San Luis Obispo Motorcycle Accident Lawyer’s Top Ten Best Things not to Say if You Have a Motorcycle Accident

1. Can I just get the weed out of my bike, Officer?

 

2. Here, you take the kids, Officer. I’m going to the hospital.

 

3. Can I play with your siren and the police scanner?

 

4. This is going to take forever. Can you speed it up, Officer?

 

5. Don’t you have something better to do than harass me, Officer?

 

6. I dare you to arrest me.

 

7. I dare you to shoot that taser at me.

 

8. I’m Sarah Palin and I am not answering any questions.

 

9. No, I did not kick that person’s motorcycle. I just nudged it a little with my foot.

 

10. Oh great, it’s the law, here to put the cuffs on me.

 

Here are ten useful tips of advice from a motorcycle accident lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a motorcycle accident in San Luis Obispo, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can assist you.

 

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. However, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

 

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

 

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

 

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

 

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

 

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

 

Seventh, call a good motorcycle accident lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good motorcycle accident lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good motorcycle accident lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most motorcycle accident attorneys advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

 

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

 

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

 

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

 

If you’ve had a motorcycle accident in San Luis Obispo, Long Beach, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, Ojai, Camarillo, Westlake Village, Cambria, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your San Luis Obispo Motorcycle Accident Lawyer and your Santa Maria Motorcycle Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

 

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.

The Thrill of Motorcycling – 5 Ways to Get Into Riding

Motorcycling is cool. Motorcycling is fast. Motorcycling gives you a rush. There is no doubt about it. I don’t think anyone can dispute the fact that there is a certain breed of person out there that just loves the feeling of being out in the fresh air, cruising down the highway. I suspect there are a lot more people who would like to ride than we know about. The question is, how do they get going?

It’s like a lot of things; take it one step at a time. Later on, I will give my 5 top ways to get into riding, but first, I am going to tell you about my own experience learning to love motorcycles.

I would say I was about 14 years old when I purchased my friend’s tiny Honda Z50R. It was very small, but very fun. I used to ride it around the block and travel to friend’s houses on it. I grew out of that bike fast, but I did learn a few things; how to balance and corner a motorcycle.

My next few motorcycles were all dirt bikes. They were a Suzuki RM80, Honda CR125 and a Suzuki RM125. These were bigger machines and worthwhile investments. They taught me how to ride taller motorcycles and how to ride on a dirt track.

There were many other smaller learning experiences that went along with owning and riding dirt bikes. Those came with time. Some of them included learning where the best dealerships were located, how to repair and maintain a motorcycle, how to purchase the right parts and where the best places to ride were. It was a lot of fun and I wouldn’t give up those experiences for anything.

When I turned 17 years old, I purchased my first street bike. It was a Suzuki GR 650 Tempter. This was a big change for me, because I had never ridden a street motorcycle before. I have to say, it was a great learning bike. There was enough power, but not too much to do anything stupid or get in any trouble. The bike was smooth and just enough to get my feet wet on the streets.

There were a few years during college where I didn’t own a motorcycle, but knew I would soon. After college, I went ahead and bought the bike I own today, a Suzuki GSXR 1100. This is one serious motorcycle, and yes, one I could easily get in trouble on. Sometimes I get shaken by its unexpected power. I would only recommend this type of motorcycle to the most mature and experienced rider.

I love my current motorcycle, but will admit that it does get on my nerves at times. I sometimes wish I owned a laid back highway cruiser. Now that I am getting older, I don’t enjoy hunching over the gas tank as much as I used to. Style is not as important to me anymore and comfort is becoming more. Also, having a larger seat for a passenger is becoming a necessity. No passenger likes riding so high up and having to hold on for dear life.

With all the experience I have gained on a wide variety of motorcycles through the years, I feel that I am in a position to offer to some great tips on how to get into riding.

1. Visit a dealership. Yes, it seems so simple, but a huge hurdle to get past is deciding if you really can feel it in your blood. If you are like me, you will leave the dealership panting like a fool. If you leave still undecided, motorcycling might not be right for you.

2. Talk to people. If you have ever heard a group of riders talk about a trip they have taken or are about to take, chime in. Ask them questions and notice how easily they will include you in the ride. Some of them might even offer to take you as a passenger. The community is friendly and always welcoming to new riders.

3. Think about costs. Motorcycling can be an expensive hobby if you are just getting by already. You need to be ready for the financial side of things. You can expect the cost of the motorcycle, insurance, registration, maintenance, apparel and the cost of fuel. It’s easy to get sucked in to buying every after market part available for your motorcycle, so be sure you can afford the hobby first.

4. Go for a ride. Try to find someone who owns a motorcycle and ask them if you can hop on the back during their next ride. Try to find someone with a larger motorcycle for this, especially if you are larger yourself. You’ll know if motorcycling is the right thing to do once the wind hits your face.

5. Take a training course. I am one of those types of people who just want to get a bike and hop on, but friends of mine have told me how important a training course really is. They thought they knew all there was to know about motorcycling, but each day they came away with new knowledge. It’s important to learn how to ride properly.

After considering and completing the tips above, you should be in a position to purchase your first motorcycle. Look through the motorcycle classifieds or visit your local dealer. Find the right motorcycle for you and make the purchase. Since you made some riding contacts and are somewhat familiar with motorcycling in general, you should be in good shape. Just remember, safety comes first and when it comes to riding, patience is a virtue.

Motorcycle Lawyers Discuss the Legal Challenges

Motorcycle Lawyers Discuss the Legal Challenges of Bikers of Lesser Tolerance as it Brings Civil Disobedience and Constitutional Court Challenge to North Carolina
By Ray Henke, a motorcycle accident lawyer and member of Bikers of Lesser Tolerance, California
Freedom fighters joined to form BOLT of North Carolina and are currently bringing nonviolent civil disobedience and constitutional court challenge to the streets and courts of the state in response to the enactment of North Carolina’s new helmet law.
The North Carolina helmet law, which went into effect on January 1, 2008, is the same law that NTSB is recommending to state legislatures nationwide, with the insurance industry and medical lobbies throwing their weight behind the NTSB recommendations. The law requires motorcyclists to wear helmets compliant with the federal motorcycle safety helmet standards set forth at FMVSS 218. The North Carolina law, and all other state laws requiring riders to ride with helmets that meet FMVSS 218 plainly are incapable of being understood by the ordinarily intelligent person, and are certainly incapable of being applied, except incompetently, subjectively, arbitrarily, and discriminatory by law enforcement officers. FMVSS 218 is just a list of laboratory procedures and arbitrary impact criteria. You have to be an engineer to understand it, and you have to have the laboratory equipment to apply it. Such laws are unconstitutional because the due process clause of the United States Constitution requires that law be comprehensible specifically so that the citizenry can know what is prohibited, and to avoid arbitrary and discriminatory application of the law by police and the judiciary. You are invited to learn more about the motorcycle lawyers perspective on the Constitutional defects in helmet laws.
The BOLT of North Carolina freedom fighters refuse to be constrained by this unconstitutionally vague legislation. They are holding protestrallies all over the state with a frequency and drawing numbers of bikers refusing to abide the law that has not been witnessed anywhere in the United States in decades. They have sponsored already over a dozen helmet protest rides, in which the riders make their own choices whether to wear helmets. And if they ride with helmets, they make their own choices as to the kinds of headgear they wear, undeterred by North Carolina’s attempt to force them to wear the riding hat specified by this new state biker dress code. The BOLT of North Carolina riders have been joined in their protest by individual bikers numbering over 500, angered by the state’s intrusion upon their freedom, coming from all over North Carolina. According to the Director of BOLT of North Carolina, Janice MacKay, “The next acts of civil disobedience in North Carolina are the 2nd Annual East Coast Helmet Protest on May 18th, followed by the Maggie Valley Freedom Ride on NC Bikers Freedom Ride Day, June 12th, and the WNC Freedom Ride in Asheville from Buncombe’s County to Henderson County on June 21st.”
It is expected that BOLT of North Carolina will also hold a freedom ride “in solidarity” with BOLT of California, and ABATE of California, organized by BOLT member, Red Barron. Two years ago the San Diego police laid in wait for the participants, setting up roadblocks and issuing helmet tickets. This past year, the police stayed their distance. Similarly in North Carolina, notwithstanding the threats of law enforcement to strictly enforce the new helmet law, Ms. McKay reports that it is difficult to obtain a helmet ticket without riding back and forth outside the state police headquarters in Raleigh.
If North Carolina will rise to the challenge to enforce the law, BOLT of North Carolina hopes to clog the traffic courts at an average cost to the state of 2 per helmet citation trial, also requiring the law enforcement officers to appear and explain upon what incompetent basis they issued the tickets, providing the evidentiary basis for the initial constitutional challenge that the FMVSS 218 based law cannot be understood by the biker or cop and therefore is unconstitutionally vague.
At the same time, BOLT of the North Carolina is active in the legislature, with a no compromise helmet law repeal bill recently drafted and distributed to all North Carolina legislators by Jan MacKay. BOLT is also actively opposing the Street Gang Act and other legislation often employed by law enforcement arbitrarily and discriminatory against bikers who chose to wear colors.
This article is provided by Ray Henke, a California lawyer, founder of Motorcyclists Against Dumb Drivers, and co-moderator of Bruce & Ray’s Biker Forum, also a member of Bikers of Lesser Tolerance, and contributor to Biker, Born to Ride and Thunder Road magazines.

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3 Advantages to Using Removable Motorcycle Graphics

Motorcycle graphics can make a nice bike into a killer bike. Motorcycle graphics allow bikers to customize and personalize their bikes. Unfortunately, a custom paint job complete with airbrush graphics can cost a small fortune. The alternative is reusable, removable motorcycle graphics.

Advantage #1 — More Cost Effective

Motorcycle graphics that are removable and reusable are considerably more affordable. Custom paint jobs and permanent motorcycle graphics can cost thousands of dollars and take a lot of time to complete. Reusable, removable motorcycle graphics can cost as little as . You can even get whole sets of motorcycle graphics for an affordable . Because of how affordable these types of motorcycle graphics are, you can even have several sets and change them often to give a new feel to your motorcycle or whenever the mood strikes. When your preferences change, it is cheap enough to change the motorcycle graphics, too. New designs emerge all the time, using removable and reusable motorcycle graphics means it is inexpensive enough to change with the times.

Advantage #2 — Fool Proof, No Mistake About It

Motorcycle graphics can look great when they come from a professional, but when amateurs try their hand, they can look, well, amateurish. With these reusable and removable motorcycle graphics, they are practically fool proof. If you make a mistake, they come off just as easy as they went on. You can move them and adjust them to your hearts content. Motorcycle graphics can look great, unless they are off or filled with bubbles. Then your motorcycle with its motorcycle graphics and all the imperfections can look terrible. Great looking motorcycle graphics makes a great looking motorcycle. Being able to adjust them at any time means being able to change the look of your motorcycle with the same motorcycle graphics at any time. Because it is fool proof it can be a project even the kids can help with. Anything that the whole family can do together is a good thing.

Advantage #3 — Removable Means Re-customizable

How many times have you seen or maybe even had a design on the motorcycle of your dreams and years later, when the design gets old, you wish you could change it? With removable motorcycle graphics, you can change it as often as you like. Another advantage for removable motorcycle graphics is that if you sell your motorcycle but are still in love with the design, you can keep it for the next motorcycle you purchase. Plus, not everyone has the same taste you have, so when you sell it, you could get a higher resale value, just by selling it the way you bought it. Sometimes, a motorcycle can have a higher blue book value, just by being in its original condition. While custom paint jobs on motorcycles can bring high prices, a custom paint job is preferential, not everyone has the same preferences as you, so it might be a plus to potential buyers that your motorcycle has no customizations that they may not like.