"These courses are going to enhance your riding experience, and they're going to keep you safe."
Bob Haas of Bismarck, North Dakota credits the North Dakota Motorcycle Safety Program (NDMSP) Rider Courses for saving his life. In August 2018, Haas and his wife were traveling west on 71st Avenue in Mandan, North Dakota at roughly 55 mph. Haas soon found himself in a situation that had the potential to end in tragedy.
Haas’ attention was captured by a construction worker in his vehicle waiting to take a left-hand turn onto 71st. As he watched the construction worker, his wife pointed out that another vehicle traveling east was turning in front of his motorcycle. With only seconds to react, Haas was able to remain calm and use the skills he learned from the rider courses to avoid the crash.
“If I would have kept going, I would have run smack-dab into the side of him,” Haas recalls. “But I pulled in my clutch and I put on my brakes. Because the bike I’ve got has antilock brakes, and the training I got from the motorcycle class, I was able to maneuver around him.”
Haas is an experienced motorcyclist. However, he insists that the Basic Riders Course remains educational even after years of riding.
“You don’t have to just be a beginner to take the Basic Riders Course,” says Haas. “It doesn’t matter if you’ve never been on a motorcycle, or you’ve ridden motorcycles for 30-40 years. It’s a good learning experience.”
The Experienced Riders Course is something Haas continues to take every year.
“I’m going to go do another Experienced Riders Course this year. It’ll be the third year in a row. I like to do them because after the long winter layoff, you forget how to do some things and you forget certain aspects of riding. It’s also a fun course.”
Take a Riders Course to protect yourself and others on the road. Sign up for a NDMSP course today!