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A motorcycle / car hybrid created by Brian Fekel.
Share this unique invention with your friends on Facebook.
Armed with Blackberries, iPhones and Garmins, today’s multi-tasking drivers rarely keep both eyes, or their undivided attention, on the road. Defensive driving can be the difference between a trip to the hospital and a close call. Techniques like counter steering, controlling skids, and clutch control can help you avoid potential accidents caused by others.
ABATE of South Carolina posted an excellent “Individual Motorcycle Safety Guide,” by motorcycle instructor Jim DeWitt, on their website which outlines some helpful accident avoidance techniques. Click here to view the article.
If you feel like you need some motorcycle road training and formal instruction, there are plenty of classes available. S.M.A.R.T Course (www.smartcourse.net) is based out of North Charleston and offers courses for both beginner and experienced riders and even has a street smart workshop. South Carolina Motorcycle Education program (www.scridered.org) offer classes across the state and also caters to all skill levels. If you are in the lowcountry, their classes meet at Trident Technical College.
If anyone has attended a course and would like to comment, we would love to hear from you!
Image taken from http://www.sccja.sc.gov/
Motorcycles vs. car collisions, which frequently result in serious injury and significant property damage, present a unique challenge for law enforcement officers. With more and more motorcycles on the roads, the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy has implemented live crash testing into their curriculum so the officers can understand the dynamics of a motorcycle collision.
According to Dale Smith, Traffic Safety Program Manager at the Academy, sixty-five percent of all motorcycle collisions involve another vehicle failing to yield right of way and pulling out in front of a motorcycle.
The course teaches students how to calculate collision speeds, write a reconstruction report and prepare a court testimony in an effort to prepare them for what they will face in a real life scenario.
Count on News 2 recently ran a segment on the South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy’s crash test training. Click here to view the story.
We’d love to here what you think of this crash test training segment. Let us know in our comments section.
This is my third blog post in a series dedicated to reviewing the South Carolina motorcycle laws pertaining to the rights and duties of bikers.
SECTION 56-5-3650. Footrests; rear view mirror.
(A) Any motorcycle carrying a passenger, other than in a sidecar or enclosed cab, must be equipped with footrests for its passenger.
(B) A person shall not operate any motorcycle unless it is equipped with a rear view mirror which will afford the operator ample vision to the rear at all times.
Simple Translation: Your bike needs to have a rear view mirror and if you have a passenger on your bike, there better be footrests for them! See below:
For those in the South Carolina tri-county area this Saturday, October 16, there will be a Cancer Benefit Ride for Bubba Mosley beginning at 10 a.m. at Northpark Bar & Grill in North Charleston. For more details about the biker event or registration, view the flyer below or call 843-764-0898.
On my bike at the Bikers Helping Bikers Event
As many of you know, I am a lifelong biker and Charleston personal injury, criminal defense and workers compensation lawyer who serves the entire South Carolina tri-county area. One of my passions is to help bikers and others understand their rights on and off the road, stay educated on current and upcoming motorcycle legislation, and stay posted on upcoming motorcycle rallies and events in South Carolina.
Because my main goal with this blog is to facilitate conversation among the biker community in the lowcountry and elsewhere in the world, I’d love to welcome all of the Biker’s Law readers to send me any pictures, news, or event information pertaining to motorcycles. Whether you just restored your bike and want to showcase it on our blog, are attending an upcoming biker event that you want to spread awareness about, or want to share your advice on biker safety, I invite you to send any of your submissions to me at blog@uricchiolaw.com.
I look forward to hearing from you all!
I’m not the only biker at the Uricchio Law Firm. Our invaluable legal assistant, Mandi, also enjoys a ride on the open road on her 1999 Harley Davidson Sportster. She has always loved motorcycles and was overjoyed when she met her husband, Stu, who rides a 2008 Harley Davidson Street Bob. He taught her to ride a little over a year ago. Stu has spent the last 6 months serving in Afghanistan, but will be back state-side in a couple of weeks, and then the two of them can hit the road together again.
Mandi
Mandi's Bike
Connect with us on Facebook to see more motorcycle images.
This is my second blog post in a series dedicated to reviewing South Carolina laws pertaining to the rights and duties of bikers.
SECTION 56-5-3640. Motorcycle entitled to full use of lane; riding two or more abreast; overtaking and passing; operation in other instances.
(a) All motorcycles are entitled to full use of a lane and no motor vehicle shall be driven in such a manner as to deprive any motorcycle of the full use of a lane. This shall not apply to motorcycles operated two abreast in a single lane.
**Many drivers fail to understand that a motorcycle is entitled to the same full use of a lane as if it were a car or truck.
(b) The operator of a motorcycle shall not overtake and pass in the same lane occupied by the vehicle being overtaken.
**The same concept as if you were driving a car.
(c) No person shall operate a motorcycle between lanes of traffic, or between adjacent lines or rows of vehicles.
**Also known as “lane splitting,” this is not legal in South Carolina.
(Image below was taken from Motorcycle Cruiser)
Lane Splitting image taken from Motorcycle Cruiser
(d) Motorcycles shall not be operated more than two abreast in a single lane.
**As long as it’s only two bikes riding side by side, you are ok:
(Image below was taken from Diamondback Bobbers)
Image taken from Diamondback Bobbers
(e) Items (b) and (c) shall not apply to police officers in the performance of their official duties.
Did you find this post helpful? Let us know in our comments section or share it with your friends on Facebook.
September 25th the Annual Fall Yard Sale supporting Tri-County Bikers Helping Bikers took place at the Walmart shopping center in Summerville. My wife, dog (Chancho) and I stopped by to check it out and were amazed at the array of items for sale. Everything from household goods, tools, clothing and furniture could be found, and the best part is, all of the proceeds went to Tri-County Bikers Helping Bikers- a great non-profit that provides financial assistance to injured bikers in the Charleston, Dorchester and Berkley county areas. These sales are held throughout the year along with a number of other great events to support this cause. Check out their website for more information.
See below for some images we took at the event:
