TAKE THIS COURSE!

This is by far the best training course I have taken, MSF included. The officers provide you with the tools needed to become a safe and proficient rider. We had sport bikes, cruisers, and touring bikes in our class, and the fundamentals taught applied to all. 

Rich

Lietenant Goetz, 

I wanted to thank you again for putting together such a well organized canyon riding course this past weekend.  I realize this was a tremendous amount of work for you to plan, organize and get approved.  It's amazing how just a few minor adjustments and knowledge can help cure bad habits that I didn't even know I had.   
The ability to see you demo the techniques live, then immediately be able to practice them on the road is priceless.  One can read books, and maybe interrpret the proper form correctly, sometimes getting it right, and well, sometimes not.  a live demo with the ability to ask questions to clarify is 100 X more effective, and accurate, to say the least.   

We are all very blessed and fortunate to have had this opportunity and the class has made riding the canyons so much more 'fun' for me, especially coming downhill.  I always have dreaded the 'downhill' portion, but on Saturday I was actually have fun with it.   

Thank you again, and if room allows, I would like to take the slow manuevering class again on my new bike.  I took it initially on my older bike and have now upgraded and have  not yet mastered the new higher center of gravity and new wide body that I ride.  I know I can, but if you ever have room in the original class I would love to have the opportunity to repeat it.   

I also looked up the Streetmasters course you suggested, it looks really good as well.  I plan to take that as soon as their new schedule for 2017 comes out.   

Thank you again for your passion and dedication.   

Dear Chief Fager,
I wanted to send a quick note of thanks for the innovative Ride to Live program your Department provides. What an amazing way to honor your fallen motor officers, provide outreach from your department and save lives by building skills on two wheels. It was an honor to meet Mr. and Mrs. Luna, and everyone of your officers were outstanding in every way. Sincere thanks to Lt. Goetz for delivering such a solid program, and to you for providing an amazing outreach to the community at large, with Ride to Live.
Sincere thanks

 

Lt. Goetz,
  I just wanted to take a minute to thank you and your crew for the amazing class! It wasn't untill I had to do a uturn there that i realized, i can't do a uturn. So now every other saturday, a few of us who were in the class get together ( with some friends ) and practice. I can proudly say i can almost do a uturn now ;). We've tried to take as much of the knowledge and insight from the class and help others. We have definitely seen improvement in those who have come to our practices ( myself included)! 
 As a matter of fact, the 30 by 30 actually save me a few days ago. I ride with a group called th southern cruiser riding club. We're more of a lunch group with a riding problem! Well one of the bikers in front of me decided he wanted to cut in front of me to enter into a parking lot. If not for the fundamentals of the 30 x 30, i would've hit him! 
I had a question. What would it take to bring the class idea to san diego? Im not asking for you and your instructor to come down, but to have a group here that does something similiar? 

Thanks again,

Lt. Ti Goetz,

I am a believer of your class that it has and it will continue to save many more lives of motorcycle riders.  Your class made me a much better and confident rider at the end of the class.
I am much more alert of my surrounding because I am constantly scanning and not focused on one point.  
I believe that these skills and good habits will definitely help me to become a rider with good judgement who has the skills to get out of bad situations alive.

The lesson that I learned from Ride To Live is priceless...you can't put price to someone's life.  I will continue to make regular monthly contribution to Ride To Live program.
I am very grateful to be part of this program.

P.S.  I am looking forward to "Ride to Live 2"

Thank you

Lt.,
It was a great day of training.  If I can put together 30 folks from various chapters of the Southern Cruisers Riding Club, I'll contact you and see about doing a class.  In the meantime I am encouraging them to bookmark your site and sign up on the waiting list.  As a 40 year  rider I learned things I didn't know and honed some skills that I had.  I've already seen my shortcomings in a little skid on a high speed short runway off ramp the other night.  Like Mr. Dixon said during training....more front brake!  In addition to the great training, the hospitality and the interaction with the officers was a win win.  Should you ever need a volunteer for the day, feel free to contact me.  If I'm off work, I'm in.
thanks again,

 

Lt Goetz,

This is probably the wrong place to post this but hope that it is instructive to all my classmates. I'm the rider of the bat-outta-hell, floorboard scraping, black Victory Cross Country Tour in Ride To Live X.

Just 2 days after our class, I was commuting to work on the 210 westbound, splitting lanes as usual between the carpool and #1 lane. The sun is at my back at that hour so it makes rearview mirrors all but useless. Having gone without my commuter cup of coffee so I could ride, I'm trying to keep my head in the game, and sure enough a red Nissan 300Z decides he didn't want to be in the carpool lane anymore and started coming across the double yellow into the #1 lane. I saw him as soon as his front wheels started turning and slammed on the brakes. Now, riding on painted lines and Bott's Dots is not recommended in practice and emergency braking on them should be avoided at all costs. However, thanks to the skills practiced in the hard braking exercise, I knew I could trust the ABS to bring my speed down quickly and in a straight line. I was able to maneuver to the right into the #1 lane following the Z's bumper and came to a stop directly behind him with 6" to spare. 

I know that the skills taught and repetition of practice saved me from an expensive and likely painful incident. Regardless who is at fault, the rider always gets the short end of the stick.

Thank you again for such an excellent program.

To the chief of Police Hawthorne, 


I was fortunate enough over the weekend to attend the Ride To Live program put on by your Motor Officers. Superlatives are never an eloquent description but I'll use one, Fantastic! I am a rider with well over 35 years experience and I came away with a much better set of skills (to be worked on no doubt) than I arrived with. Your Motor Officers are the epitome of skilled motorcyclists. Better yet, they have developed a training method that in one day can impart skills that I haven't gained in all these years of riding. I read motorcycle media, I practice my riding skills, I think about what I should be doing and still they were able to make me a better motorcyclist in on training session. Ti and the rest of the instructors treated us as riders they wanted to make better, not as yahoos that needed to be corrected. Their point about fallen officers was also quite relevant to the days training. Your officers could not have been more professional while being approachable also. Along with the excellent training, this was certainly the most impressive community outreach from a law enforcement community that I have been witness to. As a result of our interactions during training I have added respect for the Hawthorne PD in particular and the Men and Women in Blue in general. Thanks does not suffice to convey my appreciation but I want to tell you and all of your Officers, THANKS! The life they save might be mine.

 

Hi Lt. Goetz,

Thank you for the Ride to Live safety instruction on Sat. July 16. I appreciate the dedication and preparation the Hawthorne PD's staff has put into this community class. All the officer instructors provided positive, constructive feedback, and they truly looked like they were enjoying the individualized practical teaching, which certainly made it even more positive for us. Please pass my thanks on to the parking enforcement folks who assisted you, too. I completely overlooked them during those last moments of the class, but their support was definitely a part of the day's success. 

FYI: When I got home, I decided I couldn't let the U-turn failure defeat me, so  I rested a bit then geared up and headed straight to an empty parking lot. With  no orange cones to lure me off course,  I negotiated a few full-lock U-turns in both directions with adequate (not great) head turn and no dabbing, plus I didn't drop my bike into any loose rocks. :)  Officer Barlin had the right idea when he started kicking the cones away during my turn on the intersection course. I guess I'll have to be aware of the distraction factor in the future. Total mind game, but obviously a safety factor to consider!

Thanks again, and I wish you and your team continued success with this endeavor. 

Donna

I was fortunate to take part in the ride to live #7. I would like to thank You, for a great day. 
The staff was all wonderful, enthusiasts and very encouraging, constant personal touch all day long was special and got the points through. 

I'm very touched as to the who and why the program exists.  The real world skills I learned will serve me for a long time. 
 
Again I'm grateful, and will whole hearty recommend this to any one that rides. 
 
 Perry

 

 

Chief Fager,

Just sending a note to let you know I took the Ride to Live training program offered by HPD. You may know I have been riding motorcycles over 45 years.  I thought I knew everything there was to know about riding based on my experience. Well I quickly learned there was still much to be learned about riding.

This course was awesome! Lt Goetz and the other motor officers are highly trained and very professional. I definitely improved my riding skills that day.

This program and your officers are an asset to the PD and our Community. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help promote this program and to insure its continuance.

Respectfully,
Don

From: Bea

To: Goetz, Ti
Subject: Re: Ride to Live photos

Hello Lieutenant Goetz:
 
I am pretty sure you remember be as I was the only female rider who showed up : )  I feel pretty lucky that I was among some really experienced riders.  I received a lot of advice from many of the riders about handling my bike with certain maneuvers and that advice instilled more confidence in me.  But above all, it was a so much fun!   
 
Thank you for your leadership and awesome program! The Officers who participated on Saturday and provided the training were very professional and knew their stuff well as they guided us throughout the day.  
 
I support keeping the Ride to Live program alive and would be happy to write a letter of support or help make some calls.  It looks like Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas is the BOS in your area and he could certainly assist in supporting the program and waiving the fee for the use of the Caltrans area.  
 
Ridley Thomas is the Chairman for the Metro Project, but he also supports innovative transportation projects that includes bus services, rail lines and Bikeshare.  I have a feeling that as Chairman and as the BOS for Hawthorne, he might very well promote May Motorcycle Awareness Month and give this issue a push in the right direction.  Below are links for your review.  Let me know if can help in any way! 
 
Once again, thank you so much for this amazing experience.  I would love to share your next training with my group - Southern Cal Chapter based out of Fullerton, but our riders live in both Orange County and Los Angeles.  
 
Best regards,
 
Beatrice
 

Good Morning Lt. Goetz

I just wanted to take a minute and once again say thank you very much for the class. 

I have been riding on and off for over 35 years, I have taken both of the MSF courses (basic and advanced) and while they were both great they didn't come close to the challenge and accomplishment that I felt after todays course.

I am a Road Captain and the Safety Officer for my HOG chapter and I would LOVE to hear about upcoming courses so that I can recommend them to other riders in the chapter.

If there is ever anything that I can to do help you please don't hesitate to ask.

Thanks again and have a GREAT day

Tom