Texas Motorcycle Training, Plano, TX. Shannon Harden/Jim Slaughter Instructor uses intimidation and yelling as a teaching tool Plano, Texas

I took Jim Slaughter's Beginner's Class and I also experienced his tactics of yelling and rude attitude toward me and other students.  I just want to address how he calls former student's horrible experience during his class as "Bullying"  while he is the real bully.  So typical for a bully to call others "the bully" when confronted for his bully tactics.  Next, Jim titled his rebuttal "Robert Simple the Bully" in he rebutted that he took offense to the former customer calling him Flaughter instead of Slaughter....but thru out the rebuttal...he addressed the former student as Sipple instead of Simple...another bullying tactic.

We appreciative what you and all military personnel have done for us and this country but we paid money to learn and to be safe on the road with a motorcycle...yelling and being rude will not be effective and turns people off.  Given choices almost everyone will choose someone that doesn't yell, or rude and that shows patience toward their students.  We were not given that choice until it's too late.  I guess you get what you paid for...he is the cheapest in town...but unfortunately for his class/school ..... cheapest also mean the worst. 

I took Jim's class June 2012.

This course is called a "Beginner Rider Course".  But let's not kid around - This class is a vehicle for people to have literally never sat on a motorcycle to be eligible to get a class M driver's license in 24 HOURS.  

I understood the additional risk that comes from being on two wheels at high speeds; I expected a serious course with a serious instructor, and that's what I got from Jim Slaughter.

Yes, Jim can be a ball-buster.

Yes, if you fiddle with your phone in the classroom session, or fail to take the riding instruction seriously, or show off, or not learn through the repetition he and the other instructors give you, you will definitely get the rough side of his tongue.  He's not a cuddly guy.  

(Full disclosure:  That example about the phone?  Yeah, that was me.)

There was at least one guy in my course where the idea that he'd be out on the road the next day scared the crap out of me.  This guy wasn't taking it seriously, and he dumped the bike once, and almost did it again, and then YES, Jim blistered him like a salty Parris Island DI.  It was epic.  

...And that's the point.  I didn't want instruction from a caring nurturer; I didn't want a self-esteem academy, and I promise neither do you.  When a car turned in front of me at the corner of LBJ and Midway last year and I made a successful emergency stop instead of dumping my bike, I was very glad Jim Slaughter was a ball-buster.  Riding a motorcycle is serious business.

Take the course; be smart and pay attention, and you and Jim will get along just fine.  I found this discussion because I'm booking my stepson in Jim's course.  I want him to be ready, not cuddled.

(Incidentally - that guy who got blasted?  Jim also stood us to the side and personally worked him through the check ride - shouting all the way - so he could pass like the rest of us).  

I knew it was going to be a day from hell when a student asked where the training class was and he pointed at an old broke down trailer. So all eight (9 with instructor) pack into this tight unventilated trailer. It was stuffy inside so one student asked to open the door to let in fresh air and he wouldn't. He opend a small port vent in the roof and that did nothing. Finally he attempted to turn on the window A/C window unit and the noise from that old clunker started annoying the instructor so he turned it off and just left us sitting their miserable with no fresh air at all.

He seemed like a nice enough guy until the riding started. WARNING, if you have never rode before do not be mislead by his website. This man has no patience what so ever. We had one female in the class. He yelled at us so much and so frequently she got so frightened that she dropped several times and finally she quit the class before the end of day one. He yells at you while driving so it startles you causes you to panic. I'm an experienced rider but being yelled at while maneuvering an obstacle course will take your attention off the course. If you do not already have some basic knowledge of riding do not take his class or he will scare the crap out of you. I have been riding for years and did not like his techique of teaching or coaching. I did pass his class but I recommend do not look at his cheap price and be fooled...remember you get what you pay for, cheap class="cheap" instructor. Sometimes it's worth a little more to get a better quality of service.

I took Jim's class years ago.  Techniques I was taught I still use today when riding.  I can tell you with 100% certainty things I learned in that class have kept me from getting hurt/killed.  You can read the 2 compliants submitted and form your own opinion, but they only represent a small fraction of the people that have been through the class and are 100% satisfied, like me. 

If you have never been on a motorcycle before, you will gain the confidence and skills to safely operate a bike.  If you have a bit of experience, like me, you will find it a challenge and enjoyable.  All the folks in my class ranged from beginners to about my level of experience.  Sport/cruiser riders alike.  Men and women.  Everybody passed with flying colors and nobody complained.      

I am going to address Mr. Robert Sipples complaint paragraph by paragraph.

 First Paragraph

Yes, Mr. Sipple did attend the Basic Rider Course given by Texas Motorcycle Training on March 6-7 2012.

What Mr. Sipple does not state is that he already has a Texas Motorcycle License and was attending the course because his friends had asked him to take the BRC because of his erratic riding behavior and they thought he might learn better riding techniques from the course.

Nor does Mr. Sipple state that he was removed from the class the second day during exercise 13 for using foul language toward me and coming very close to assaulting me.  So close to assaulting me that I had to threaten to call the police if he did not
leave the range. 

Second Paragraph

Mr. Sipple was correct in his expectations.  He was taught by a professional with good teaching skills.  A professional who respects the rights of others.

Third Paragraph

Mr. Sipple is incorrect in saying the Rider Coach was Jim Flaughter.  My name is Slaughter not Flaughter.  I do not teach by intimidation and yelling.  Yes I enforce the Safety Rules (on the Student Evaluations I constantly receive 5s on the ranking for Explanation & Enforcement of Safety Rules)  and yes, I do raise my voice at times, our range itself is located less than 400 Ft. from US 75 (Central Expressway), one of the busiest Expressways in the State. 

In the class room I stress the importance of safety time and time again.  I always state to the class, Your safety as an individual, your safety as a class, and the instructors safety are paramount to what we will be doing on the range.  If I have to raise my voice, it is not to intimidate, it is not to embarrass, but it is to keep the class as safe as possible on the range.

Forth Paragraph

Mr. Sipple states that I would yell if an Infraction accrued.  I dont know what his definition of an infraction is, but I address it as unsafe act, in my opinion there is a big difference between the two.  An unsafe act has to be addressed quickly to avoid an accident, and yes I may raise my voice to  be heard over traffic, engine noise and the sound barrier of a students helmet.

Mr. Sipple claims that I would not explain myself adequately.  At the beginning of each exercise I read verbatim from the range cards, I show the class the diagram of the exercise on the range cards, I ride a demonstration of the exercise.  Upon retuning to the class I ask for questions from the class. After answering their questions I ask them questions concerning the exercise. Only two times did Mr. Sipple ask any questions.  Both times they were asked in a combative and argumentative fashion. 


I will not address hes snide remarks comment.  Mr. Sipples attitude was expressed as, I know how to ride a motorcycle, you cant teach me anything.  A Snide attitude is a good description of Mr. Sipple throughout the time he was in the course. 
Yes, in the classroom I give examples of students who have failed the course and the problems they had that caused them to fail the course.  In the last five years I have only had to dismiss two students, one was Mr. Sipple for foul language.  A Rider Coach does not usually dismiss a student from the course.  Failure of the knowledge test or the on-cycle evaluation or not satisfactorily completing a phase of the course is considered a failure of the entire course as stated in the Texas DPS Student Information Form that students are required to read, and the RC is required to read back to the class.  I require my students to also write Jim read this and initial it. 

Cycle n**i --- I will not address this garbage.

My father was a Capt. in a forward medical unit with Pattons 3rd Army when they liberated two German concentration camps.

Fifth Paragraph

There are no Former Marines.  There are only Marines and Marines that have gone forward Mr. Simple says He did not enlist in the Marines, so how could he say my style reminds him of a Drill Instructor?  He also says Nor did I expect to attend a Marine Boot Camp, just a motorcycle safety course. 

Just a Motorcycle Safety Course?

Mr. Simple, in his phone tirade 3/07/2012 at 2:33 PM stated,  To hell with Jim Flaughter and to hell with the Marine Corps.

I, James Martin Slaughter 1955767 am a Marine, and I am proud to have served my country.

Sixth Paragraph

I address a students problems with each and every exercise by referring to the range cards instructions for the exercise and suggest how to alter their approach to the exercise in order to accomplish its objective.  Each student is considered as an adult and I treat them in an adult manner.

Mr. Sipples attitude was argumentative and disruptive through out the class.  Treating Mr. Sipple as an adult was difficult, during an exercise when I would tell him what he needed to improve on, then he would repeatedly tell me he already had motorcycle license and knew what he was doing.  At his very best he was a border line student; he would accomplish the objective once, and then go back to his old ways and bad habits of doing things.

Seventh Paragraph

Mr. Sipple has offered his opinion throughout his whole complaint.  He suggests that I take some course in teaching
techniques.

I would like to know what teaching technique courses he has taken, by doing this we could compare the course we have both taken and compare notes and it might help me to understand his resentment and anger toward me and my teaching ability.