#2856: Oh.
As a walk-in for the motorcycle course, I made sure to have a $20 on me, thinking I'd have to pay the $20 registration fee mentioned by the web site. They didn't ask for money this morning; when they handed out the walk-in registration instructions to us, I assumed we'd have to pay the fee at the web site.
...I was nonplussed when I went to the web site, registered, and was not asked for money. Was something wrong? I checked the FAQ:
If I had known about this sooner, I would have long since had my motorcycle certification, and I would have bought a nice street bike by now to boot. The only thing that kept me from getting that "M" on my license was the age-old problem: I couldn't take the test because I didn't have a motorcycle, or access to one, to practice riding; and I wasn't going to buy one until and unless I had the license for it. And the courses (I thought) were expensive. (Well, they are, if you take private courses and not the state ones.)
I guess I can understand why this isn't being broadcast from the tallest mountains; people see "free" and go nuts. But it would have been nice to have known about this a lot sooner.
(Yes, I've had the Suzuki all along. That bike--assuming the DMV would accept it, which is questionable--would get me the "L" classification, which is for bikes under 200 ccs of displacement.)
...and I still haven't gotten dinner, damn it. I'm outa here.
...I was nonplussed when I went to the web site, registered, and was not asked for money. Was something wrong? I checked the FAQ:
2) How much does the course cost?Oh.
IT'S FREE! We only require a $20 deposit to hold your registration in the course, but it's refundable upon completion of the course.
3) Is this REALLY a FREE course?
Yes it is. Illinois motorcyclists support this course every time they register their motorcycles or renew the motorcycle endorsements on their driver's license.
If I had known about this sooner, I would have long since had my motorcycle certification, and I would have bought a nice street bike by now to boot. The only thing that kept me from getting that "M" on my license was the age-old problem: I couldn't take the test because I didn't have a motorcycle, or access to one, to practice riding; and I wasn't going to buy one until and unless I had the license for it. And the courses (I thought) were expensive. (Well, they are, if you take private courses and not the state ones.)
I guess I can understand why this isn't being broadcast from the tallest mountains; people see "free" and go nuts. But it would have been nice to have known about this a lot sooner.
(Yes, I've had the Suzuki all along. That bike--assuming the DMV would accept it, which is questionable--would get me the "L" classification, which is for bikes under 200 ccs of displacement.)
...and I still haven't gotten dinner, damn it. I'm outa here.