Rider coach Rich Terrillion helps student Christine Rodriguez during a beginner motorcycle safety course at Germanna Community College recently. View More Images from this story Visit the Photo Place

Related Stories Germanna plans parking deck at new building (11/21/2009) • Germanna plans three-level parking garage with new academic building at Spotsylvania campus It's an employers' market (11/19/2009) • Area employment experts give tips and cite trends during panel discussion at Germanna Community College Colleges at end of H1N1 line (11/18/2009) • Few college students, including those at the University of Mary Washington, have been offered the H1N1 vaccine Job seminar today at Germanna (11/17/2009) • Germanna holding job fair for employed, underemployed NNEKA BRINGS UNIQUE STYLE FROM NIGERIA (11/14/2009) • Nneka's album invokes a spin of several different emotions NNEKA BRINGS UNIQUE STYLE FROM NIGERIA (11/13/2009) • Nneka's album invokes a spin of several different emotions ROCKERS CARE: THROUGH NOV. 15, GUITAR CENTER IS HOSTING A FOOD DRIVE--BRING SOME NONPERISHABLE FOOD AND GET 10 PERCENT OFF YOUR NEXT PURCHASE! (11/5/2009) • A calendar of events coming up in the Fredericksburg area Public invited as Germanna Foundation celebrates 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall (11/4/2009) • Public invited as Germanna Foundation celebrates 20th anniversary of the Berlin Wall's fall Sources say Germanna placed dean on leave (11/2/2009) • Germanna dean of arts and sciences placed on administrative leave during probe of improper conduct Hospice gala brings in $55,000 (11/1/2009) • Hospice holds major fundraiser Germanna probes sexual harassment allegation (10/30/2009) • Germanna dean previously fired for sexual harassment under investigation for similar claim here TALK BACK (10/30/2009) • Talkback: Who/what is your favorite vampire? Refuge tracts to temporarily close for hunting (10/29/2009) • Refuge tracts to temporarily close for hunting Projects make a difference (10/18/2009) • Make a Difference Day is Saturday NAMES & NOTES (10/18/2009) • Names & Notes Military Notes (10/13/2009) • Military Notes NEW FOUND GLORY 'FIGHT' SEEMS LOST (10/9/2009) • New Found Glory seems to have lost originality on latest album Web chat put focus on health (10/8/2009) • MediCorp CEO Fred Rankin answers questions on health care Bloggers question supervisor candidates at forum (10/6/2009) • Bloggers debate draws good crowd of candidates Dangerous depression: The warning signs (10/6/2009) • Depression and suicide: Oct. 8 is National Depression Screening Day. By Kevin B. Handley. VDOT seeks comments on its plans to improve U.S. 29 (10/5/2009) • Traffic signal optimizations planned for Route 3 Opening up a dialogue on depression, suicide (10/2/2009) • Panel to address suicide, depression and bipolar disorder REV IT UP: SATURDAY, HEAD TO CHRIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT SPOTSY COURTHOUSE FOR THE EIGHTH ANNUAL CAR SHOW: CLASSIC CARS, FOOD AND MORE! INFO: 540/785-4451. FREE TO LOOK! (10/1/2009) • A calendar of events coming up in the Fredericksburg area 'Pillar talk': Sweeter with political vision (10/1/2009) • Looking forward during this economic challenge for the Fredericksburg region, by Charles W. Payne STEVE PRZEPIORA (9/30/2009) • The Deal: Steve Przepiora, Dshane Professional Carpet Care Pedestrians might find Lafayette friendlier someday (9/28/2009) • Will the new Bragg Road in Spotsylvania have two lanes or four? ACADEMIC EPIDEMIC >> Schools respond to concerns over H1N1 spread (9/25/2009) • Schools react to threat of swine flu Germanna seeks local money (9/23/2009) • Germanna Community College president makes plea for local funds for new academic building on Massaponax campus Kappas start mentoring JM student-athletes (9/22/2009) • Service fraternity mentors academically at-risk high school athletes Career, technical center eyed by Orange schools (9/21/2009) • Orange schools move forward on tech center

UNEASY RIDER For bikers, safety is more than wearing a helmet Story by JENN ROWELL Photos by JASON KINDIG

Despite the risks, the thrill of the open road draws many to motorcycles

Date published: 6/18/2006

HE LOVE OF RIDING keeps them going, but the potential dangers bring them to an empty parking lot at dawn on a Saturday morning to hone their skills.

Why ride motorcycles?

"If you have to ask, then you'll never understand," said Scott Gaber, a rider for over 40 years.

Gaber joined other riders in the parking lot at Germanna Community College's Locust Grove campus recently for a weekend-long safety course.

"It's the freedom, the wind in your face," Gaber said of why he rides. "There's so much more out there, the smells, the sights. You see a lot more when you're on a bike."

But the view comes with risks, as illustrated by the wreck last week of Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Roethlisberger, who was not wearing a helmet, suffered a broken jaw and other injuries.

Virginia law requires all riders to wear helmets. In Pennsylvania, riders 21 and older who have been licensed to ride for at least two years, or who have passed a safety course, don't have to wear helmets, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

The hazards of riding a bike--with or without a helmet--are why training programs at Germanna and other sites help prepare riders with strategies to avoid wrecks.

"We want to survive while riding and to have fun, too," said Lindsay Walker, program coordinator at Germanna.

The Motorcycle Safety Foundation, a national organization, established the program in the 1970s. The current curriculum has been in place since 2003.

About 850 riders complete the program at Germanna annually, and about 85,000 are trained in similar programs across Virginia each year, according to Walker.

"The demand is awesome," Walker said.

The class at Germanna, which is held most weekends, is booked through October. But cancellations do occur, and Walker recommends interested riders call the college to see if there's an available spot.

"Anything worth having is worth waiting for, and this is worth having," Walker said.

Two classes are offered at Germanna: the Beginning Rider Course and the Experienced Rider Course.

The objectives of the beginning class include riding in a straight line, turning, shifting, braking and hazard avoidance. The experienced class builds on those skills.

But the most fundamental component of each class is safety.

Follow us on

Read more stories about Fredericksburg
Date published: 6/18/2006