| Author | Message | ||
     Ulynut |
I'm doing some work at West Point Military Academy and I want to ride the Uly to work. Will a standard construction worker type reflective vest be good enough? The M.P. already busted me today for doing 20 mph over the limit in the truck.( $275.00 and some major problems from the DMV if anyone is interested. Not to mention insurance. ) So I doubt he will have any mercy on me for not being up to spec on the bike. | ||
| Timberwolf211 |
I believe that you need to check with the base your working on to make sure you can ride on the base. But it is my understanding that you need to have either completed a MSF course or take the course that the Base provides and have proper clothing. All the riders I see around here do have either the icon spec vest of some kind of orange mesh pull over like the highway workers use. But most important is checking with the local base for rules. Aberdeen Proving Ground is the base I live near. | ||
| Ulynut |
Thanks.  I'll do that. I'm not fooling around with those guys, they give out tickets like they enjoy it. | ||
| Ourdee |
Ulynut, They do enjoy it. Only thing the poor guy gets to do to relieve the pain of everyone dumping on him. Just play by the rules on base and have fun off base. You have to be an MP to understand the different world they live in. I don't want to go back there. I got an 85 in a 45 on one of Nellis AFB's roads. I was riding off road and didn't get the speed down enough before getting back on the pavement. | ||
| Ulynut |
I'm not blaming the guy. I'm the jackass speeding on a military base. Trust me, this aint my first speeding ticket. I've been a jackass for a long time. Stuff like that just reminds me of it. | ||
| Hootowl |
Helmet, long sleeves, long pants, gloves, eye protection, hard soled shoes that cover your ankle, complete MSF course, and orange/yellow reflective vest with reflective tape. There is a minimum reflective tape area requirement, but I can't remember what it is. I never worried about that part, and I never got hassled. I think as long as you wear the vest, you're good, reflective tape or not. By the way, this is what happens when government has free reign to make rules that govern your behavior. | ||
| Whatever |
Icon makes a mil spec vest. I have one. Let me know if you want more details.  | ||
| Whatever |
http://www.nextag.com/icon-military-spec-vest/shop -html | ||
| Froggy |
I got an email about this from New Enough this morning http://www.newenough.com/closeouts/bargain_basemen t/power_trip_us_army_branded_gear/stryker_reflecti ve_mesh_vest.html | ||
| Court |
When you say MilSpec . . . I think you can get an entire MilSpec bike. . . here's the New Jersey Turnpike model adapted for Military use . . .  | ||
| Glitch |
Now there's an attention getter! Is that a custom Boss Hoss? | ||
| Cityxslicker |
umm check with base pass and Id there. Here you cant ride on base if you havent passed the Navy specific DOD course. They dont give a damn about your endorsement, or your previous MSF. And the orange vest has gone by the way side too, but check your local regs as ALOT of this is up to the discretion of the commander of the base. You hath been warned. | ||
| Ulynut |
Man! I NEED ONE !!! Where do I get one of those mil spec bikes?! | ||
| Ulynut |
It sounds like this may be a p.i.t.a. I'll fill you in on what the man says tomorrow. Thanks for the help. | ||
| Treefrog |
Hootowl pretty much summed it up. To add to that, the gloves must be full fingered and the requirement for reflective material is 40 square inches visible front and rear at night or in low visibility conditions. BRIGHTLY colored clothing in daylight hours, however, a lot of places want you to wear the reflective material at all times. I know cause I've been playing Army for over 22 years now. | ||
| Zac4mac |
And I was wondering the other day why I got out after 6 years... Still FUBAR | ||
| Midnightrider |
Not sure if this is DoD wide or just Air Force - but for us ( at Andrews AFB) the requirement for reflectiveness is only at night of low vis conditions - HOWEVER - in the daytime there is a requirement for "brightly colored upper outer garment" http://www.andrews.af.mil/shared/media/document/AF D-090626-127.pdf I've found that in the National Capitol Area the $10 mesh vests will do the trick. I have been allowed on different installations without it - I've never been denied entry when I'm wearing it. But, like they've said above, check with the installation. Their web page often has a link to this info. By the way, the military SF/MP/whatever are always pretty cool. The rent-a cops (Pinkerton, etc) have an unusually high percentage of "Richards" among them. From my experience anyhow | ||
| Samiam |
Midnightrider has it right. It looks like Andrews AFB just illustrated all the regulations set by AFI 91-207, which is the USAF Traffic Safety Program (click the link for the PDF). I also agree with Midnightrider when he is saying the military police are much more lax and easygoing than the civilian counterparts. A lot of bases (including mine, NAS Pax River) are ramping up their strictness to the regulations though. -Sam | ||
| Ourdee |
Zac4mac, I was tired of it after 6 years. Funny thing was that there were all these extra rules for bikers on stateside bases, but not at RAF Lakenheath in England when I got there. | ||
| Brinnutz |
All of the Navy has to take a MSF to get base stickers. All sport bike riders have to take the MSF course PLUS the Sport Bike Safety Course...How sweet is that? NONE Oh, and if you have a bike but don't get any of those courses, your family doesn't get SGLI because you didn't follow the rules. IIRC you also have to have a vest on on Navy bases, along with helmet. Basically ATGATT on a base that you can't go more than 30mph on...I'll never understand. | ||
| Firebolt020283 |
at ft hood you have to have the advanced riders course to get a post sticker plus the sportbike course if you have a sportbike. and you have to show your msf card to get on post. | ||
| Brandon_m |
To the DoD, you're expensive to replace. These measures were implemented to keep those aboard the base, and those employed or enlisted safe, alive, and at work. The sportbike course was adopted for a reason and it makes sense. Besides.... who else is going to pay you to putt around on your bike all day. The courses are not really that big a deal. While my jacket is reflective, it doesn't meet the requirements due to the color. I can't afford to buy a separate jacket so I can get on base. However, a backpack counts as long as it meets the requirements. My Ogio bag has an orange reflective rainshell and works just fine. Still too expensive...??? Try this... turn it upside down and put a head hole and some arm holes in it!!!  | ||
| Geforce |
I didn't like the idea of all the mandatory crap when it first came out, then I started reading all the accident reports from CONUS and I started to see why they were freaking out so bad. Today we had a motorcycle mentorship ride out to Lake of The Ozarks and we ended up riding about 125 miles with 12 or so DOD motorcyclists. It was a lot of fun and any day that I get paid to ride a motorcycle is a GREAT day! Even if it's in a parking lot doing circles at 35 MPH. BTW, the SGLI stigma is not a myth but there are some stipulations. 1. Your SGLI benefits can be revoked *Upon death, your beneficiaries will not receive the lump sum or payments* if you die as the result of a motorcycle accident and are found not to be in compliant with the rules of your local post or branch affiliate. 2. Rule 1. may not apply in all circumstances. You can not be refused medical treatment, but you can be refused disability as a result of the accident. EG: You hit a deer in broad daylight and were not wearing 72'' of reflective material or a highly visible upper garment and die. *This happened about a month ago* The rider died but no amount of reflective vest or highly colored upper garment could have saved him so they did not push the issue. Just something to think about. I wear all the gear, but sometimes on long rides I skimp on the vest but I always carry a PT belt in my gear just in case I want to wear it. These rules are there for those Service Members who blatantly disregard safety and end up killing themselves or others. They are not in place to screw service members who are trying to do the right thing which is how some people see it. RIP Rider  | ||
| Delta_one |
I read an article not long ago that had stats of more marines getting severely injured or killed on sport bikes than in combat. mandatory courses for military riders saves lives, some branches have adopted a sport bike course separate from the other courses that is added on. (all departments of the navy I think, Brinnutz help me out on this one?) lets face it, military combatants have a different mentality, it was ingrained into them on purpose in training. these mandatory items are to keep them safe on the streets in spite of the mentality instilled into them from intense training. the training is great for combat, not so great for civilian culture. Edit: but I don't think civilians need to take the military course and maybe not the gear, check with a gate guard to be sure, and if you are worried get a name and rank to reference if you get any flack later. I haven't been in since late 05 so things most likely have changed. (Message edited by delta_one on August 27, 2009) | ||
| Brandon_m |
On HAFB base here, it pertains to all operators and passengers. | ||
| Ulynut |
I saw a guy riding a KLR and waived him down. Nice guy. He says I will need an MSF class. Then my boss called and said I will be going to another job site next week. Guess I'll take the truck. Thanks for the help. | ||
| Seanp |
Ulynut - where on post are you working? I work at USMA, down in central area. There's a lot of great riding around West Point. (Message edited by seanp on August 27, 2009) | ||
| Wtcardr |
I work on base teaching all the MSF classes as well as as Alive at 25 and Attitudinal Dynamics of Driving. For The Marine Corps, the safety vest requirement is gone. You are encouraged to wear a motorcycle specific jacket. It is a big problem with motorcyclists getting killed or injured. If we do not learn to have a little self control, eventually there won't be any motorcycles allowed by the military. Just my.02c. | ||
| Ulynut |
Seanp, I'm working with the blasting crew where they are building the new housing units. Right now, there are two drillers working. An ugly guy, and an uglier guy. I'm the ugly guy. Stop by on monday if you have the time. | ||
| Brumbear |
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmvjJFS4L-U |
