NEGRIL, Westmoreland — Biking stakeholders are applauding the second staging of the Back to Basics (B2B) motorcycle Safety Workshop staged in Westmoreland last week.

“Right now, this workshop is the best thing that has ever happened here for us. I’ve never seen riders from around here come together to do anything like this,” said Jevan Clarke, a 21- year-old rider from the Negril region.

Clarke was among a group of over 40 motorcyclists in the area who came to learn more about the art of motorcycling at a workshop staged by the B2B team in collaboration with Sandals Resorts International.

The Negril Hills Golf Club was a picture of enthused motorcycle safety professionals who took pleasure in imparting knowledge to bike riders, with the aim of lowering and ultimately eradicating the high number of road deaths in the parish.

At the workshop, bikers were taught the meaning of key signals and road codes, as well as the risks involved in motorcycling and ways in which those risks can be managed.

Clarke, who shared that he had been involved in two serious bike accidents, expressed confidence that if the situation were to arise again he would be better able to handle himself, based on what he learnt at the workshop.

“When I met in the accident, a dog ran in front of my bike. But today I learnt that we should always look to the solution, not to the problem facing us. So I wouldn’t be staring at the dog, I would be looking for a safe way to turn the bike away from it,” he said.

Practical riding instructor at B2B, Jordan-Rue Mullings, said the workshop in Negril was a success.

“This is by far the best turnout we’ve gotten; it was an excellent day and they want us to come back. The road ride was great and the theory aspect was also great. Westmoreland has a lot of motorcyclists; it is their main source of transportation. They’re managing on the roads, but they don’t really understand the art behind the machine and how to handle it properly,” he pointed out.

He added that unsafe motorcycle practices are not just detrimental to the rider, but they place other road users at risk.

“I’d like to see better riding practices on our roads. I want to see persons caring about other road users, and that is why I came to give of my skills to this noble cause,” Mullings stated.

Regional Public Relations Manager at Sandals Negril, Jervene Simpson, said she was really pleased with not just the turnout, but the interest shown by the riders.

“Just to see how keen they were in the sessions and how passionate they all seemed, showed that Sandals has certainly invested in a worthy initiative. It is truly our hope that these riders will practise what they learnt and also become ambassadors of safety on our roads,” said Simpson.

Also present at the workshop was 29-year-old Guyan Smalling, the first motorcyclist to earn his driver’s licence through the B2B workshop held in the Whitehouse region in May of this year.

“I am so happy for the programme, because without the licence I would’ve had some run-ins with the police. I would not have been able to carry a passenger on my bike without it. Since I acquired my licence, I was stopped by the police, and when I showed it to them, they were surprised. They said that I am probably one out of 100 persons,” he shared.

With the presence of representatives from the Island Traffic Authority, the Insurance Association of Jamaica, and Shango Biker, the workshop was undoubtedly a success.

The day ended on a high note, with the Back to Basics team and the motorcyclists being treated to a luncheon courtesy of Sandals Negril.