Utah Attorney General has heart in right place... leg in wrong place...

[Twisties]

...or the story of another middle aged guy getting on a bike with minimal preparation... aka: guy gets on bike, guy gets off bike...

 

LINKY

[Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs]

Ouch!

 

broke his leg in at least seven places...was injured Saturday when the motorcycle he was driving hit a patch of gravel. His left foot twisted when the Harley-Davidson fell. Shurtleff's leg was fractured in multiple places from the thigh down to the shin, ...was preparing for "Fall Ride For Fallen Officers," a charity ride for the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial Foundation. He helped plan the event, which raised money to build a memorial at the Capitol for law enforcement officers who were killed while on duty.

[Fasterpill]

"Fall Ride For Fallen Officers,"

 

I'm terribly sorry but that has to be the ultimate paradox.

[harleyjohn45]

...or the story of another middle aged guy getting on a bike with minimal preparation... aka: guy gets on bike, guy gets off bike...

 

LINKY

 

a patch of gravel can put anyone down. i doubt if he was riding too fast. it was just an accident.

[Twisties]

...or the story of another middle aged guy getting on a bike with minimal preparation... aka: guy gets on bike, guy gets off bike...

 

LINKY

 

a patch of gravel can put anyone down. i doubt if he was riding too fast. it was just an accident.

 

...agreed, but apparently he had just picked the bike up... not sure if it was a rental or if it was being furnished as part of the promotion or if he had purchased it. One story had him still in the parking lot, or having just pulled out, though I could not verify. Apparently he was going reasonably slow because talk is the bike was more or less ok, again I could not verify. He had a learners permit, from which I gather he learned from Arnold's fate, but was not a regular biker. He had a helmet, I certainly give him kudos for that.

 

He simply falls in the category of another middle aged man with little experience that crashed. Perhaps we all would have crashed in the circumstance. I can't say, and don't intend to imply anything beyond a recognition of another instance of that circumstance.

 

I just thought it was an interesting story. A juxtaposition of good heartedness, tragedy, bikes, inexperience (and of course we all start that way) and a helmet. I think if he had taken the MSF class it would have been mentioned by now, so by minimal preparation I just mean no training that we know of. If you read it again, I hope you will find my intro to be without judgment.

[Sidmariner]

"Fall Ride For Fallen Officers,"

 

I'm terribly sorry but that has to be the ultimate paradox.

 

I think you mean ultimate irony. Unlike all the examples in Allanis Morrissette's song, this truly is ironic.

[hopz]

Just a few toss-ins... the earliest reports said the bike was on loan from a friend. I suspect that it was a loaner from the dealership in Orem.

 

Our governor rides a black Road King... perhaps the attorney general was trying to get in good with Jon Huntsman, but instead he fell out ....

[Fugu]

Too bad it was just before the event. Had it been a week earlier, the PR generated might have really helped their turnout. I know I hadn't heard a thing about it until he crashed.

[awagnon]

He had a learners permit,

 

I've never heard of learner's permits for motorcycle riding. I thought you either had a motorcycle endorsement or you didn't. I suspect he was riding without proper license and the "learners permit" is spin.

 

I wrote a letter to the editor of the Salt Lake Tribune about his accident and how he is probably fortunate in having insurance that covers motorcycle injuries, which often isn't the case. Hence, support for HR 1076 before the US Congress. Maybe the Trib will publish it.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

He had a learners permit,

 

I've never heard of learner's permits for motorcycle riding. I thought you either had a motorcycle endorsement or you didn't. I suspect he was riding without proper license and the "learners permit" is spin.

 

When I first started riding, in Minnesota, I got a learner's permit simply by taking a written test. Some restrictions, biggest one I can remember is no passengers. Later on I went back for the full endorsement, which required a (pretty weak) road test.

[T__]

 

I've never heard of learner's permits for motorcycle riding. I thought you either had a motorcycle endorsement or you didn't. I suspect he was riding without proper license and the "learners permit" is spin.

 

I wrote a letter to the editor of the Salt Lake Tribune about his accident and how he is probably fortunate in having insurance that covers motorcycle injuries, which often isn't the case. Hence, support for HR 1076 before the US Congress. Maybe the Trib will publish it.

 

Al, Michigan has a motorcycle learners permit.. Just take a state test & get the permit.. I don’t know all the particulars but basically it allows you to ride only with another full endorsed rider in your direct area with some other restrictions involved also.. After becoming somewhat proficient you can then take the state riding test & get a full endorsement.. I believe the learners permit is also required to take the basic motorcycle safety classes offered.. If passing the motorcycle safety class I don’t believe the state riding test is then required to get an endorsement..

 

I started riding way before motorcycle endorsements were required so was just grandfathered in when the M/C endorsement law came along..

 

Twisty

[upflying]

He had a learners permit,

 

I've never heard of learner's permits for motorcycle riding. I thought you either had a motorcycle endorsement or you didn't. I suspect he was riding without proper license and the "learners permit" is spin.

 

When I first started riding, in Minnesota, I got a learner's permit simply by taking a written test. Some restrictions, biggest one I can remember is no passengers. Later on I went back for the full endorsement, which required a (pretty weak) road test.

California has a learners permit to operate motorcycles. Just keep your Suzuki GSXR1000 off the freeway, don't ride at night and don't carry passengers.

(e) A person, while having in his or her immediate possession a

valid permit issued pursuant to paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, of

subdivision (a), who is age 15 years and 6 months or older and who

has successfully completed approved courses in automobile education

and driver training as provided in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a)

of Section 12814.6, and a person, while having in his or her

immediate possession a valid permit issued pursuant to subdivision

(a), who is age 17 years and 6 months or older, may, in addition to

operating a motor vehicle pursuant to subdivision (d), also operate a

motorcycle, motorized scooter, or a motorized bicycle, except that

the person shall not operate a motorcycle, motorized scooter, or a

motorized bicycle during hours of darkness, shall stay off any

freeways that have full control of access and no crossings at grade,

and shall not carry any passenger except an instructor licensed under

Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 11100) of Division 5 of this code

or a qualified instructor as defined in Section 41907 of the

Education Code.

[ghaverkamp]

I've never heard of learner's permits for motorcycle riding. I thought you either had a motorcycle endorsement or you didn't. I suspect he was riding without proper license and the "learners permit" is spin.

 

Someone hasn't read the Utah Motorcycle Driver Handbook.

[John in VA]

I've never heard of learner's permits for motorcycle riding. I thought you either had a motorcycle endorsement or you didn't. I suspect he was riding without proper license and the "learners permit" is spin.

 

Virginia has motorcycle learner's permits:

 

"You must pass the knowledge test. If you do not currently hold a valid learner’s permit or driver’s license, you must also pass the driver’s license knowledge test. This learner’s permit allows you to operate a motorcycle between one half hour after sunrise and one half hour before sunset. In other words, you may operate the motorcycle only during daylight hours. You are not allowed on limited access highways, such as interstate highways. You must wear an approved safety helmet. You must be supervised by a person at least 21 years old who is licensed to operate a motorcycle or your parent, legal guardian, or sibling. No one, other than the operator, can be on the motorcycle."

[motoguy128]

Riding through gravel on a 600+lb motorcycle, can be challenging for anyone, but experience on how to avoid it or deal with it comes with training and/ or a lot of time spent on bicycles or dirt bikes.

 

IL has a learners permit. Written test gets you a peice of paper which allows you to ride with another licensed rider. I then took a parking lot test with a bunch of tight manuevers that proved I could take low speed turns and operate the clutch, shifter and brakes. I did it on a 600cc sportbike. It was at full lock for one of the manuevers. I put my foot down once and went outside a line once. but you were allowed 3 mistakes... but couldn't knock over any cones or something.

[Fugu]

OR has the learner's permit system as well.

 

The guy I took the test from for my endorsement was shocked that I cleaned it on my GS. He said most guys on bikes "like that" don't do very well. I gave him one of these: but he still had my test page on his clipboard so I left it at that. Most guys I knew at that time on dual sport bikes could ride circles around my re-entry rider tail so it made no sense to me at all.

 

But then of course there was a guy there taking the test on his friend's Honda because his "chopper couldn't make those turns"....

[Wyn]

The Harley did it!!

 

Middle age was not the issue!!

[MikeEdgar]

The Kentucky test is similar. I had to ride between cones, do a u-turn, shift and come to a full stop between two lines. I did it on my R1150RT.

 

It was all in a parking lot and speed never got over 25 mph.

 

I asked the examiner how many peopled failed the test. She said that if you rode the bike there, you were going to pass.

 

As for the learner's permit, I needed a driver's license and had to pass a written test. Only restriction was no passengers. Before I got my license, I did a 5 state, 1200 mile trip.

[velomoto]

But then of course there was a guy there taking the test on his friend's Honda because his "chopper couldn't make those turns"....

Watched a guy taking his drivers exam at a local Harley shop. He was on the shop's Buell - a much smaller bike than his HD. Still he took at least four attempts to pass the exam. I've never before seen or heard of a drivers exam where one gets a "re-do" if one fails. Ya shoulda seen the guys face when he FINALLY passed. Mark up this guy as (yet another) inexperienced middle-aged guy on a big bike. Hopefully he'll take it easy and learn to ride.

 

Once upon a time PA also had a m/c learner's permit - I don't know why any state wouldn't.

[awagnon]

Someone hasn't read the Utah Motorcycle Driver Handbook.

 

I stand corrected. When I took the MSF course and tested for my license, we weren't offered a learner's permit. Since taking the driver's course (which substitutes for the riding test) and passing the vision and written test satisfied the requirement for the full endorsement, there is no need for a permit. However, I would be very surprised if the Utah AG actually took "an approved driver's course" and the written test as requireed for the permit according to the handbook. As noted above, if he had, then he should have the endorsement and not the permit.

[Bullett]

My partners and I discussed this incident at lunch yesterday. This "discussion" was another in the long line of discussions about "why motorcycling is dangerous" and "why Sharon shouldn't ride motorcycles," that I have become rather used to. One of my partners said he thought Shurtleff had been riding motorcycles for "a while," but I figure that he hadn't ridden in a while and got on a large, unfamiliar bike and had a "mishap."

 

Suffice it to say, however, that when I read about it in the newspaper Sunday morning, I decided not to go out for this charity ride with a bunch of strangers.

[hopz]

When I moved from Texas to Utah... I went for my driver's lisence.

 

I asked the clerk if a Motorcycle endorsement required a test. She looked at me like I was from outer space... (of course for a lot of native Utahns anywhere out of the county counts as "alien") she asked if I already had a Texas endorsement. I said yes, she said OK...

 

Thats how I got mine in Utah.

[11101110]

As of 1 July 2007, passing the MSF BRC now get you a DUAL waiver in VA. NO WRITTEN OR SKILLS (at the DMV). Prior to that it was just a skills test waiver. Of course the clerk who I got had never heard of a skill waiver and we procecded to argue that my little piece of paper ment that I didn't need to take the skill test. Wonder how she is doing now?

[harleyjohn45]

i don't want to steal this thread, but life comes at you fast. today i was riding from capitan to ruidoso, nm. and as i rounded a curve there was a single rock (we have lots of them) right in my line. it was about 8" in diameter and if i hit it, i would have gone down for sure. i was riding pretty fast on my ducati, after i rode around the rock, i thought of this thread.

[velomoto]

i don't want to steal this thread, but life comes at you fast. today i was riding from capitan to ruidoso, nm. and as i rounded a curve there was a single rock (we have lots of them) right in my line. it was about 8" in diameter and if i hit it, i would have gone down for sure. i was riding pretty fast on my ducati, after i rode around the rock, i thought of this thread.

+1 We get lots of debris in town from all the contractors and dump trucks. Up in the mountains the debris is compliments of the mother nature: natural erosion and occasionally from wild life (think mountain goats and deer) who will send stuff rolling down the hillside or off cliffs!