Posted Friday, May 16 --- 4:55pm

The high gas prices are pushing some to find a cheaper way to get around town. Many people are either getting a motorcycle or looking into getting one to help combat our record high gas prices. However, motorcycles do pose some danger. More than 100 people died in motorcycle accidents last year.

Jared Bolchen is looking at getting a motorcycle to help ease the pain at the pump. "I drive an SUV, so it's definitely been pinching the wallet," explained Bolchen.

He says he always wanted to ride a motorcycle, so he thought it was time to try something new. "Definitely a sense of freedom when you're on there," Bolchen explained.

Madison Area Technical College helps beginners, like Jared, learn the rules of the road. "It's a lot of basic skills, turning, stopping, basically what you need to be driving around," said Bolchen.

Rita Williams is one of the instructors at MATC. She says they teach beginner cyclists how to operate motorcycles and respond to what's going on, on the road. "We also teach them lifesaving skills. For example, now the students are learning how to stop quickly in an emergency," Williams said.

Those skills are especially important. The Wisconsin Department of Transportation says in 2007 there were more than 27-hundred crashes involving motorcycles. 2,628 people were injured. 106 motorcyclist were killed. "The major fatalities are being caused by speed, alcohol, and a lack of a helmet. So that's a continuing trend we hope that, especially people taking this class, would be more aware that wearing a helmet, riding sober, and riding at a reasonable speed will help keep them alive out there," explained Williams.

It's a message that's sinking in with cyclist like Jared Bolchen. "Be very aware of your surroundings, always watching out for the other drivers because a lot of times they may not see you. Just be very conscious of what's going on around you," said Bolchen.

MATC says it sees a lot of cyclists in its beginner class, as well as a refresher course for more experienced riders. MATC provides motorcycles for the beginner class. There are about 12 people in each class and they work on everything from avoiding obstacles to the balance and skills it takes to maneuver the cycles. The beginner class is 16 hours--10 hours of riding and 6 hours of classroom work.