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04-13-2009, 03:12 PM
RALEIGH — It could become harder and more expensive for someone to get a North Carolina motorcycle license.
At the request of military leaders at Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, the state legislature is advancing a bill that would require motorcyclists to take a safety class before they can get motorcycle endorsements on their licenses.
The military already requires these classes before its soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors can ride, regardless of whether they ride on a military base or a civilian road. Those caught violating the order could face discipline from their chain of command.
North Carolina’s proposed law change would extend the requirement to civilians, although people already licensed to drive motorcycles would not have to meet the new standard.
The change will help the military, said Fort Bragg acting garrison safety manager Richard Eppler, because some soldiers don’t follow orders to take the class before they ride. “It’ll help … catch some of those 1 percent out there that try to bend the rules,” he said.
Between 2003 and 2007, deaths from motorcycle crashes nearly doubled in North Carolina, from 101 to 194.
Nationwide, the military lost 41 people to motorcycle crashes in fiscal 2001. That tripled to 124 in 2008.
Fort Bragg reports six people died in motorcycle wrecks in 2006, none in 2007 and two in 2008.
In 2008, Fort Bragg soldiers were involved in 25 wrecks, up from 19 in 2006, said Eppler. About half were caused by irresponsible riders, and half were caused by the other drivers involved in the wrecks, he said.
The proposed change would stop riders from indefinitely renewing motorcycle learner’s permits. The permit would be valid for six months at a time, and after riding for a year on a permit, the rider would have to get a full motorcycle endorsement or quit riding.
taken from http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=323565 if passed this would start july 2010
i know alot of folks just keep renewing permits
At the request of military leaders at Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune Marine Corps base, the state legislature is advancing a bill that would require motorcyclists to take a safety class before they can get motorcycle endorsements on their licenses.
The military already requires these classes before its soldiers, airmen, Marines and sailors can ride, regardless of whether they ride on a military base or a civilian road. Those caught violating the order could face discipline from their chain of command.
North Carolina’s proposed law change would extend the requirement to civilians, although people already licensed to drive motorcycles would not have to meet the new standard.
The change will help the military, said Fort Bragg acting garrison safety manager Richard Eppler, because some soldiers don’t follow orders to take the class before they ride. “It’ll help … catch some of those 1 percent out there that try to bend the rules,” he said.
Between 2003 and 2007, deaths from motorcycle crashes nearly doubled in North Carolina, from 101 to 194.
Nationwide, the military lost 41 people to motorcycle crashes in fiscal 2001. That tripled to 124 in 2008.
Fort Bragg reports six people died in motorcycle wrecks in 2006, none in 2007 and two in 2008.
In 2008, Fort Bragg soldiers were involved in 25 wrecks, up from 19 in 2006, said Eppler. About half were caused by irresponsible riders, and half were caused by the other drivers involved in the wrecks, he said.
The proposed change would stop riders from indefinitely renewing motorcycle learner’s permits. The permit would be valid for six months at a time, and after riding for a year on a permit, the rider would have to get a full motorcycle endorsement or quit riding.
taken from http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=323565 if passed this would start july 2010
i know alot of folks just keep renewing permits