Meet Dave Booth: RiderCoach & Crash Survivor
The Road Taught Me — Our Story
I’m Dave Booth, known as Coach Dave, founder of The Road Taught Me. As a retired police motor officer and crash investigator, MSF RiderCoach, driving instructor, motorcycle traveler, and safety educator, I share practical lessons to help you ride safer, build confidence, and enjoy the miles ahead.
Some of the most important lessons in life aren't learned in a classroom.
They're learned somewhere between where you started and where you're headed.
They're learned on long stretches of highway, winding mountain roads, in pouring rain, at roadside gas stations, over conversations with people you never expected to meet, and sometimes through mistakes you wish you could take back.
They're learned through miles.
That's what The Road Taught Me is about.
More Than Motorcycles
Motorcycles have been part of my life for decades. I've ridden for fun, traveled thousands of miles on two wheels, and spent years helping other riders develop their skills.
I've seen what great riding looks like. I've also seen what happens when things go terribly wrong.
And I've experienced that firsthand.
On February 28, 2014, while working as a police motorcycle officer, I was struck from behind by a distracted driver traveling at highway speed.
I nearly died.
What followed were surgeries, months of rehabilitation, and a long road back to something resembling normal life. For a while, simply walking again was an accomplishment. Getting back on a motorcycle seemed almost impossible.
But 18 months after the crash, I rode again.
And when I did, something had changed.
I still loved motorcycles. I still loved the sound of an engine coming to life and that feeling you get when the highway opens up in front of you.
But riding meant something different now.
I understood just how quickly everything can change. I understood the value of training, judgment, patience, and experience.
And I understood something even bigger:
The road had been teaching me all along.
From Surviving to Teaching
Eventually, those lessons led me somewhere I hadn't expected.
I became a motorcycle safety instructor.
Instead of keeping everything I'd learned to myself, I began sharing it with other riders.
Some lessons came from training. Some came from years of police motorcycle riding and crash investigation. Some came from touring thousands of miles.
And some were lessons I learned the hard way.
The Road Taught Me is about sharing what experience has taught me and continuing to learn right alongside everyone else.
Good riders never stop learning.
Then Something Else Happened
The more miles I traveled, the more I realized the lessons weren't always about motorcycles.
Sometimes the road teaches patience. Sometimes humility. Sometimes perseverance, gratitude, or forgiveness.
And sometimes it reminds you to slow down long enough to appreciate where you are, who you're with, and just how fortunate you are to still be taking the journey.
That's when The Road Taught Me became bigger than a motorcycle channel.
It became an idea.
What The Road Taught Me Means
Today, The Road Taught Me is about motorcycles, absolutely.
It's about becoming a better rider. It's about motorcycle travel, great roads, gear, destinations, roadside discoveries, and the experiences that make us want to throw a leg over a motorcycle and see what's around the next bend.
But underneath all of that is something more.
It's about experience over ego.
It's about passing along what we've learned.
It's about welcoming the new rider instead of judging them.
It's about remembering where we came from.
It's about understanding that sometimes the difficult roads teach us the most.
And it's about realizing that the destination isn't always the point.
This Story Isn't Just Mine
That's ultimately why I believe in this brand.
Because everybody has a road.
Maybe yours involves motorcycles. Maybe it doesn't.
Maybe you've traveled thousands of miles, or maybe you're just beginning. Maybe you've had an experience that completely changed the direction of your life. Maybe you've fallen down and had to figure out how to get back up.
Maybe you're still figuring it out.
That's okay.
The Road Taught Me is a statement that reaches beyond a shirt or a YouTube channel.
It says:
I've lived.
I've learned.
I've got a few scars.
And I'm still moving forward.
There are more roads ahead. More people to meet. More stories to tell. And plenty more lessons to learn.
So come along for the ride.
Because if there's one thing I've learned after all these miles, it's this:
The road always has something left to teach us.
Until next time…
Ride safe. Ride smart. Trust God.