure 7. Other technologies suggested by participants included motorcycle speed governors, advanced lighting systems for increased conspicuity, and proportional braking assistance. Figure 6. Respondent ratings of effectiveness for motorcycle safety measures. 11

12 Figure 7. Respondent ratings for motorcycle and vehicle technologies. CONCLUSIONS The rider survey was a key source of information contributing to the development of the Texas Strategic Action Plan for Motorcycles ( ), which was developed as a product of the TxDOTsponsored research study. Additional research activities that contributed to the strategic plan development included an analysis of crashes involving motorcycles in Texas over a five year period and an expert workshop in which dozens of existing and potential motorcycle crash countermeasures were evaluated and ranked. The strategic plan is intended to act as a living document that provides guidance to motorcycle and roadway stakeholders (including TxDOT and the Texas Motorcycle Safety Coalition); the goal of the plan is to focus resources on countermeasures that have the greatest opportunity to reduce the frequency and severity of motorcycle crashes. Several of the countermeasures and focus areas recommended in the strategic plan can be directly tied to the rider survey results. Examples include the following: Measures to improve motorcycle training quality. Motorcycle safety training was highly rated by respondents as an effective tool for preventing crashes. Plan strategies include the development of specialized training for three-wheeled vehicles, providing funding to improve the types and quantities of motorcycles used for rider training, improving oversight of motorcycle instructors to ensure course quality, and translating the course curricula into Spanish. Measures to increase helmet and safety gear use. Again, the older and more safety conscious survey respondent population was more likely than the overall Texas rider population to report regular helmet use. However, even in this group there was a percentage who reported never wearing a helmet while riding, and a larger group that reported wearing a helmet only part of the time. Recommended helmet and safety gear strategies in the plan include outreach to riders on the safety benefits of helmet use and encouraging legislation to reinstate a helmet law in Texas. 12

13 Measures to increase conspicuity. The high percentage (47 percent) of respondent described crashes that involved a vehicle driver who didn t see the motorcycle prior to the crash highlight the need for improving the conspicuity of riders and motorcycles. Within this focus area, recommended countermeasures include rider education on the use of reflective and highvisibility clothing and gear, Measures to increase motorist awareness of motorcycles. In addition to improving rider conspicuity, increasing driver attention and awareness of motorcycles on the road became one of the plan s focus areas, with strategies including additional driver-education course content about safely sharing the road with motorcycles, outreach/awareness campaigns, and encouragement to consumers and the auto industry to promote proximity alarms, blind spot warnings, and similar vehicle technologies that may help motorists to detect motorcycles that are close to them on the road. Measures to reduce impaired riding. Thirty percent of respondents reported consuming one or more alcoholic drinks within an hour of riding. Assuming that this respondent population is older and more safety-conscious than the overall motorcycle population in Texas, the impaired riding problem is likely to be considerably more widespread. Within this focus area, the plan s recommended strategies include peer-to-peer outreach among riders discouraging drinking prior to riding, encouraging rider group leaders to reduce the consumption of alcohol at motorcycle events, and exploring enforcement measures such as alcohol ignition interlocks. Measures to encourage the adoption of advanced vehicle technologies that improve safety. The majority of survey respondents were in favor of at least some of the suggested vehicle technologies for improving rider safety; however, the responses indicate that more information is needed within the rider community about some of the emerging motorcycle technologies. The plan includes recommendations for promoting the availability and safety benefits of these technologies and for encouraging further development of these technologies within the motorcycle industry. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This material is based upon the research project Evaluation of the Measures and the Development of a Plan to Reduce the Number and Mitigate the Severity of Crashes Involving Motorcyclists on Texas Highways, performed in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the Author (s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Texas Department of Transportation or the U.S. Department of Transportation. 13

14 Major Florida Bike Events Start Stop Event Location 12/7/14 Abate Toy Run Merritt Island 12/1/15 Shrimp R Us New Years Day Welaka 1/24/15 1/29/15 GWRRA - Royal Caribbean Explorer of the SeasPort Canaveral 3/6/15 3/15/15 Bike Week Daytona 4/24/15 4/26/15 19 th Annual Leesburg Bikefest Leesburg 4/29/15 5/3/15 17 th Annual Thunder Beach Spring Motorcycle RallyPanama City 14

15 Training Opportunities Experienced/Advanced Rider Course 2/1/15 (Sun) Miami Ray Vega Trike Rider Course 3/8/15 (Sun) Miami Ray Vega Medic First Aid 2/28/15 (Sat) Miami Ray Vega RIDE EDUCATOR Bill Harris 15

16 Chapter Memaw s (Last month s meeting) 16

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18 Thanks for the pictures Harry. 18

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20 Bye Ya all! 20

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22 For Sale I have the following items for sale Condor bike chock, trailer mount, for Gold Wings- $75 Rear GL1800 wheel. Paul Moore Need a trailer to pull behind your Wing? Custom built with swivel hitch. $850 Roger Wood Cell A special thanks to our members who submit articles. We love the support and the good information. Send them to Richard Mitts rm32904@yahoo.com May I have your attention please!... A Very Special Thanks to Charlie Davies and JoAnne Davies. They take this publication, make it web ready, and then put it on our Web Site. Without them, we would not be able to enjoy this on our computers. Many thanks for a fantastic job. 22

23 PLEASE PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISERS, THEY MAKE THIS NEWSLETTER POSSIBLE Thank you

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