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Charleston loves to celebrate the 4th of July with plenty of fireworks. What could be a more perfect celebration of our independence than spending the day on the beach with friends and family followed by spectacular island fireworks?
Independence Day events happening in and around Charleston:
Patriot’s Point 4th of July Celebration: America’s National Carrier Aviation Museum draws tens of thousands every July 4 to listen to live bands, eat plenty of good food, and of course, watch the incredible fireworks display launched from the deck of the Yorktown. For 2011, Patriots Point has spent more than ever before on fireworks, so this year’s celebration will top them all. Admission is free for the fireworks, entertainment, and much-loved Kidz Zone.
Directions: Take I-26 to downtown Charleston, turn on Highway 17 North, go across the Cooper River Bridge, and follow the signs to Patriots Point.
Summerville’s Red, White, and Blue on the Green: Downtown Summerville comes alive with its Red, White, and Blue on the Green on Saturday, July 3. Hosted by Summerville D.R.E.A.M. (Downtown Restoration, Enhancement, and Management), the festival includes a dunk tank, face painting, crafts, and for $3, unlimited games. Bad Moon Band will play, and all the usual food vendors will be selling their delicious dishes.
The highlight of the festival is the much-anticipated Uncle Sam and Miss Liberty Costume Contest and non-motorized parade around Hutchinson Square. Everyone joins in with their wagons, bicycles, carriages, kids, animals . . . all decorated to celebrate the 4th of July. Prizes include Best in Show, Uncle Sam, Miss Liberty, and Best Decorated Pet.
For more information, please call the Summerville D.R.E.A.M. office at 843-821-7260.
Directions: Take 1-26 West to Highway 17 South for about 4.5 miles to Hutchinson Square, the center of town.
Folly Beach 4th of July Celebration: Enjoy an amazing fireworks display at Folly Beach at dark. Make it an all-day celebration and fish off the Edwin S. Taylor Fishing Pier, swim or stroll along the beach, or enjoy a delicious meal in one of our restaurants.
Directions: Take I-26 to downtown Charleston and turn on Highway 17 South to Highway 161 (Folly Road). Go to the end of Folly Road (about 15 minutes) to the beach.
What will you be doing for the Fourth of July?
The upcoming holiday is one of the most important to us here in the U.S., and safety is the last thing on our minds. However, every year people are hurt or killed during the celebration. For example, drunk driving increases in the few days surrounding the 4th of July, especially when it falls near the weekend. A little caution can go a long way in keeping you and your family safe.
Safe driving tips
- Always wear your seatbelt, and make sure your passengers do too.
- If you plan to drink, have a designated driver. If you drink, don’t drive.
- Increase your following distance and your awareness of other drivers. Stay off your cell phone and pay extra attention to the road.
- Minimize your time on the road between midnight and 7 a.m.
- Turn on your headlights so other drivers can see you.
- Report any suspected drunk drivers to law enforcement. Put emergency and non-emergency numbers in your cell phone and hand it to your passenger to make the call.
- Make sure your car is in good condition, that all tires including the spare are properly inflated, and that you have a first-aid kit, roadside tool kit, water, food, and a flashlight.
As you know, fireworks are legal in South Carolina, but any firework can be dangerous if handled carelessly. Sparklers, often thought to be “safe,” can reach temperatures of 2,000 degrees. Common sense will help you use fireworks responsibly.
Handling fireworks safely
- Don’t set off fireworks in any enclosed area.
- Wear safety glasses.
- Keep a hose or several buckets of water nearby at all times.
- Make sure hair is tied back and clothing isn’t loose, especially when using sparklers.
- Don’t combine fireworks hoping for a big show.
- If you have a dud, wait at least 15 minutes, hose it down, then pick up with a shovel and soak in a bucket of water.
- Always buy fireworks from a vendor. Don’t use homemade fireworks.
Have a happy and safe 4th!
Many bikers do not understand their motorcycle insurance, and in case of accident, insurance companies take advantage of that lack of knowledge and do not pay victims what they are entitled to receive. Not understanding insurance also causes bikers to carry more or less insurance than they should. Before you drive your bike again, take a moment to review your motorcycle coverage.
In South Carolina, all motorcyclists are required to carry liability insurance to cover bodily injury and property damage. The minimum amounts are $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $25,000 of property damage coverage per accident. This is referred to as 25/50/25. Remember, these are state-mandated minimums.
To determine whether 25/50/25 is sufficient coverage, think of how often and where you ride. Do you usually carry a passenger? Now think of a possible accident during a typical ride, and the bodily injury and property damage that could occur. Knowing that motorcycle riders are often hurt in accidents, do you think that coverage is adequate? Would the minimum property damage coverage replace your bike as well as repair a car you might hit?
Another option to pay for medical expenses is medical payments coverage. This pays for reasonable healthcare and funeral expenses for you and your family, even if you are at fault, for a period of one to three years.
Uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance ensures compensation for accidents where the at-fault driver is underinsured or uninsured, including hit-and-run accidents. In South Carolina, uninsured / underinsured coverage is portable, meaning it may apply to not only car accidents (whether you are the driver or passenger), but also motorcycle and pedestrian accidents. The law requires uninsured motorist coverage, while underinsured motorist coverage is optional.
In addition to liability insurance, you may wish to purchase collision and / or comprehensive insurance to cover damage to your bike. Collision coverage protects your bike in the event of a crash with an object or other vehicle, while comprehensive coverage covers damage caused by other mishaps such as flood and fire. In both cases, you have a deductible, which is the amount you pay before insurance kicks in. You choose the deductible, which affects the price of your policy. When you add both coverages to your policy, you are “fully insured.”
The first step to ensure you have the proper amount of motorcycle insurance is to look at your riding habits and determine how much will adequately protect you. In order to receive the compensation you and your family are entitled to, it’s important to know what your policy covers.
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Motorcycle associations give bikers a chance to connect with other enthusiasts and share information, discuss their travels, or simply show off photos of their bikes. We looked for the top three organizations and found that all of them offer incredible benefits to their members.
American Motorcyclist Association: http://www.americanmotorcyclist.com/
The AMA is the world’s largest motorcycle organization, and its mission is to promote and protect the motorcycling lifestyle, from weekend riding to crossing the world by bike. The Association was founded in 1924 and currently has over 225,000 members, most of them long-time riders with over 1 billion miles ridden collectively. The AMA employs a full-time staff to defend bikers’ rights and is influential in guiding legislation that affects bikers.
The lengthy list of members’ benefits and discounts includes . . .
- Email newsletters, magazines, and an exclusive members’ area on its website.
- Sponsorship of racing and riding events.
- Over 1,200 AMA-chartered clubs.
- Medical and insurance coverage while participating in AMA events.
- Organized motorcycle tours.
- AMA Roadside Assistance program.
- Discounts on products and services such as garage floor coverings, rain chaps, insurance, motorcycle lifts and transport, and lodging.
Motorcycle Riders Club of America: http://www.motorcycleridersclubofamerica.com/
Part of the North American Membership group of clubs, the MRCA focuses on helping its members build, customize, and ride. With more than 80,000 members, the Club caters to motorcycle enthusiasts and offers them a way to communicate, network, and learn from each other.
Membership offers plenty of benefits:
- Click and Win sweepstakes.
- The ability to test, review, and keep new products, such as boots and toolkits.
- An active online forum for members to share their expertise and accomplishments.
- Exclusive Club newsletter, Compression Ratio.
- Yearly subscription to Rider Magazine.
- Facebook page to comment and share information.
- Gasoline rebates.
The Antique Motorcycle Club of America: http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/
Founded in 1954, the AMCA has over 11,000 members and 54 affiliate chapters worldwide dedicated to the “preservation, restoration, and operation of old-time motorcycles.” Antique or vintage motorcycles are at least 35 years old, and membership is open to anyone with an interest in vintage motorcycles, including those who don’t own one.
AMCA benefits include . . .
- Local chapter-sponsored meetings, shows, and road runs.
- National swap meets and road runs, seminars, shows, and races.
- AMCA Virtual Motorcycle Library with historic documents.
- Online discussion forum.
- The Antique Motorcycle quarterly magazine with expert information and advertising.
- Discounts at U.S. motorcycle museums.
Which organization is your favorite and why?
If you drive a motorcycle, moped, or bicycle, you’ve probably experienced a situation where your bike wasn’t heavy enough to trigger a traffic signal change (when you drive up to the red light you have to wait longer than average for the light to turn green because the sensors in the ground are not triggered due to your low weight).
Well I’ve got good news! You don’t have to sit at these drastically long traffic lights forever.
See below for South Carolina law SECTION 56-5-970:
SECTION 56-5-970. Traffic-control signal legend.
(C)(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a driver of a motorcycle or moped, or a bicycle rider, approaches an intersection that is controlled by a traffic-control device, the driver may proceed through the intersection on a steady red light only if the driver or rider, as the case may be:
(a) comes to a full and complete stop at the intersection for one hundred twenty seconds; and
(b) exercises due care as provided by law, otherwise treats the traffic control device as a stop sign, and determines it is safe to proceed.
Visit SCStateHouse.gov to view more South Carolina Laws.
Father’s Day is approaching (Sunday, June 19, for those of you who “might have forgotten”) and it’s time to pick out a great gift for dad. Below is a list of some Father’s Day motorcycle gift ideas:
Men’s Perforated Full-Finger Gloves: These Harley-Davidson® perforated leather gloves are not only attractive, but they’re also supercomfortable and a great motorcycle accessory to have during long road trips.
Image above taken from the Harley-Davidson® website. Product can be purchased on website.
The Cruz Tools Roadtech H3 Tool Kit: Complete with “the top-grade PowerDrive™ combination wrenches, an adjustable wrench, locking pliers, LED flashlight, tire gauge, hex and Torx keys, screwdriver and more,” this tool kit is the ultimate Father’s Day gift.
Image above taken from motorcycle-superstore.com. Product can be purchased on website.
The Rapid Transit The Stack LT Motorcycle Tank Bag: Equipped with a magnetic mounting system, the 2-in-1 Rapid Transit The Stack LT Motorcycle Tank Bag is ideal for leisurely motorcycle trips. The bag features some great compartments for cell phone and eye wear storage.
Image above taken from BikeBandit.com. Product can be purchased online.
Motorcycle T-Shirt: For the dad who has every motorcycle accessory you can think of, why not get him a shirt he’ll love?
Screen grab above taken from Zazzle.com. Product can be purchased online.
MotoCentric Centrek 1 PC Rain Suit: Keep your dad safe on the roads with the MotoCentric Centrek 1PC Rain Suit. Great for rainy weather conditions, this one-piece rain suit keeps motorcyclists comfortable and dry. The suit is also equipped with reflective pieces for greater driver visibility.
Image above taken from motorcycle-superstore.com. Product can be purchased online.
What are you getting your dad this Father’s Day?
I’m excited to announce to my readers that Bikers Helping Bikers will be holding an excellent benefit event in Summerville, SC. The event takes place on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at Shooters in Summerville, with the first bike riding out at 11 a.m. The even ends at 3 p.m. at Market Street Saloon in North Charleston.Upon arrival to the Market Street Saloon, bikers will receive chicken wings, provided by the Saloon.
The benefit costs $15.00 per rider and $5.00 per passenger. This registration fee will be split equally among One Lucky Rider and Bikers Helping Bikers.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Bikers Helping Bikers, they are “a non profit organization created to assist bikers injured in motorcycle related accidents. It was created and formed by a local group of friends and fellow riders that felt driven to give back to the motorcycling community that we are a part of.”
I’ll be riding in the event, so I hope to see you there!
Contact Bikers Helping Bikers for more information about the event and how to register.
It’s that time of year to roll out the barbecues and start cooking up some summer favorites with friends and family. So what better time to host a biker-style barbecue than this weekend?
Below are a few ways to make sure that your biker barbecue is one that your friends will be talking about for years:
Food
Wings: One of my all-time favorite chefs is Guy Fieri of The Food Network. I like his style and I love his recipes! In fact, one of my favorite recipes from Guy is his Carolina Wings recipe, which combines spicy, tangy, and sweet. You’ll want to make a lot of these since they’ll go fast.
Sliders: For some tasty sliders, I suggest Emeril Lagasse’s recipe for Sirloin Sliders with Crispy Bacon and Creamy Horseradish Mayo. You’ve never tasted anything so good and neither have your guests.
Corn on the Cob: Chef Bobby Flay can teach you a thing or two about awesome barbecue. In my opinion, one of his best recipes is his Grilled Corn on the Cob with Barbeque Butter. It is truly the best compliment to any barbecue.
Potato Salad: With ingredients that include fresh lime juice, ancho chilies, beefsteak tomato, garlic, and jalapenos, Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill Potato Salad is an absolute must for a biker barbecue. It’s creamy and fresh and will knock your socks off with zing and spice.
Sandwiches: When it comes to real southern barbecue, just look to The Neely’s of The Food Network for their expert tips. With their recipe for Pulled Pork Sandwiches, you’ll never be able to find another sandwich quite like it.
Decorations
Spice up your barbecue even more with some biker-style decorations.
Some items might include . . .
- A biker cooking apron.
- Metal biker signs.
- Biker invitations.
- A Skull and crossbones tablecloth and plates.
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On August 18, 2008 at approximately 6 PM, a road rage incident took place involving a green motorcycle -V- white pickup truck. The white pickup passed on the right shoulder, clipping the motorcycle and causing it to go down on right shoulder of roadway and severely injure the biker. This incident occurred approximately 1.5 – 2 miles past Carnes Crossroads towards Cane Bay High School. If you have knowledge of this accident, please contact Uricchio Law Firm at 843- 795-9300. Biker is disabled Marine.
