Category: Biking Elsewhere

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Lock Strategy

[B’ Spokes: I have a back up mountain bike that has been a pain to lock till I came across this:]

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People tend to buy the big clunky U-locks because they don’t know how to use them properly. A U-lock should go around the rear rim and tire, somewhere inside the rear triangle of the frame. There is no need to loop it around the seat tube as well, because the wheel cannot be pulled through the rear triangle.

Some will object that felons might cut the rear rim and tire to remove the lock. Believe me, this just doesn’t happen in the real world. First, this would be a lot of work to steal a frame without a useable rear wheel, the most expensive part of a bike, after the frame. Second, cutting the rear rim is much harder than you might think. Since the rim is under substantial compression due to the tension on the spokes, it would pinch a hacksaw blade tight as soon as it cut partway through. Then there are the wire beads of the tire, also difficult to cut.

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It is the bicycle only that has succeeded thus far in giving a new motor to mankind for individual locomotion

from How We Drive, the Blog of Tom Vanderbilt’s Traffic by Tom Vanderbilt

Reading an enthusiastic account of bicycling in New York City from this 1879 (!) article from the New York Times, I was curious about the reference to the sort of wonder skate referred to as a possible rival to the personal rapid transit offered by the bike. It almost sounds like a proto-roller blade. Anyone know what this is, have any references, etc.?

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Driver Hits Cyclist in Utah Construction Zone

by Kenneth L. Christensen

KSL reported that a driver caused a Utah bicyclist versus car accident at one of Sandy’s busiest intersections October 21, 2010. Construction at the intersection at 10600 South and 1300 East has created chaos in the area. The roads are partially destroyed and there are construction crews everywhere. In addition, many of the lanes are very narrow. The incident occurred around 6:50 a.m., while it was still dark. A cyclist was headed west on 10600 South when the driver of a car coming in the opposite direction made a turn in front of the bicyclist. They collided, launching the cyclist five feet from the car. Investigators say the driver was concentrating on making a narrow turn and trying to avoid hitting another car. Nonetheless, according to Utah Bicycle Laws, the driver of the car would be liable for this accident as the bicyclist clearly had the right-of-way.

Many bicycle traffic accidents can be prevented if we simply keep a better lookout for pedestrians and cyclists. Though many people think that bicycling is especially dangerous, bicycling is actually generally safe. Cycling has lesser deaths per mile as compared to pedestrians and lesser fatality per hour as compared to passenger vehicle users.

The knowledge necessary for ensuring safety can be learned from the traffic code and from advice from other cyclists. Strength, bike handling skills, and experience are also important factors in bicycling. Before hitting the streets with your bike, be sure to get a free copy of our Utah Bicycle Accident Handbook. This book explains Utah bike laws and details what types of insurance every cyclist must have. This book is FREE at www.UtahAccidentBooks.com.

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Man riding bicycle in downtown Taunton crashes into parking meters; car hits him

Apparently a reckless cyclist plows down two parking meters, ripping the meter head off of one and then swerves into an innocent car, thankfully the driver was not charged. The cyclists may have been under the influence (how else can you explain having the power to bend parking meter poles?)
Worse reporting or police investigation ever.
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If you ride a bike, check your auto insurance

[B’Spokes : Note that I really can’t verify any of this and it’s from out of state but it might at least be a starting point.]

from Dave Moulton’s Bike Blog by Dave Moulton

If you ride a bike and own a car, and let’s face it most of us do, check your car insurance; that’s right your car insurance.

If you are hit by a car while on your bike and end up with $60,000 or more in medical bills, it will not help you if the driver at fault has only minimum legal coverage of say $25,000.

Worse yet he may have no insurance, or as is happening in more and more bicycle/car crashes, it is a hit and run. The driver leaves the scene and there is no one to make a claim against.

Most cyclists do not know that in most cases you can claim for expenses and compensation from your own insurance company, and if you are not at fault you are not penalized. However, this is only the case if you previously bought sufficient coverage on your own policy.

I was advised to do this a few years ago by an attorney friend of mine, and as a result I upped my underinsured and uninsured driver coverage to $250,000. It is advisable to carry at least $100,000 and up to $300,000. It may cost you $8.00 a month for the extra coverage, but the peace of mind it brings is worth it.

This advice was reiterated in a free book I just received called “The Utah Bicycle Accident Handbook.” As the title suggests it applies to the state of Utah, but much of the advice is good in most states.

The book also pointed out that I might consider Personal Injury Protection, or No Fault Coverage. This allows for my medical expenses to be covered immediately, instead of having to wait for the other party’s insurance to accept responsibility for the accident. If they do eventually accept responsibility my insurance company will seek reimbursement from the at fault insurer.

I had a serious bike accident a few years ago, and I was fortunate in that the person who caused the accident owned a business and had excellent auto insurance. There was also a witness who came forward, and I had an attorney who specialized in bicycle cases handle the claim.

I would advise anyone to do the same. An attorney will take a third of the final settlement, but they take no money up front, so it is in their interest to get the best settlement possible.

Insurance companies are in the business of paying out as little as possible, that is how they make a profit. In my case I would have had no idea what would have been a fair offer, or just how much they would have paid, but an experienced attorney has that knowledge and experience. 

The League of American Bicyclists has a list of attorneys who specialize in bicycle accidents 

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