I had someone ask me my opinion about the new 2 Day TRL certification program. Here was my response:
"So I had a few thoughts- the same as yours, but probably more colorful- when I first heard about the 2 day training. I gave myself a few days to digest it before commenting on it too. Then I realized that the perspective I was taking was sort of a selfish "me, me, me", " how can they make ME give up MY weekend, etc... what more can they teach ME? I'M not a newbie." (of course it was really MY choice to give up my weekend) but then I thought:
Are there new things I might learn? probably, cuz I really don't know it all- I just know I like to ride my bike with others.
If I was the parent or partner of a new rider, would I want the TRL's to be trained for 12 hours or 3? um, as many as possible.
Do I remember from year to year, what we should be doing--- have ALL of the rules ever been stated to everybody at the same time, veterans & newbie TRL's alike? um.... I don't remember, but I think so but I'm not really sure.... but I would like them to be.
Have I ever been frustrated because there were all of these TRL's who were certified (for the 3 or 4 hours), and THE SAME PEOPLE KEEP LEADING RIDES? hell yes! .... if I remember correctly there were 80 TRL's on the list last year, and the same 30 kept volunteering to lead/co-lead!!
Have other TRL's ever called me because they were in a situation where they didn't know what to do, and wanted to know what they should have done? yes... and I could only answer them based on experience, not on what ALC wanted because I was never told their perspective in training...
.... and other thoughts like that.
For me, a 2 day commitment from a TRL to be trained hopefully means more of a commitment to lead more rides, bottom line.
We have gone through the same training for the past 3 years and have never given the newbies (us included when we started) the skills to train others, ie: riding behind someone to teach them how to shift (have you ever had to do that?) , talking someone OUT of riding the training ride that day because they are obviously not ready- but they have emotional reasons for doing it, making someone turn around on a ride... etc. Even if you are experienced, I think there is always something new you can learn (as happens in life!) and can also share with others.
I've learned how to do that stuff during "forced on the job training"-- which I've been lucky at, but would have liked to have known how ALC wanted us to do it. There are others who have never had to do it, or have muddled their way through it. And when that all relates back to the safety of others, I want to know that I'm making a decision based on experience I got in training (especially important for newbie TRL's), as well as the fact that I am representing how ALC wants be to deal with it. Does that make sense?
Now with all that said, I will tell you honestly that in my opinion not everyone who has been a TRL should've been a TRL. I have co-lead rides with lots of leaders and some of them are just there to ride, not to help. I would presume that anyone going through this training will understand that THAT is not acceptable to other leaders anymore, period.
We are there to help others in their training, and that training strongly involves training people to automatically follow the basic ALC ride rules so that they are instinctual during the week of the actual Ride, ie; Single File riding only, following ALL traffic laws (especially stopping), calling out, signaling, etc. You know as well as I do, this is a HUGE problem during the actual week of the ride.
Ok, I will get off my soapbox now."
