Riding at night can be a completely different experience than riding during the day. Your visibility to other drivers is low during the day, and it’s even lower at night unless you take steps to be seen. As Charleston motorcycle accident lawyers who also ride, we’ve experienced the challenges of night riding firsthand and have some ideas to help you ride more safely.

Make an honest assessment of your bike.

Begin making your bike night worthy by determining how visible it is to others. Ask a friend to go out with you one night, with him or her driving a car while you ride your bike. Take your time, and ride next to, in front of, and behind the car. Your friend will have plenty of ideas for you to increase your visibility.

Clean your headlights for the most visibility for you and other riders and drivers. If you’ll be doing quite a bit of night riding, or if your bike is older, perhaps you’ll want to go ahead and upgrade to brighter headlights or add fog lights. Some riders also add extras to the bike, such as neon kits and running lights.

Is your gear up to the task?

Be sure your gear is heavy enough for the cooler night temperatures. You’ll want to make sure that it’s light colored or has plenty of reflective areas so you’ll be easily seen.

Are you ready to ride at night?

If you have difficulty seeing at night, visit your eye doctor for special glasses to help you see better—or consider limiting your night riding. If you tend to be a morning person, riding late at night may not be in your best interest, since you would typically be sleeping.

Exercise the same safety precautions you do during the day, but be even more cautious.

Leave more space between you and other vehicles, and wait a second or two longer after the light turns green before driving through intersections. If you typically lane split, realize that as ill-advised as it is during the day, it can be downright dangerous at night.

Assume that other drivers cannot see you, and that they are sleepy or drunk.

Inattentive, drunk, or sleepy drivers are more abundant at night—especially after the bars close in your area. Just as you should always assume other drivers cannot see you, assume that any driver you encounter at night is impaired.

What precautions do you take when you ride at night?

Have only one drink per hour.

Your liver can process the alcohol from one shot, one beer, or one glass of wine per hour. If you stay within that guideline, you won’t have enough alcohol in your system at any one time to warrant a DUI charge.

If you think you’ll have a hard time drinking only one an hour, ask for nonalcoholic drinks in between the alcoholic ones. You can also use a blood alcohol content calculator and determine how many drinks you can have per hour to stay below the legal level. To be safe, drink less than the calculator allows.

Drink early in the evening.

Some holiday revelers prefer to have three or four drinks early in the evening and then switch to nonalcoholic drinks for the rest of the night. Just make sure you wait a full hour per drink before driving home.

Avoid sobriety checkpoints.

Many cities have sobriety checkpoints set up at specific locations, in which they pull over drivers to see if they’re sober. Sometimes you’ll know ahead of time where they are, and even if you’ve had only a little to drink, you should avoid them whenever possible.

If you do go through a checkpoint and are detained on suspicion of DUI, call a good South Carolina DUI lawyer as soon as possible, and do not say anything to police that could be used against you. Know your rights and the DUI arrest procedure police must follow.

Have a designated driver.

If you go with a group, have someone be the designated driver so no one has to worry about counting drinks. Make sure your driver is responsible and truly will stay sober. Make sure the bartender knows who the driver is—often the designated driver can drink soda, tea, and coffee free.

Take a taxi.

If you end up drinking too much, take a taxi home. You can always go and pick up your car the next day. If you know beforehand that you’re likely to drink more than you should, take a taxi to the party. It may be expensive, but it’s much less than a DUI will cost you.

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If you can avoid driving when the weather turns bad, do it. However, if you need to drive, here are some tips to keep you safe and accident free.

Consider public transportation, carpooling, or a taxi.

If you are uncomfortable driving on snow and ice, explore other options for getting to work. You’ll feel much better and stay safer, and you’ll avoid causing problems for other drivers.

Make sure your tires have plenty of tread.

Your tires need a tread of at least 6/32” to be safe, and more is better. Have your mechanic measure your tread depth.

Slow down.

As Charleston car accident attorneys, one of the most common mistakes we see people make in the winter is failure to slow down. Your car is not as maneuverable on snow and ice as it is on dry roads, and you cannot stop as easily. Driving more slowly means you are less likely to lose control of your vehicle, and it takes less time to stop it.

Leave plenty of room, and stay alert.

Allow at least three times more space between your car and any vehicle in front of you. You need this cushion in case you need to stop your car. Your driving needs to have your full attention so you can anticipate slowing down or stopping. Put down the cell phone, the food, and anything else that may be distracting you.

Brake gently.

Do not suddenly hit your brakes on snow and ice, as you may put your car into a skid or a slide. Watch the cars around you to judge if you need to slow down. If you do not have antilock brakes, pump them gently to avoid locking. If you do have antilock brakes, keep the pressure to the brakes steady and they will pump themselves.

Let the car’s transmission help you.

If you have a car with manual transmission, drive one gear lower than you normally would for the speed you’re traveling. If you drive an automatic, put it in a lower gear than “D”. You’ll be driving more slowly and won’t need to use your brake as much. Do not use overdrive on snowy or icy roads.

Do not use cruise control when the roads are wet.

On wet roads, no matter the temperature, you lose control if you use cruise control. Even if no one else is around, leave cruise off.

If you slide . . .

Take your foot off the gas. If you have rear-wheel drive, steer in the direction you want to go. If you have a front-wheel-drive car, put the car in neutral until you regain control, then steer in the direction you want to go.

As you would in the summer, make sure you have plenty of windshield washer fluid and that your wiper blades are in good shape. Keep the inside of the windshield clean, and ensure that your headlights are visible whenever possible.

What’s your best winter driving tip?

Assume that no one can see you.

While driving defensively is always a good idea, when you’re on a motorcycle, it’s a must. With all the distractions that car drivers have, they often aren’t paying attention like they should—and if you’re on a bike, you’re likely to lose in an accident.

Make yourself visible: turn on your headlight, wear brightly colored clothing and gear, and use hand signals as well as your bike’s turn signal. As you approach the intersection, be sure to stay out of drivers’ blind spots. Changing your lane position once or twice increases your visibility to those around you. Even a slight variation in your position will get the attention of drivers.

Have an escape plan in mind.

If you anticipate possible trouble spots as you ride, and create an out for yourself, you’ll know exactly what to do in case you have a problem. For example, if you ride in the middle lane, you have an extra lane to move into if you need it. If you ride a specific route each day, you’ll learn the traffic patterns and trouble spots and know what to do to have a smoother and safer ride.

As you enter an intersection, slow down.

Drivers turning left in front of bikes cause a large percentage of accidents, and if you’re riding fast through an intersection, you have less time and space to slow down. Don’t assume that no turn signal means no turn; many drivers fail to use them. Slow down and look in all directions as you proceed through the intersection—and do not change lanes while you are in the intersection unless absolutely necessary.

If you are at the front of the line when the light turns green, look both ways before proceeding in case someone runs the red light.

Always allow more space than you need.

Never tailgate, and stay as far back from the car in front of you as possible. If a vehicle is tailgating you, pull over and let it pass. You do not need to prove a point to anyone, and road rage is something you want to avoid, especially while on a bike.

Reconsider lane splitting.

Not only is it illegal in many states, it’s dangerous. It might save you a few minutes, but you run the very real risk of someone pulling out in front of you or hitting you. It’s not worth it.

As  South Carolina motorcycle accident attorneys who also ride, we know how challenging it can be to ride. Stay safe!

Know what bed bugs are and what they look like.

Bed bugs feed on blood at night and disappear during the day. Their bites leave red marks or welts, which often appear in a row on your arms or legs. The Cornell University Cooperative Extension has created a card to take with you when you travel to show you what bed bugs look like and how to inspect your hotel room.

Research the hotels or motels you plan to stay in.

The Bedbug Registry at http://bedbugregistry.com/ is a database of bed bug reports from around the U.S. and Canada. Google the name of each hotel or motel with the words “bedbug” and “bed bug” to see if anyone has reported them. You can also check with sites such as tripadvisor.com and hotels.com to see if there are any negative reviews related to bed bugs.

Call and talk to the desk clerk.

Most reputable hotels and motels are keenly aware of the problem and proactively spray regularly. If you call and the desk clerk seems evasive or doesn’t want to talk about their bed bug control plan, find another place to stay.

Inspect your room before you bring luggage in.

Get out a flashlight and look for blood spots, bugs, shed skins, or feces (which look like pepper) in corners, cracks, and crevices near the bed. Search around the headboard and the mattress, especially near stitching and seams. Check the bed frame, bed ruffles, and where the sheets tuck in. See if the sheets, pillows, or pillowcases have old blood spots. Open the drawers of bedside tables, and check upholstered furniture, behind pictures, and inside drapes.

If you do find evidence of bed bugs, ask for another room, but do not accept one that is adjacent to the infested room. You’ll need to repeat the inspection in the new room.

Keep your luggage and possessions away from possible infestation.

If your room passes inspection, do not assume all is well. There could be a recent infestation from the guest before you. Do not put anything on the bed or on the bedside table. Always keep your luggage and bags (including purses) on racks away from the wall, on tables with metal legs, or in the tub. Buy some plastic bags that seal to put your bedclothes in, and do not add them to your regular luggage.

After you get home . . .

While just one pregnant female can start an infestation in your Folly Beach, Ladson, or St. George home, the good news is that bed bugs cannot live in very high or very low temperatures. When you return home, leave your suitcases outside, and wash and dry all your clothing (plus purses and bags if possible) on the highest temperature settings possible to kill any hitchhikers. If you cannot wash or dry something, put it in the freezer for at least three weeks.

Do you have any additional tips to avoid bed bugs?

Kentucky, the Bluegrass State, is a land of unparalleled beauty and history—perfect for motorcycle trips. Following are a few of the scenic routes you won’t want to miss, and keep in mind that helmets are required for riders under 21 and eye protection is mandatory.

Red River Gorge Scenic Byway

Begin in Stanton, KY, and continue along the Red River through the picturesque gorge, or get off your bike and canoe the river and enjoy the tranquility. A few minutes down the road, you’ll reach the hand-carved Nada Tunnel, which is a fascinating drive. When you reach Raven Rock, be sure to stop and see the natural stone arches of the Red River Gorge Geological Area.

This area offers several natural wonders, sights, and historic sites:

• Clifty National Wilderness Area
• Dozens of arches, including Angel Windows and Sky Bridge, the largest arch in Red River Gorge
• Gladie historic logging site
• Natural Bridge State Resort Park
• Sheltowee Trail, used by Native Americans and Daniel Boone

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Since 1999, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail has educated visitors about the long, proud tradition of Kentucky whiskey making. When Kentucky was settled, farmers found that the mountains posed an obstacle to getting crops to market, so they converted their crops to whiskey and shipped it in oak barrels. Bourbon County was where the barrels shipped from, so the whiskey became known as Bourbon.

The Bourbon Trail includes stops and tastings at the following distilleries:

• Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg http://www.fourroses.us
• Heaven Hill Distilleries in Bardstown http://www.heaven-hill.com
• Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont http://www.jimbeam.com
• Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto http://www.makersmark.com
• Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg http://www.wildturkey.com
• Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles http://www.woodfordreserve.com

Other attractions near the Trail include The Bourbon Chase http://www.bourbonchase.com, the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History http://www.whiskeymuseum.com, and the Kentucky Bourbon Festival http://www.kybourbonfestival.com.

**Of course, drink responsibly, and if you run into trouble, find a good DUI lawyer immediately.

Country Music Highway

Located in eastern Kentucky, this route commemorates country music with stops at several sites of interest:

• Paramount Theater in Ashland, home of Billy Ray Cyrus and Naomi Judd
• Kentucky Pavilion, with memorabilia from Dwight Yoakam and Ricky Skaggs
• Butcher Hollow, the childhood home of Loretta Lynn and Crystal Gayle, with tours of the actual cabin they lived in
• Mountain Arts Center, home of the Kentucky Opry and Kentucky mountain music

Which trip would you prefer, and why?

For many bikers, their favorite childhood memories revolve around their family and motorcycles or dirt bikes, and they pass this love along to their own children. If you’re new to biking and would like to get your children involved, here are a few tips.

Begin as early as possible.

Young children tend to be fearless, and the motorcycle will fascinate them. If bikes are part of their lives from a tender age, they are less likely to be afraid of them and more likely to enjoy riding them.

However, if something goes wrong, the child may become so fearful of motorcycles that he or she never rides again. If you are new to riding yourself, you may wish to wait a year or so until you’re confident in your riding ability—or ask a biker friend to help you introduce your kids to motorcycles.

Ignore the naysayers.

Well-meaning family members or friends may try to discourage you from teaching your children to ride. Remind them that this is no different from taking them fishing, skiing, hiking, or go-cart racing. As motorcycle and auto accident lawyers who handle all types of accident cases, we know that many outdoor activities can be dangerous to children without appropriate adult supervision and common sense. Biking is no more or less hazardous than other activities.

Start slowly.

If you’re ready to introduce your child to biking, you can try several things:

• Take your child to a motocross track or other dirt bike gathering to watch—preferably one where children are riding.
• Introduce your child to other kids who ride.
• Buy your child some protective gear and allow him or her to get used to it.
• Ask your child to help you wash or work on the bike.
• Sit on the bike while it’s off, put the child in front of you, and let him or her grab the handlebars and pretend to ride.
• Start the bike, safely set the child on it, and let him or her acclimate to the sound and feel.
• Take the child for a short ride across the street.

Be ready to stop at any time.

Do not push your child to go farther than he or she is willing. This is not to say that you shouldn’t encourage your child to face fears, but if he or she expresses extreme reluctance or has a fearful reaction, back off a little and try again later.

Every child reacts to bikes differently, and each has his or her own timetable for learning to ride. Be aware of your child and adjust accordingly. What tips would you offer for teaching kids to ride?

Put the accident or injury in perspective.

How long have you ridden without an injury or accident?

Thousands of miles? Tens of thousands of miles? More?

How many years have you ridden injury- and accident-free?

When you start thinking of your riding by the numbers, you’ll see that while the injury was a significant event at that point in time, in the grand scheme of things it’s not as significant as you thought it was.

Think about what you could have done differently, if anything.

Was the injury your fault, or someone else’s? If it was yours, think about what you could change to reduce your risk in the future. Usually one tweak will make a tremendous difference. If you were lane splitting, perhaps you’ll stop or do it only in specific circumstances. If you weren’t wearing a helmet, maybe now is the time to start.

And sometimes an accident is just that—an accident. Don’t let what happened in a single moment stop you from doing something you enjoy.

Consider a new level of protection and perhaps a safety class.

Helmets, leather, and other protective gear reduce your chances of injury, but are a choice only you can make. For some, this gear is uncomfortable, while others feel it hampers their movement or ability to ride. A safety class will increase your confidence and remind you that while biking can be dangerous, you do have some control over what happens to you.

Take it slow.

If you’re feeling nervous about riding, start easy.  Ride on the back of someone else’s bike, or cruise around your neighborhood before taking your bike on the highway. Ride alone for a while before taking on passengers, or ride during periods of less traffic. You’ll build your confidence back in no time—just take your time and ease back into it.

Remember: the longer you stay off your bike, the harder it will be to get back on. Your bike is the same machine you happily rode before the injury, and it has many miles left on it.

Do what you love and enjoy your life—get back in the saddle and ride!

What are your thoughts and advice for getting back on a bike after a motorcycle injury?

Here’s What You Need to Know

Have you been reading this blog because you’re new to biking and not sure if it’s right for you? If so, we have a few ideas to help you get off the fence about buying a motorcycle and joining us in the exciting world of biking.

Talk to other bikers.

Don’t be afraid to walk up to bikers and ask them about their experiences. Most of them love to talk motorcycles, especially to anyone who is curious and thinking about becoming bikers themselves. Buy them a beer and ask away, and don’t forget to find out what they wish they had known about motorcycles and what they would have done differently. You want to hear the positive and the negative.

If possible, talk to someone who is approximately your height and weight and find out what kind of bike they ride and why, so you can get started on the next step.

Research different types of bikes.

If you don’t buy the right bike, you won’t want to ride it. There are several different types of bikes, and it’s well worth your time to do your research. Go to websites like Cycle Trader and Motorcycle.com to get a feel for what’s out there. Go to a dealership and sit on a few bikes to decide which handlebars you like. You can also read this post for more ideas to determine your perfect bike.

Know the traffic laws.

As motorcycle accident lawyers, we regularly talk with people who weren’t as knowledgeable as they could have been about traffic laws. Our website has a link to South Carolina motor vehicle law, and we always advise new riders to familiarize themselves with the law before riding.

Put safety first.

Do you plan to wear a helmet? How about leather? The more you can protect yourself in case of accident, the better. Remember that when you’re riding, you’ll be much smaller than a car and not easily seen. You want to assume you’re invisible to drivers, so you’ll always need to leave plenty of space between you and other vehicles. For some, this can be very stressful and cut down on the enjoyment they expected to have while riding.

Taking a motorcycle safety course is a good way to become knowledgeable about ways to help drivers see you and to keep yourself safe in traffic.

Try before you buy.

If you have a friend that’s a biker, perhaps he or she could give you a little taste of what riding is like. You could ride on the back of a bike, or maybe get a riding lesson. Try biking to see if you like it before you jump into it.

Find out how much everything will cost.

Once you’ve determined which bike you’ll need, find out how much everything will cost. Add the cost of insurance, licensing, safety equipment, clothing, and safety courses.

And finally, go with your gut. What is it telling you to do? Are you ready to ride?

Do you have any ideas for those new to motorcycles?

You’ve given it a lot of thought, acclimated your dog to the motorcycle, and decided you want to take your dog riding. Now what?

It’s time to decide which accessories and safety items your dog needs. Keeping your dog safe and secure while you’re able to ride safely isn’t always easy. Depending on your dog and your riding style, you’ll need to outfit him or her comfortably with the following items.

Helmet

Typically made from the same ABS plastic used in hard hats, dog helmets guard from sun, wind, and injury, and they’re perfect for any time you take your dog with you, not just on the bike. Just as human helmets do, dog helmets come in a variety of shapes, styles, and colors, so you’ll be able to find the perfect one for Rover. You can also buy doggie doo rags, soft hats, and bandanas for when you’re taking a break from the road.

Doggles

These combination sunglasses and goggles protect your dog’s eyes from sunlight, wind, and flying objects. Doggles are widely available and come in several styles and colors.

Leather jackets and vests

For protection and fashion, leather accessories come in a wide variety of styles and colors, ranging from hooded jackets to raincoats. Make sure that leather doesn’t make your dog too hot, especially if he or she is dark colored or has a double coat.

Carriers

The carrier choice you make will depend on several factors: your dog’s size, how well he or she rides, where you prefer him or her to ride, and how well your dog will be protected. Carriers range from rear-mounted duffel bags to backpacks and from saddlebags to doggie seats.

No matter which carrier you choose, it needs to mount securely on your bike, and it needs to be durable enough to protect your pup in case of accident. While riding, your dog should have plenty of fresh air and enough wiggle room to be comfortable, and there should be nothing inside the carrier that pokes.

As South Carolina motorcycle and auto accident attorneys, we’ve seen a few sad cases where dogs were hurt or killed due to improper gear. If you ride with your dog, how do you dress him or her, and what type of carrier do you use?