Alberta Riders, I got a ???

[BuzZz]

I got a letter in the mail last week from Alberta Infrastructure and Transportation (I imagine you all did as well, based on..... what? bike registration?), sort of a cross between them patting themselves on the back and promoting rider training courses. I especially liked how they highly recommend rider training for new and experianced riders alike, even telling me I should read the enclosed brochure with 'many useful and life-saving tips'..... but there was no brochure in the envolope, just the form letter.

One of the things addressed in this letter was them asking for feed-back on thier 'Spring Motorcycle Awareness' campain....

Now, I've heard 2 different radio comercials dealing with this (but not for 2 months), but nothing else. Have any of you? I am not the most media-aware person around, so it's very possible I am just not seeing/hearing them.

I know the general cage population sure ain't seeing them. Another biker got killed on the hiway near town here last week when a pick-up turned left in front of him from the opposite direction. Driver just didn't see the bike, he claims. Not like there is anything else to look at on an Alberta hiway.... flat, straight and light traffic anyplace besides the 3 main major 4-lane roads...... can't see the only other vehicle on the road even though your heading straight for it and have been for 5 minutes.....freaking cows-n-canola isn't that bloody interesting, is it???....

[Sev]

I haven't seen anything, or heard anything on the radio... but then again my bike doesn't have a radio! I think the brochure went straight into the trash because it was stuff like. "Don't pull out in front of moving traffic." "There can be gravel on the inside/outside of a turn." "Watch out for deer."

"Oh please spend $400 to take the msf course again, it'll do you good!" I'd already been riding for a month and a half when I got that, so pfffffffttttt.

[High_Side]

I recieved mine back in April. Someone is getting a nice warm feeling from sending these out but I doubt that there is any benefit to it. At least they know that we exist and are capable of voting which is at least a step in the right direction....

[Muse]

I got this in the mail too. It scared me because I thought it might be a photo radar ticket.

The tips were very basic. It was nice they were thinking of us (!) but I think that motorcycle safety is more than just reminding MOTORCYCLISTS to be safe - we need to educate those in cars and trucks, too.

I haven't heard any radio announcements, but I did last year. I thought they were a better use of money than the mail out this year.

Happy Stampede!
(Stampede is an EXTRA painful time to ride a motorcycle on Calgary's streets. Scary!)

[KarateChick]

Ha...if we're talking about the same Alberta Infra & Transport form letter that came in the mail last month, I just about crapped when I saw the envelope before opening it cause the first thing that flashed through my mind was "Aw "poo poo", a photo radar ticket...!"

[mandyedwards]

lol muse and karatechick, that's exactly what i thought! photoradar! haha

[Gadjet]

I got mine a couple months ago, and I had the same thought - photoradar.

I did hear a couple different ads on the radio at work, but again that was a couple months ago and there hasn't been anything since.

Got the same thing last year, and the year before as well - my first one came in the same envelope as my newly changed license.

The radio spots I heard actually made sense, as they were more likely to be heard by cagers, and they were directed at reminding car drivers to watch out for motorcycles.

[BuzZz]

Thanx Folks, that's about what I thought. I moved about the time you all got yours, so I figure it took them a month or 2 to find me here.

They gave an e-mail addy to send suggestions to, I think I will recomend a few things. Not that it will do any good, or even ever get read......

How about more rider training courses, and some of this 'oil-bonanza-money' subsidization...... $400 is the low-end price I've found, some courses are closer to $700......and booked up till the snow fly's.....

And a much higher profile 'Awareness' campain.... if us bike-fixated enthusiasts ain't hearing them, you know the cagers definately ain't getting the message.

[9000white]

i'm perplexed.could it be that they dont give a fig about motorcycle riders and are just trying to draw in more money so they can steal it??
anyway that is how it is here anytime they say they care about us.

[BuzZz]

Not perplexing at all, you nailed it right on the head. They don't give a fiddler's fluck about us....