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The biker community is one of kinship, camaraderie, and fun. We can attest to the fact that being a social biker adds a new dimension to the riding experience and benefits everyone involved.
In fact, anyone who rides is a member of the motorcycle club; the subgroups differentiate themselves in many ways. Ninety-nine percent of motorcycle club members conduct themselves with the utmost in dignity and respect. The motorcycle riders often portrayed on television are what bikers call the one-percenters—the 1% who give everyone else a bad name. These groups are not gangs, and prefer not to be addressed as such.
Security.
Joining a club or biker’s group gives you safety in numbers. When you’re traveling, you have people there to lend a hand in case of breakdown. If you need help with a personal issue or a legal issue such as running from blue lights, you have a safe place to talk and many minds to help you come up with a solution.
Brotherhood or sisterhood.
A biker club is like any other club: it’s a group of friends you can trust. They’ll help you and your family any time you need it (and keep it quiet), make sure you’re all right, and do what they can. The words “brotherhood” and “sisterhood” describe perfectly what bikers consider their club to be.
Many, if not most, biker’s groups do good works for charity, and those organizations will tell you that the bikers are the most generous and dependable donors and volunteers they have. Typically, bikers are generous with their time and money and consider it their mission to help those who are less fortunate.
Companionship.
The bonds of friendship fostered in a biker’s group are long-lasting and deep. These are true friends and great companions who are dedicated to each other and consider themselves brothers and sisters—friends for life.
The latest information about legislation.
In every club, there are a few who stay abreast of the latest laws and regulations pertaining to motorcycles. Also, with so many people involved, the club stays informed about the biker’s life in general and relays that information to the rest of the group.
Are you in a club, and what’s your favorite part of belonging to the group?
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.
One of our favorite places to find great information and news pertaining to motorcycles, pets / animals, Charleston, and law is on Facebook.
Below are just a few of our favorite Facebook pages that we’d like to share with our blog readers. We hope you find them as wonderful and as beneficial as we do!
See below for 5 of our favorite Facebook pages:
ATP Gun Shop & Range’s Facebook page is a great place to find upcoming shooting education classes and learn about local gun shows and events.
We love the Lowcountry Harley-Davidson Facebook page because it provides great information on motorcycle parts, brands, products, and biker lifestyle.
Tri-county Bikers Helping Bikers
The Tri-County Bikers Helping Bikers Facebook page focuses on this non-profit charity organization that works to help raise money for injury motorcyclists. We are a huge supporter of this organization and hope that you will be, too. We enjoy visiting their Facebook page to learn about upcoming biker events in the lowcountry, as well as news and information pertaining to the South Carolina motorcycle community.
We love the Charleston Animal Society because of their mission to help the animals of the greater Charleston area. We also support their mission to educate animal owners on how to care for their pets.
We’re huge supporters of local animal organizations and shelters, which is why we love Lowcountry Paws. This organization works to educate people about local animal events, pets up for adoption, and more.
You can also Like us on Facebook by clicking here.
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.
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