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Three items affecting motorcyclists will become law on July 1.

1) Two-wheeled and three-wheeled operator's licenses. Effective 7/1, Virginia operator's licenses will carry one of three motorcycle endorsement codes. An "M" allows operation of two- and three-wheeled motorcycles; "M2" two-wheeled only; and "M3" three-wheeled only. Existing licensees with an "M" endorsement are grandfathered, and they will be asked to "self-certify" by the DMV clerk at license renewal time.

2) Course completion certificates. Motorcycle training centers in Virginia will issue either an "M2" or "M3" completion certificate, depending on the course. Virginia offers state-certified trike and sidecar training. The M2/M3 distinction also applies to those who test at the DMV in lieu of completing a rider education course.

3) Temporary suspension of registration. Previously Virginia required tag surrender if you wanted to cancel your motor vehicle liability insurance for a winter layup, overseas deployment, TDY, etc. Effective 7/1, for a $10 fee, DMV will temporarily de-activate your registration and allow it to be re-activated without tag surrender.

Thanks so much for this update... I am especially pleased with #3! Do you know if this transaction will be available online? or will we have to go in to a DMV office to pay the $10.00 ??
-John

biometrics wrote:Thanks so much for this update... I am especially pleased with #3! Do you know if this transaction will be available online? or will we have to go in to a DMV office to pay the $10.00 ??
-John

Yes. It will be available on-line.

What's a winter layup?

These are all really interesting and IMO intelligent changes.

dcgsrider wrote:The M2/M3 distinction also applies to those who test at the DMV in lieu of completing a rider education course.

This worries me a little bit, though. When I regained my M a few years ago, I found the tester (and the test) to be relatively ignorant of how an actual motorcycle functions. If they're that ignorant of a 2-wheeler, it scares me how little about 3-wheelers the testers are likely to know. Certainly a sidecar or trike rig wouldn't be able to do some of the things they made me do on a regular bike for the skills test.

T.Wesley wrote:These are all really interesting and IMO intelligent changes.

dcgsrider wrote:The M2/M3 distinction also applies to those who test at the DMV in lieu of completing a rider education course.

This worries me a little bit, though. When I regained my M a few years ago, I found the tester (and the test) to be relatively ignorant of how an actual motorcycle functions. If they're that ignorant of a 2-wheeler, it scares me how little about 3-wheelers the testers are likely to know. Certainly a sidecar or trike rig wouldn't be able to do some of the things they made me do on a regular bike for the skills test.

There is a separate trike/sidecar test. The Virginia Rider Training Program helps certify test examiners. I've done this work in the past. Basically, we go out and do a bunch of trial runs on a full size bike, including committing various pre-planned errors. Virginia uses the alt-MOST test, which is an MSF product used nationwide. I've not seen the three-wheeled test in action.

What was truly scary was the DC test I took back in the 90s to get my first endorsement. He had me do a figure eight, then come to a stop. Then make a sharp right turn from the stop. That was it. I got the feeling there were no standards. Just whatever the examiner decided to have you do. In any event, I went away happy.

It's comforting to know VTRP is involved in training the testers.

The 1st time I got my M (in Virginia), the lady told me "ride down there" (she indicated a parking lot a ways off) "park, then back out of the spot and ride back here."

That was it.

dcgsrider wrote:What was truly scary was the DC test I took back in the 90s to get my first endorsement. He had me do a figure eight, then come to a stop. Then make a sharp right turn from the stop. That was it. I got the feeling there were no standards. Just whatever the examiner decided to have you do. In any event, I went away happy.

When I was 13 and lived in New Mexico, I went for my first motorcycle license. The tester said "Make a figure-8 in the parking lot using hand signals." I asked if there were any cones or something to mark the 8. He responded "you know how to write an eight, don't you?" After I complied, he told me the next step. "Exit the parking lot and turn right. Use a hand signal. Make the next four right turns using hand signals each time. Then turn right into the parking lot. Don't forget the hand signal." After a moment's thought I remarked that, once I left the parking lot, he would not be able to see me. He rolled his eyes and looked at me as if I were the stupidest person on earth. "If you come back alive, you get your license."

Ah the good old days...

bdimon wrote:Ah the good old days...

When I was a kid in Illinois, all it took was a driver's license.

--John

Another item: as of 7/1 texting while operating a motor vehicle will become a primary offense in the Commonwealth of Virginia. That means an officer may initiate a traffic stop and issue a citation solely for that infraction.

dcgsrider wrote:Another item: as of 7/1 texting while operating a motor vehicle will become a primary offense in the Commonwealth of Virginia. That means an officer may initiate a traffic stop and issue a citation solely for that infraction.

It's about time!

biometrics wrote:

dcgsrider wrote:Another item: as of 7/1 texting while operating a motor vehicle will become a primary offense in the Commonwealth of Virginia. That means an officer may initiate a traffic stop and issue a citation solely for that infraction.

It's about time!

Agreed!!