FREE - Basic Rider Course - NJ

[ffejtable]

State of NJ offers a FREE basic rider course that is accepted in place of the DMV (MVC) road test. I haven't taken this course, but I expect it to follow the MSF material closely (or vice versa).

As you all know, the MSF courses are not free and fill up VERY quickly, so these classes probably fill up even faster!

For more info, go to...

http://www.nj.gov/mvc/mcsafe/index.html

[Xracer264]

They are the SAME course taught by State employees. All you have to do is sign up two to three months in advance (Only one weekend course is taught. It's staggered with midweek courses) and travel to Sea Girt. Why do you think our courses fill up quickly????? :confused:

[ffejtable]

They are the SAME course taught by State employees. All you have to do is sign up two to three months in advance (Only one weekend course is taught. It's staggered with midweek courses) and travel to Sea Girt. Why do you think our courses fill up quickly????? :confused:

Have you even looked at the schedule? There are no less than 2 weekend classes per month, with the exception of september, where the only class taught that month is a weekend...

Why Sea Girt? Hey if its not convenient for you, fine, but when I took my class at Lakehurst, there were tons of people coming from far north, in fact most of the class was, and Sea Girt is closer..

Im just putting another option out on the table... and have i mentioned... ITS FREE?

[Xracer264]

Oh you're right I forgot to add Anthony Canale Training Center located in Egg Harbor. That would make two weekend classes. I agree that your just throwing another option out there. That's fine. Just not for me....

[ffejtable]

Seriously, have you looked at the schedule? The one I am lokoing at has 14 FRI-SUN classes at Sea Girt alone...

The Egg Harbor schedule has 17, as ALL of the classes are weekends only.

You have some beef with the state run program because you are an MSF coach? If so, please speak up and let us know.

[Xracer264]

I'm talking about classes in a weekend. Sure for the whole season there may be 14 or more. Look, I think the State have improved as compared to the past. I know from my experience dealing with the State was not easy especially for outside providers of the MSF courses.

[Vin]

And in NY we pay upwards of $300 for these classes. Sign up, people.

[ffejtable]

I dont understand the negativeness here? Its free information about a FREE safety class, something EVERY rider should take.

Yeah, so the state only has two locations... MSF now has 5... Who cares, its a FREE course...

FREE FREE FREE FREE

Did I mention it was FREE?

Who cares if they have 1 location or 20?

[CBRBob]

Jeff, plain and simple......... you get what you pay for, period. Another way to look at........do you enjoy your trips to the local motor vehicle agency? Same attitudes. Want more? It's not free. People who renew their license pay a mandatory fee that is SUPPOSED to go into a fund to reduce the cost of ANY MSF class across the state by $25. But in their infinite wisdom, the state says they can do better by STEALING the money from ALL who would take the class and teach less than 400 people a year for about $800 A PERSON. Free? NOT! FYI, on average, RENJ runs 17 classes a WEEKEND.

[High_Revs_17]

I feel a bit of animosity here...:uh:

The difficult thing is for the average joe(not Cakes)/jane to be able to understand the difference before deciding on a class when the term "FREE" is advertised.

Being I have experienced the BRC & ERC thru MSF I can comment on the great quality the program provides including some coaches coughCBRBobcough. But I can't speak for the state provided free course being I don't know anyone who has taken it yet.

[Kurts1000RR]

Im planning on taking the Advance Course this spring. Anyone take it yet?

[High_Revs_17]

Im planning on taking the Advance Course this spring. Anyone take it yet?

If you're planning on taking it thru www.rider-ed.com don't waste time signing up cuz the classes fill fast. I took it and it's a nice brush-up on the basics, and they might point out a few bad habits you never knew about along the way. If you're a http://hrca.honda.com/index_html.asp?bhcp=1 member they offer a full reimbursement of the $75.00 after you take the class.

[CBRBob]

Being I have experienced the BRC & ERC thru MSF I can comment on the great quality the program provides including some coaches coughCBRBobcough. But I can't speak for the state provided free course being I don't know anyone who has taken it yet.

FYI, the MSF is an entity that produces a curicculum, they historically do not run classes. As stated, NJ runs a few classes a year at GREAT cost to the NJ motorcyclist. There are several providers that offer the class RENJ being the one that has been around the longest and is also the largest (not-for-profit) as well.

[ffejtable]

Jeff, plain and simple......... you get what you pay for, period. Another way to look at........do you enjoy your trips to the local motor vehicle agency? Same attitudes. Want more? It's not free. People who renew their license pay a mandatory fee that is SUPPOSED to go into a fund to reduce the cost of ANY MSF class across the state by $25. But in their infinite wisdom, the state says they can do better by STEALING the money from ALL who would take the class and teach less than 400 people a year for about $800 A PERSON. Free? NOT! FYI, on average, RENJ runs 17 classes a WEEKEND.

Ok, so you say you get what you pay for, and you go on to say that technically we are paying $800 for the class, so does that mean its better than the Rider Ed classes?

I havent taken the State run course, and I am not about to judge their attitude based on those that work at your local DMV...

Quiet honestly it all sounds like a bunch of sour grapes, and I am trying to find out why. If you and your other Rider ED couch buddy have legitimate concerns about the state run course, then by all means let us know. But all I am hearing are subtle and vague criticisms without any substance behind it.

I am not saying what the state is doing with our money is right or wrong, but at least if they are offering a free class we should try and take advantage of it, and the only way you can do that is to sign up for the class, which was the whole point of this thread... To let my fellow (future) riders know that other (FREE) options are out there.

Thank for for clarifying the MSF/Rider issue, I often clump the two together out of habit because for so long Rider was essentially the only (or at least the best known) option out there.

[CBRBob]

No, it's a huge mismanagement of money, thats what I am saying.
Don't want to judge by the local DMV attitude? DMV actually runs their courses, state govt. employee attitude!
No sour grapes, it's just a shame what goes on there. Like all corrupt govt. agencies, they let all thier friends know the day they will open up the class to sign up. The phones ring, and all their friends get signed up, very little is actually left open to the public. Yet they make it sound like you could sign up any time.
Our students wonder why its impossible to get into a state class? We know why. Or the ones that take the class, fail and come to us and comment how they were treated there.
I am not saying we are perfect, but a free bag of suzuki parts dosen't help you if you have a yamaha.
They are not taking money out of my pocket. I don't lose anything because the state is trying to run a class. Like I said what they run in a year we do in a weekend! We could actually run more classes but we would burn out many of our coaches.

[ffejtable]

Im planning on taking the Advance Course this spring. Anyone take it yet?

I will take the ERC (Experienced Rider Course) sometime after mid-June this year for the 2pt reduction.. I took a defensive driving course 2 years ago, and I could definately use another 2 off, and figured this was a more entertaining way to do it... I need to contact DMV/MVC to find out when I can take it. I think Rider will "create" a class for you if you get enough people to fill it up, so I may try to put that together.

[ffejtable]

No, it's a huge mismanagement of money, thats what I am saying.
Don't want to judge by the local DMV attitude? DMV actually runs their courses, state govt. employee attitude!
No sour grapes, it's just a shame what goes on there. Like all corrupt govt. agencies, they let all thier friends know the day they will open up the class to sign up. The phones ring, and all their friends get signed up, very little is actually left open to the public. Yet they make it sound like you could sign up any time.
Our students wonder why its impossible to get into a state class? We know why. Or the ones that take the class, fail and come to us and comment how they were treated there.
I am not saying we are perfect, but a free bag of suzuki parts dosen't help you if you have a yamaha.
They are not taking money out of my pocket. I don't lose anything because the state is trying to run a class. Like I said what they run in a year we do in a weekend! We could actually run more classes but we would burn out many of our coaches.

It sucks, I know, I am a perfect example of wasted gov't money. :)

But its free, and its worth to at least try and get in I would think, I never tried, so I dont know.. I just dont know why

Hell, you should be thankful for the way the state runs their program... If they were efficient and did things the "right" way, you might not have your side job at Rider... They keep you guys in business. ;)


Heck, for all we know, its the people at Rider encouraging the state to run their program so poorly, if ya know what I mean...

[CBRBob]

Actually I know several of the people that coach at the state program and they are fine people, some long time friends.
At RENJ we schedule many ERCs throughout the year, since the demand for BRCs is more we of course run MANY more of them. Sign ups will probably start next week so look at the schedule and go for it!

FYI, I would rather have them NOT run a poor program and just put the $$ back in the fund to reduce the cost of the course to 5000 people a year instead of giving a class to 400. Remember, when you don't pay for something, you tend not to value it as much, free class students quite often bail when they don't do well instead of REALLY trying.