DUBOIS – Last year the DuBois Area High School’s new parking faced an issue over the lines that would be painted on it by different groups and the potential confusion from the different lines. So when the DuBois Area School District Board of Directors gave permission to the motorcycle safety course to use the parking lot there was a condition to forbid the painting of lines.
Bernard Masonis, an instructor of the motorcycle safety course linked with Harley-Davidson, came forward to ask the board if they would reconsider the condition of not being allowed to paint lines for the course.
Masonis said the other conditions were acceptable. The trailer and signs would be removed after each use. It would also be possible after the final class in August to paint over the lines that were added, but with classes starting in May it wasn’t possible to do this each time.
Regulations of both the PA Rider and Motorcycle Safety Organization require the course to be laid out in specific colors, according to Masonis. If it helped, he suggested that they could use more “subdued” versions of the official colors that would still be compliant with the regulations.
By the same regulations, a 200 by 300 foot parking lot with street lighting and drainage is needed for the course. In DuBois only the new high school parking lot meets this requirement.
Masonis was asked about the Heilig-Meyers parking lot toward 84 Lumber and if it could be used. He explained it would have been perfect, only the planters impede the course, and weren’t able to be moved.
School Board President Thomas Repine asked if tape could be used instead of paint. Masonis said that the safety class is rain or shine as motorcycles can be ridden rain or shine.
In the rain the tape could become slick and hazardous. In any weather breaking on the tape could cause it to come free.
An exception was granted to the motorcycle safety class to use a modified range at the middle school. However, there was a condition that they had to move to a regulation sized location once one became available. Masonis admitted it might be possible to get the exception again if the school board didn’t allow for the class to paint on the parking lot.
However, by moving up to an official sized range the safety classes could expand to include an advanced course, which would use the same paint lines, and instructor training.
The main concern of the school board over allowing the course to be painted was that of precedent. School Board member Louis Russell brought up what the parking lot might look like once the band, motorcycle safety course, soap box derby and others all got done making their own markings.
Joe Sensor, who was present in the audience, was asked if the lines would interfere with the band’s practice. He said he didn’t think so.