SGT. STACY NORMAN
A Company, Warrior Transition Battalion
Fort Bliss, Texas
Editor’s note: On April 1, 2014, Sgt. Stacy Norman wrote the following letter to her Motorcycle Safety Foundation training instructors after being involved in a close call while riding her Kawasaki ZX-6R on I-10 East near Lee Trevino Drive in El Paso, Texas. Norman gave permission to Knowledge to reprint the letter in hopes it will show other Soldiers the benefits of rider training. “A vast majority of publicity that surrounds military motorcycle riders is negative,” Norman said. “Hopefully, this might encourage some riders to either take the class for the first time or go back for beneficial refresher training.”
To the instructors of the Basic
RiderCourse and Sportbike
RiderCourse,
Last night, as I was riding home on 10E at Lee Trevino, I had a near-death experience. It is only due to the skills and exercises I was taught while attending your class that I am unharmed today. A reckless driver, probably under the influence, was weaving in and out of traffic, driving erratically, and going at least 90 mph in front of me around 7 p.m. while I rode in the far-left lane. This person lost control of their vehicle in the idle lane when they cut off another car, came over left through my lane, smashed into the median and bounced back across two lanes directly in front of me. I was immediately able to brake from 60 mph, coming to a stop no more than three feet behind the car, which was now sideways in my lane. I then attempted to go onto the shoulder to avoid being rear-ended, but this person cut me off, almost hitting me and forcing me to swerve to the right just like we learned in the second exercise. I was able to avoid hitting debris from the wreck, brake safely and swerve out of danger, all thanks to the skills I was taught in your courses. Thankfully, no other vehicles or riders were hit, but it really drove home the point that the biggest dangers on the road to riders are other people. I know most students who come through your classes are there because they have to be and they may not see the benefit of what the classes are meant to teach, but I want you all to know that, at least in this case, I sincerely believe I’m sitting here today thanks to you, and I wanted you to know that. Please keep doing what you do.
Respectfully,
SGT Stacy Norman
A Company, WTB
Fort Bliss, Texas