Passes & Canyons Blog

CSP and ABATE testimony at the hearing. Thanks to Sen. Byron Pelton who came over to me and offered to get a shot from in front of the speakers. How nice!

Wow, did I ever get things wrong. I’m talking about this supposed bill to sunset Colorado’s MOST program and I just got home from the first hearing.

Just as the committee was getting going on another bill that preceded the MOST bill I was sitting with Larry, the state coordinator for ABATE of Colorado, and he handed me the text of the remarks he intended to make to the committee. I was struck by one sentence:

Per the Sunset Review for 2024 the MOST program has been recommended that this continues for 9 more years.

OK, there’s a little grammatical mix-up in there but you get the picture. I asked Larry if the recommendation was to continue MOST and he said yes.

Wow. Oh wow. That’s not what I’ve been telling you. Or anyone I talked to. What’s the deal?

I first got wind of this when I was talking with Stump on December 31 at the Last Brass Monkey Run. I would swear he told me the recommendation was to sunset MOST, but not altogether, just for nine years. And I asked him, for nine years? I thought when a program got sunset it was over, done with, fini. But he said no, it was usually for three years but in this case it’s for nine.

Clearly I misunderstood something Stump said and also as clearly he misheard something I said. My new understanding makes a whole heck of a lot more sense.

So the gist of it all is that they are recommending continuing MOST but ABATE is pushing to have changes made, to get it back more to its original configuration where the money we pay in on license renewals goes to reduce the cost of training for the students. And that issue was raised in the hearing. One senator asked if there was money stashed away for the program that could support this sort of subsidy and Larry told him absolutely yes, there’s more than $1 million sitting there in the account.

The bill was approved by the committee so now I believe it goes on to further development. As in, it does not appear there even is a bill yet, that remains to be written. And now the effort will be to make revisions in the program. That should be interesting.

Meanwhile, here’s another thing Larry told me that was news to me. I had told him that if the program can’t be redirected to subsidizing students taking riding courses then perhaps MOST should be killed. What he told me is that as of about five years ago, the Department of Motor Vehicles no longer administers driving tests when people come in for new licenses. Whether you want a license to drive a car or to ride a motorcycle, you have to go to a third organization to do the driving test. So if MOST went away there would be no system for those third-party trainers/testers to be certified to pass people on their driving tests.

Easy to see why the committee voted unanimously to continue MOST. Crazy that DMV no longer administers driving tests. Great for companies offering driver training.

So fine. Now we sit back and wait to see what in included in the bill when it gets written.

Biker Quote for Today

As addictive as cocaine and twice as expensive.

The legislature is back in session and it is time once again to protect what is ours. In this case it’s rider safety training money we pay in.

And the 2025 legislative session begins. The first order of business of interest to motorcyclists is the bill calling for the Colorado MOST (Motorcycle Operator Safety Training) program to be sunset.

This bill will be discussed on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee. If you wish to contact any committee members here are their names and email addresses:
Sen. Winter (Chair)–faith.winter.senate@coleg.gov
Sen. Cutter (Vice Chair)–lisa.cutter.senate@coleg.gov
Sen. Catlin–marc.catlin.senate@coleg.gov
Sen. Exum–tony.exum.senate@coleg.gov
Sen. Hinrichsen–nick.hinrichsen.senate@coleg.gov
Sen. Mullica–kyle.mullica.senate@coleg.gov
Sen. B. Pelton–byron.pelton.senate@coleg.gov
Sen. Simpson–cleave.simpson.senate@coleg.gov
Sen. Sullivan–tom.sullivan.senate@coleg.gov

This bill would shut down the MOST program for nine years. Meanwhile, the money we–nobody but us motorcyclists–paid in would be dumped into the state’s general fund. No way, dude. That’s our money. I say go ahead and shut down MOST if you feel it out to be shut down, but before it goes spend that money as intended. And call a halt to the extra fees we pay each year with our motorcycle registrations and any time we renew our driver’s licenses.

Clearly the worst-case scenario would be that they take our money, end the program, but continue the fees. If you’re interested in seeing to it that that doesn’t happen maybe you ought to show up for this hearing. I’ll be there. And of course afterward I’ll let you know what happened, in case you’re not there.

Biker Quote for Today

No matter how slow you go you’re still lapping everyone on the couch.

The Colorado legislature is now in session and there will be a few bills of interest to motorcyclists this session.

Perhaps the one most directly of interest to bikers is a recommendation to sunset the MOST program. But in the meantime the legislature wants to take the money we have paid in for rider safety training and direct it to the general fund. A little background is in order here.

The Motorcycle Operator Safety Training program was created quite a few years ago in part to deflect the desire of some groups to mandate helmet use in Colorado. The argument was, and continues to be, that greater overall road safety and fewer crashes are better than safer crashes. Which is to say, you can still die in a crash even if you’re wearing a helmet but nobody ever died from having a safe ride.

So motorcyclists in the state supported imposition of an extra fee added to our vehicle registrations each year to fund a rider safety program. Now here’s something I did not know. I only learned this just now as I was reading the 2023 MOST annual report.

The CO MOST program is funded by a $2 surcharge for motorcycle endorsements on a driver’s license or provisional driver’s license, and a $4 surcharge on a motorcycle registration.

I thought we paid $2 each for every motorcycle registration we filed, and that was all. So while I thought with two bikes I would be paying $4 per year to MOST, in fact I must pay $8, and then an additional $2 whenever I renew my driver’s license. OK, not going to break the bank, but definitely worth being aware of.

In the earlier years the MOST program provided a subsidy to rider safety training programs to lower the cost the rider paid for the training. Over the years, however, things got twisted a bit so that now the money is spent only on things like highway signs and program administration and I’m not sure what else but money does not go to defray the cost of rider training. Funny. Car drivers don’t pay extra with their registrations for road signs.

It seems the only true benefit new riders (and only new riders) get is that if you take the Basic Rider Course and pass, the riding test that is part of the training counts toward getting your motorcycle accreditation so you only need to go to the DMV to pay the fee and pass the written test.

So now, from what I hear from Stump, the ABATE of Colorado legislative liaison, the legislative committee involved with such things has recommended that MOST be sunsetted for nine years. Colorado has a sunset law whereby programs are periodically reviewed and recommended for continuance or termination. What surprised me about what Stump said was that apparently this sunsetting is not necessarily permanent, it is only for three years. Really? But in the case of MOST the recommendation is to sunset it for nine years.

Clarification Feb. 5, 2025: Stump and I somehow miscommunicated. In fact, MOST has been recommended for continuation for nine years.

Which is to say the committee apparently has serious reservations. Stump told me in the program’s accounting approximately $100,000 is unaccounted for, although it was not clear to me if he meant the program has failed to account for that much of its funding or the committee failed to account for it in its review. Whichever it is, they say let’s sunset MOST.

Considering that MOST no longer does what seems like it’s most important job–lowering the cost of rider safety training–my opinion is that it should be allowed to sunset. And the fees we pay should be suspended. Can you imagine if the program continues and we continue to pay into it and then that money gets turned over to the state general fund? That money is ours. We paid it in for one specific reason. Car drivers do not pay extra for highway safety. If we’re not getting what we’re paying for there is no justification for continuing to collect those fees. And meanwhile, any remaining balance in program funds ought to be spent, I don’t know, how about reducing the cost of rider training?

But no, the nearly $2 million balance looks mighty attractive to a legislature looking to fill a budget shortfall. Let’s steal it from the bikers.

It’s going to be an interesting process. You can bet I’ll be spending some time at the Capitol, and I’ll be telling you all about it. Stay tuned.

Biker Quote for Today

Tourists and locals are watching from sidewalk cafés. Non-racers. The emptiness of those lives shocks me.

A rider coach observes her students.

It is officially spring and riding weather is upon us, at least on some days. So, maybe you’ve been riding for a long time and you really can’t understand why more people don’t do this. Whatever the reason for that, there are always some people who do want to ride, and we can help them by teaching them how to ride motorcycles intelligently. And make some extra cash in the process. Anybody want to become a rider instructor?

Colorado’s Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) program sent around a periodic notice recently looking for rider instructors. Here’s your chance.

Let me tell you a little about the training program. I took the course several years ago and back then I had to pay $450 for it. Nowadays MOST pays for it, if that hasn’t changed without my knowledge.

We took several days of classroom learning and also went out on the course, working through the program on each other. Then for the finale we took a real class through the paces.

Let me tell you, this was no breeze. I knocked myself out and barely passed. I was so discouraged by the whole thing that I chose not to pursue actually working as a rider instructor. But that was me. Your mileage may vary–I just wanted to warn you that this is a serious training program.

But if you pass and you do go on to teach there are substantial rewards. For one thing, from what I understand, the pay is pretty nice. You can make a couple hundred dollars in a weekend and you can generally work as much as you like, so it can add up to real cash.

More importantly, you get the joy of seeing others get it, and get enthused. And sending them off on their riding careers knowing they are prepared to be competent, safe riders. That was really what I wanted to do, why I wanted to be an instructor, and it was the big disappointment when I concluded I was not cut out for it.

Anyway, just putting the idea out there. Maybe it’s just what you were looking for.

Biker Quote for Today

I didn’t fall off the back of anyone’s bike–I ride my own.

Keep the rubber side down, OK?

What else can we glean from the 2020 annual report of Colorado’s Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) program?

How about this. Bullets copied from the report with my comments added in parentheses.

Motorcyclist Fatalities – 2019

• 103 motorcyclists were killed in motorcycle crashes in 2019, 92 were male, and 11 were female. Ninety-three were motorcycle operators, and ten were motorcycle passengers.
• Motorcyclist fatalities represented 17.3% of Colorado’s total traffic fatalities (103 of 596). (Yeah, and we sure aren’t 17.3% of the vehicles on the road.)
• The number of motorcyclist fatalities remained the same in 2017, 2018, and 2019 at 103.
• 71 motorcycle operators involved in fatal crashes were determined to be “at fault” in the crash.
• 43 of the fatal motorcycle crashes involved only the motorcycle and no other vehicle. (Can’t blame someone else, at least in most of these cases. There’s always the possibility a rider swerved to avoid an idiot and paid with their life.)
• In 2019, 24 motorcycle operators killed in a fatal crash were suspected to be impaired by alcohol and/or drugs.
• 48 motorcycle operators killed were not wearing a helmet. (This means 55 who died were wearing helmets. Helmets are good but don’t let anyone try to tell you they’re a cure-all.)

Of 1,965 motorcycle crashes tallied, where did they happen?

Non-intersection: 1,022. At intersection: 595. Intersection related: 160. Driveway access related: 114. Ramp: 42. Roundabout: 19. In alley: 11. Parking lot: 2.

So OK, we all know the dangers of drivers turning left in front of you, but apparently the majority of crashes don’t even occur at intersections. What causes these? I think we’ll start to get some answers in the next section.

What was the “First Harmful Event” as the report terms it?

Overturning (non-collision): 548. Collision with curb/median: 136. Front to rear collision: 134. Other non-collision: 90. Side to side collision–same direction: 86. Collision with wild animal: 48. Collision with other object: 41. Collision with parked vehicle: 29. Collision with embankment: 27. Collision with guard rail: 26.

So overturning (non-collision) is the top event? What caused that? The top violations of at-fault riders again helps explain. These are apparently what the riders were actually cited with after the crashes.

Careless driving: 469. Driving under the influence of alcohol: 48. Reckless driving: 47. Following too closely: 45. Improper driving on mountain highway: 21. Failed to drive in designated lane: 12. No insurance in possession: 12. Unsafe lane change: 8. Improper turning left: 8. Improper passing on right: 8.

So careless driving is a really big factor. That’s worth noting. Next we have top contributing human factors of riders at-fault.

Driver inexperience: 224. Driver unfamiliar with area: 73. Driver preoccupied: 51. Evading law enforcement officer: 16. Illness/medical: 7. Driver fatigue: 6. Distracted by a passenger, food, objects, etc.: 4. Driver emotionally upset: 3. Physical disability: 1. Other: 453.

So in other words, with 453 “Other” there must be an unknowable number of human factors that, under the right combination of circumstances, can lead to a crash. Next is top movements of at-fault riders.

Going straight: 603. Making left turn: 89. Slowing: 69. Changing lanes: 58. Making right turn: 56. Passing: 41. Weaving: 35. Avoiding object in roadway: 28. Making U-turn: 7. Entering/leaving parked position: 3.

There it is! That’s what causes motorcycle crashes! In 603 cases the riders were going straight! Don’t these people understand you’re supposed to ride the curvy roads? OK, yeah, I’m funny.

Hopefully there is some tidbit of information here that strikes you and that you will incorporate into your mindset when riding to make you a safer rider. Something like, wow, most crashes don’t even happen at intersections, I guess I’d better be more alert all the time. And maybe not; well, I offered it to you.

Biker Quote for Today

You might be a Yuppie biker if you can’t figure out why the battery on your new bike won’t stay charged.

MOST Program annual report

The 2020 annual report of Colorado’s Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) program is out and more than anything it looks like last year’s report. In fact, the number of fatalities has remained steady at 103 for three years in a row now. This is down from an all-time high in 2016 of 125 fatalities. The 2020 report addresses crashes in 2019.

As would be expected, the counties with the highest number of fatalities are the counties with the highest populations. These include Adams County (10 in 2019, 53 in the last five years), Denver (15 and 63), El Paso (19 and 59), and Jefferson (13 and 63). The 10 fatalities in Adams County matches the previous year and the 13 in Jefferson County is one higher than 2018, but there were considerable increases in Denver (7 up to 15) and El Paso (12 up to 19).

The age groups of those who died were largely stable with the exception of the 40-49 age group, which has risen from 15 to 21 in the last three years, and the 50-59 age group, which has declined from 20 to 16.

Looking at overall statistics, in 2019 there were approximately 120,000 vehicle crashes statewide, of which 1,965 (1.6%) involved motorcycles. Those 1,965 included 115 riders who took MOST training in either 2018 or 2019.

OK, here’s a statistic I didn’t understand at first but think I do now: Of the 1,965 crashes involving a motorcycle, 1,361 crashes resulted in injury, and 96 crashes resulted in a fatality. I wondered how could it be 96 if there were 103 fatalities but then I realized that several of those crashes must have resulted in two or more motorcyclists killed.

Here’s another interesting statistic that does not reflect well on MOST: Of the 1,965 motorcycle crashes, 1,269 of the motorcycle operators were at fault in the crash (64.6%). Among the 115 motorcycle operators who were MOST students and had a crash in 2019, 76 were at fault in the crash (66.1%). So how effective is training, really? Despite that I still have to believe getting training is better than not getting training.

This next stat speaks better of MOST: In 2019, there were 154 crashes where alcohol or drugs were suspected among motorcycle operators at fault in a crash. 127 of the motorcycle operators were suspected of alcohol use only, 18 operators were suspected of drug use only, and 9 motorcycle operators were suspected of both alcohol and drug use. Only eight MOST students were suspected to be impaired by drugs or alcohol at the time of the crash.

Perhaps that implies that people who are responsible enough to get training are also more responsible about impaired driving in general.

There is more information to be mined from this report and I’ll continue with that in my next post.

Biker Quote for Today

We know you’re a poser if you never ride to work.

Bikes going up Pikes Peak.

As a casualty of the Covid-19 disruption the Colorado legislature was recessed and, now back in session, is killing bills wholesale so as to focus solely on those must-pass bills such as the state budget.

One casualty of this mass slaughter is SB-65, which would have made it illegal for drivers to operate cellphones or other electronic equipment while driving unless they were using a hands-free device. The bill had passed the Senate but did not make it through the House. Maybe next year.

Unfortunately, the bill to extend the MOST program is among those being pushed forward. The bad news and the bad news–there is no good news in this area.

But wait, there’s more. At the national level, the highway bill has had language proposed that would boost states that have mandatory helmet laws for riders under 18. Here is what the Motorcycle Riders Foundation has to say about this.

The Motorcycle Riders Foundation (MRF) was alerted by our contacts in the U.S. Senate regarding a proposed change to the dedicated 405 Motorcycle Safety funds in the National Priority Safety Programs that is authorized through the Highway Bill. The proposed change to this program would add another criteria for states to qualify for motorcycle safety funds. In order to qualify, states have to meet two of the six current criteria. In addition to the current criteria, the additional qualifying area would add a category for states that have a mandatory helmet law for anyone under the age of 18. While meeting the under 18 helmet law is not mandatory to receive these funds, we at the MRF oppose any such change. We cannot allow any amount of erosion of our rights on this issue. The MRF is adamantly opposed to any federal law that would require the use of a helmet, apparel or conspicuity standard.

I guess we’ll see what happens there.

Biker Quote for Today

Top 10 signs that a computer is owned by a Harley rider: 09. System sound effects now play a Harley kicking over when a program starts.

Another useless bureaucracy defies death.

If you care about passing the hands-free bill that would prohibit a lot of this nonsense of cagers killing bikers because they’re on their cell phones the time is now to contact your state representatives. I’ll just insert what Stump sent out.

The important information this week is about SB20-065 (Use of Mobile Electronic Devices While Driving). The Bill will be heard by the House Transportation & Local Government Committee on Wednesday, March 18, in the Legislative Services Building (200 E 14 Ave on the first floor, conference room on the left as you enter the building). The meeting starts @ 1:30 pm and right now it is scheduled 2nd on the agenda. Below is a list of the committee members. Please contact them asking for their support of the bill. ABATE’s official stance is to support the bill, as it will make our roads safer, but of course, you always have the option to represent yourself and oppose it.

Matt Gray, Chair matt@matthewgray.us 303-866-4667

Tony Exum tony.exum.house@state.co.us 303-866-3069

Terri Carver terri.carver.house@state.co.us 303-866-2191

Marc Catlin marc.catlin.house@state.co.us 303-866-2955

Meg Froelich meg.froelich.house@state.co.us 303-866-2921

Edie Hooton edie.hooton.house@state.co.us 303-866-2915

Stephen Humphrey rephumphrey48@yahoo.com 303-866-2943

Jovan Melton jovan.melton.house@state.co.us 303-866-2919

Alex Valdez alex.valdez.house@state.co.us 303-866-2925

Donald Valdez donald.valdez.house@state.co.us 303-866-2916

James Wilson representativewilson@gmail.com 303-866-2747

Last year this bill passed the Senate but died in the House. We need to make sure it passes this time.

Not surprisingly, the bill to renew the Motorcycle Operator Safety Training (MOST) was approved and passed along to the House Finance Committee. Why do we have the Sunset review law if bureaucracies are renewed without any real consideration of their ongoing merit? Why can’t we just let them die?

Once the Finance Committee rubber-stamps it the bill will go to the full House. Contact your legislators and tell them it needs to die.

Biker Quote for Today

You might be a Yuppie biker if you have doubled the weight of your bike with bolt-on chrome.