News

Volunteer instructors help growing number of motorcyclists

  • Published
  • By Wayne Crenshaw
  • 78th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Robins Air Force Base, Ga. --  Volunteer motorcycle safety instructors at Robins routinely take time away from their regular duties to try to save some lives.

And lately they've been doing it more often.

Due, in part to rising gas prices, Robins has seen a steady increase in the number of motorcyclists on base. But before people can cruise through the gates on their hogs, they must first pass a rider safety course.

A group of 19 volunteers who work in areas across Robins teach the course. This year they doubled the number of classes to meet the growing demand.

Senior Airman Adam Grow started riding in March after buying a Suzuki SV-650. He was taking the basic rider safety course last week, and said he planned to ride his bike to work whenever possible to save on gas. He expects to save $300 per month.
He also said he learned more from the class than he was expecting.

"I thought I was doing a lot of things right, but it turns out that wasn't really the case," he said.

Senior instructor Will Hilton said the free course is based on the Motorcycle Safety Foundation course, which would cost $250 if taken off base. He took the class when he started riding his bike to work and learned so much he took the instructor-certification course.

"I've never had a class where I didn't learn something, and I've never had a class where you couldn't ask any student who wouldn't tell you that on their ride home the first day they took something with them that made them feel safer," he said.

They used to teach one basic rider safety course and one experienced rider safety course monthly. Due to the high demand, they now teach at least two of each per month.

The course is taught on a special layout in a parking lot at Pave Paws. Master Sgt. Vincent Dewberry of the 78th Security Forces is a new instructor. He said if riders are stopped on base and have not taken the course, they get a citation and their commander is notified.