ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. -- Someone once said, "Most motorcycle problems are caused by the nut that connects the handlebars to the saddle." While that may generate a chuckle, it is from a safety aspect, a message worth driving home.
In support of that effort, Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Toolin, the newly appointed Motorcycle Mentorship Program Manager for Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland, along with motorcycle riders from across the APG community, recently participated in a motorcycle riding event aimed at promoting safety awareness.
Calling it the first event of its type on APG, Toolin said, "The purpose of this activity was to place motorcycle safety awareness in the spotlight. It provided an opportunity to build rider camaraderie, refresh critical skills. This event also brought awareness to motorcycle safety by providing proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and T-CLOCS demonstrations. T-CLOCS, which stands for tires and wheels, controls, lights and electronics, oils and other fluids, chassis, and stands, is an inspection process bikes go through. During the training awareness session, riders properly executed exercises around the track, in a controlled environment that promoted rider efficiency."
Toolin was not alone in his efforts to promote safety awareness. Also participating in the effort was Col. Peter Mueller, Command Chaplain, U. S. Army Communications-Electronics Command on APG. Chaplain Mueller helped kick off the safety event by telling the participants, "Some people think you turn on a motorcycle the same way you turn on a car, just turn the thing in front of you, but that's not the way it works. It's all about posture and leaning and where you aim your head."
The CECOM chaplain went on to add, "You go where you look. It's kind of a rule of riding. Well, in life, we get to choose where we put our attention, and you need to ask yourself, 'where do I look at in life. Where do I put my emotional energy?' The object of our attention, it can have a tremendous impact on the very direction of our life -- and there's another biblical principle that says --'By beholding, by looking, we become changed.' So, we become transformed by what we look at. What we give our attention to, changes the shape and the direction of our lives."
Using the APG Science, Technology, Engineering and Maintenance (STEM) go-cart facility as their driving course, riders came out to support the event -- not hampered at all by the absence of blue skies and sunshine. The grey weather, pouring rain and falling leaves seemed only to add realism to the challenges motorcyclists face when on the road.
Asked about myths often associated with motorcycle riders, Toolin said, "There is the belief that motorcyclists are always at fault. We hear this again, and again, and again-- that the motorcycle must have been at fault, because they're a motorcycle. This is simply not true."
According to Toolin, a study at the University of Southern California found that in motorcycle versus car accidents, the car was at fault over two-thirds of the time. In fact, the majority of the accidents were caused by cars violating the motorcycle's right-of-way. Even more of the time, accidents are caused by failure of a motorist to detect the motorcyclist.
In support of APG and CECOM safety initiatives, Toolin sees the way ahead as an opportunity to continue to push the motorcycle safety message as much and as often as he can. "In looking ahead, I'm working toward forming an APG Rider Committee. The committee will develop a safety campaign plan for FY18. Our goal will be, among other things, to provide training workshops, community outreach, and safety rides similar to the one we just had."
To find out more about the APG Motorcycle Riders initiative, contact Sgt. 1st Class Anthony Toolin at 410-652-4540, or Anthony.c.toolin.mil@mail.mil. More information is available at your unit Safety Office.
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