GEORGIA Motorcycle Safety Program and ONTARIO Safety course?

[mwarrior]

Anybody know if I can take a course offered by the Georgia Basic Rider Course and use it towards my M2 license for Ontario (and the road test exemption)? I know theres some people here that are instructors so would probably know best.

Reason being, I'm in GA till next week and can take a state approved course this weekend, which would be easier (and nicer weather) than waiting for springtime to take the course in Ontario.

Thanks
Gagan

[mwarrior]

Anybody?

[DrBob]

I would call the Ontario DL place and ask. They will have a list of approved courses that can be used in place of the Gearing Up Course. I used to teach the MSF course, but this question never came up.

[DrBob]

I just exchanged emails with two friends who teach the course in Canada, and neither knows for sure if it will count. One would not offer an opinion, and the other said his gut feeling is it won't, as the Ministry of Transportation has a list of approved courses and he is highly doubtful that the GA course in on the list.

I share his gut feeling, as the GA course is run and taught by the state, and not by MSF, and it is not required to get a MC endorsement on your GA DL. There are some states in the US that will not accept another state’s rider’s ed course, so I doubt Canada would.

But it might still be worth the phone call to the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario.

[mwarrior]

I called them up and no luck. It seems that "georgia has different rules than us". Yet when I mention some laws that are in fact stricter, its a simple "well too bad, you have to do it here".

Logically you'd think safety is safety, and if you know the road rules (a la written knowledge test which is requierd regardless), you should be good to go. That and personally I'd trust a course thats RUN by a state than APPROVED by one, but thats just me.

I guess its all about the Ministry getting their cut on anybody doing driver's ed courses in the end. (forget exactly how much it is but it is a certain amount per student)

Also, What is MSF?

[Boulevard Billy]

The Ontario MSF course is a little more involved than throwing beer bottles at a road sign!!

Being able to reload at highway speed is not a requirement in Ontario.

A galvanized milk pail is not considered a helmet in Ontario.

An MSF instructor in Ontario is not legally allowed to perform marriages unless the participants are of the same sex.

Please discuss.

[DrBob]

Originally Posted by mwarrior

Also, What is MSF?

Motorcycle Safety Foundation. They are the 'industry standard' developers of motorcycle rider training and education programs. Started in 1974, they are the ones that came up with the universally accepted format of a Basic Skills Course (often called the Basic Riders Course) followed six months later by an Advance Skills Course. They also do videos on group riding, safety, and other motorcycle related subjects.
I used to teach both the MSF Basic and Advanced Courses, but soon got bored and started teaching the MSF Instructor course, which teaches how to teach the classes. Now I just give private, one-on-one lessons to people motivated to learn to ride, not people who are taking the course just to get out of the road test or get an insurance discount.

[Jip]

in ON the course doesn't actually give you anything (other than the knowledge), they test you at the end of the course just the same as if you go directly to the ministry

[Kehau D.]

I'm in GA and I've taken both the MSF BRC and ERC course, but through the Military, not necessarily through the state. Funny thing is, the GA state course follows the MSF guidelines, down to the last period on the last page of the manual. Even though I took both MSF courses here in GA, since it wasn't through the GA DMV, the DMV wouldn't exempt the riding portion of the license endorsement. After reading through many pages of the MSF's guidelines from the state's manuals and the MSF's website, I came to the conclusion that Georgia is just downright selfish. Even though it's an MSF guided course they teach, they will only endorse from their own course, which you would have to dish out $200 - $400 for each course. I didn't have to pay for either of mine, courtesy of the U.S. Military. Now I do know of some people here who took the same course I did, then went down to Florida (we're only 16 miles north of the FL border) and got their endorsement, along with a FL license. If my job didn't require that I hold a GA state license, I probably would have done the same. As for if another state (or even country) will accept GA's course, that's totally up to that other place; at least that was the impression I got from the rude lady at the Atlanta DMV Office over the phone. But I know Florida has accepted Georgia's.

Aloha,
Kehau