Motorcycle Study Focus Group
Moderator Guide
1. Introduction and Ground Rules (5 minutes) 3
2. Self-Introductions and Ice Breaker (5 minutes) 4
3.
i. Discussion Topic: Typical Riding Gear (Form A) (10 minutes) 5
ii. Discussion Topic: Trip Factors on Gear Choice (Form B) (10 minutes) 5
iii. Discussion Topic: Purchasing Factors (Form C) (10 minutes) 5
iv. Discussion Topic: Perception of Conspicuity as a Safety Issue (10 minutes) 6
v. Discussion Topic: Use of High Visibility Gear (15 minutes) 7
vi. Discussion Topic: High Visibility Gear Product Demonstration (10 minutes) 7
vii. Discussion Topic: How to Promote Use of High Visibility Gear (10 minutes) 8
viii. Discussion Topic: Final Comments/Other Ideas (3 minutes) 9
4. Closing Remarks and Incentive Distribution (2 minutes) 9
5. Materials and supplies 9
FOCUS GROUP MODERATOR GUIDE
Thank you for agreeing to participate in this research study. Your participation will take about 90 minutes. This study is being conducted on behalf of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Please note that an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a current valid OMB control number. The OMB control number for this study is 2127-0682. Your participation is voluntary. Send comments regarding this burden estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden to: Information Collection Clearance Officer, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E., Washington, DC, 20590
Introduce yourself and the note taker
You have been selected to participate in this focus group because you indicated that you are a regular motorcycle (or scooter when applicable) rider (or passenger when applicable). We are interested in learning about your experience and opinions as a motorcycle rider (or passenger when applicable). The information we gather today will help the Department of Transportation in its exploration of motorcycle riding apparel and gear.
A quick note about logistics:
This session will last about 90 minutes.
Refreshments have been provided, please help yourself.
The bathrooms are located …
Have any of you have taken part in a focus group before?
Explain that focus groups are used more and more to understand different opinions and perspectives. For example, focus groups are used in marketing research.
Before we begin our discussion, I will review why we’re all here and how we hope this group will work.
Our objective is to understand the point of view of motorcyclists on a range of issues. One of the specific topics we will explore is riding gear and apparel. As we go through the session, I will guide us along various topics, but you will be the experts and will doing most the talking.
Focus groups have ground rules or etiquette that we follow
We need to hear about your feelings and opinions. We are not here to reach consensus, but to hear and discuss a range of views. There is no “right” or “wrong” answer.
We want to encourage cross talk in the group, not to and from moderator; the moderator will merely guide the discussion to cover the topics we need to hear about.
We want to give everyone the opportunity to speak – it is important to hear from everyone.
We won’t be judging your responses.
The session is being recorded to allow us to pay full attention during the session and for us to supplement our notes later.
Your participation is completely voluntary and you may stop at any time without explanation.
We hope that you will feel free to be completely honest in this discussion. Your name and any other identifying information will not be used in any report that we prepare about these focus groups.
Please respect the privacy of the other people in this group by not discussing what is said here with anyone outside the group or in public.
Round of introductions of participants (first names) –
To get started, I’d like to go around the room and ask each of you to introduce yourself, using your first name only, and tell us how long you have been riding.
Go around to each person in turn.
As the discussion begins, allow time for people to think about their answers. Move to the next topic when people start providing repetitive information or going too far off topic.
I’d like to hear about what you typically wear when riding. For the purpose of our discussion today, whenever we talk about gear or apparel we mean anything you might wear when you ride your motorcycle. This can include: a helmet, jacket, gloves, boots, a vest, leather, denim, etc.
We are handing out a questionnaire that lists gear with examples that riders may wear. For each item, please indicate whether you never, rarely sometimes, usually, or always wear that item when riding. Please note, these are just examples, your gear may look different.
Individual Rating Responses: Form A, Typical Riding Gear
Pass out Form A and explain that we would like to get everyone to complete the forms before we continue with the general discussion. Allow participants 2 minutes to fill out form.
What was some of the apparel that you marked on your form?
(go around the group and get individual responses to get a general understanding of how much gear each person uses. If a participant asks questions, or offers reasons or qualifications about what they selected, follow up to get an understanding of the particular issue, then move on)
We are going to pass out a second form that asks about the reasons why you may wear certain apparel. Please circle yes or no for each factor to indicate whether that factor is important when you choose gear before a ride. Then, rank the three most important reasons from one to three. Feel free to write down any other reasons that are not listed.
Individual Rating Responses: Form B, Factors in Choosing Gear
Pass out Form B. Allow participants 2 minutes to fill out the form.
What were your top 3 reasons why you wear your particular apparel?
Are there any reasons why you wear certain apparel that were not listed?
Did anyone circle “no” to all of these factors? If so, why?
We are going to hand out another form, this time asking you what you consider when buying motorcycle gear. Again, once you have finished, please rank your top 3 purchasing factors you circled “yes” to.
Individual Rating Responses: Form C, Factors in purchasing gear
Pass out Form C. Allow participants 2 minutes to fill out form.
How often do you purchase new riding gear?
What are some of the reasons you buy new gear?
Where do you usually buy riding apparel?
Online? In store? Given to you by a friend?
For those who indicated they don’t purchase:
Why have you not purchased riding gear or apparel?
What would influence to purchase new riding gear?
One common factor linked to motorcycle crashes is rider conspicuity or visibility, meaning whether other drivers or motorcycle riders can see you.
In your experience, is motorcycle rider conspicuity a safety problem?
Why or why not? (Allow one or two stories and probe to understand specific traffic scenarios were incident occurred)
If there is a strong consensus in the group that conspicuity, (being seen) is NOT an issue, then probe:
Can you think of any specific times when a vehicle didn’t see you?
Possible follow-up question:
Do you remember where you were?
Was it during the day time or was it at night?
What were you doing at the time (e.g. making a turn, changing lanes, etc.)?
When you are making gear or apparel purchasing decisions, tell me how much you consider safety (such as being seen by other drivers or materials that can protect you in a crash)?
Some people wear high visibility clothing in an effort to be conspicuous (or visible) to other drivers. High visibility apparel is anything that has a reflective quality or has a fluorescent color that makes the apparel stand out and easily distinguishable from the background. This could be a vest, reflective stickers on your helmet, a t-shirt, jacket, pants, or gloves.
Show a few examples of high visibility apparel using PowerPoint (go through all examples) and ask/discuss the following:
How familiar are you with high-visibility gear or apparel?
Do you know riders who wear this type of gear or apparel?
What do you think drives their decisions to wear high visibility gear?
On the other hand, do you know riders who avoid using this type of gear?
Have you, or do you use this type of gear?
Do you believe that drivers are more likely to see motorcycle riders who are wearing high visibility gear or apparel?
Why or why not?
Does wear high visibility gear make you safer?
Under what circumstances would you wear high visibility gear or apparel?
(Only at night? Only in the rain? All the time?)
What are some circumstances when you might choose not to wear high visibility gear or appeal?
Allow participants 2 minutes to review (touch, lift, etc.) the examples (jackets, vests, pants, rain gear, add-on stickers) of retro-reflective and high visibility gear.
Step through specific examples of retro-reflective and high visibility gear and ask the following questions:
Is there something that you like about this item?
(Price point, looks like good quality, the aesthetic, the colors, the brand, style)
Is there something that you dislike about this item?
(Price point, looks like good quality, the aesthetic, the colors, the brand, style)
Could you see yourself buying this item or a similar item in the future?
Do you know other riders who use this type of gear or apparel?
Would wearing this item make you feel safer on the road?
Do you think wearing this item would improve your safety?
After seeing some of these examples, would you wear high visibility gear?
If yes, what do you like about it?
Which of these items would you wear?
If none, why not?
For you, what would be your concerns about high visibility apparel?
Not fitting in with your look or style?
Becoming a target?
Feel like it won’t make a difference?
Do you see any benefits to using high-visibility gear?
Will it improve your safety?
Are there reasons why you would choose not to wear high visibility gear?
Have you ever seen an ad that promotes the use of high visibility apparel among motorcyclists?
Where did you see or hear it?
Where would be a good place to put an ad like that?
What would convince you to wear high visibility gear or apparel?
How would you convince other motorcycle riders to wear high visibility gear or apparel?
Does anyone have anything else they would like to mention about motorcycles and high-visibility riding apparel before we conclude the focus group? Are there any issues that we have not touched on?
Thank you for your time. What we have heard and learned about today will help the Department of Transportation and States understand ways to help promote motorcycle safety.
Do you have any questions about the study or what was discussed today?
Distribute the incentive and have each participant sign a receipt to indicate that they received the honorarium.
Moderator guide
Sign-in sheets
Informed consent forms
Questionnaires or rating scales
Folders for the consent forms, questionnaires and sign-in sheets, etc.
Name tents
Laptop and AV cables
Projector
Recording device(s) and batteries (including back-up batteries)
Notepaper and pencils/pens
White board or flip chart
Business cards
Refreshments
Gear/Apparel samples and/or pictures
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| File Title | Occupant Protection Issues Among Older Drivers/Passengers |
| Author | Sharon Levi |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-22 |