Eight years ago today, Rachael Maney became the Director of Bike Law and helped co‑found the Bike Law Foundation, our non-profit arm. Today, we celebrate her success in transforming Bike Law from a national network of bicycle crash lawyers into a leading voice in bicycle advocacy and safety. When Rachael joined, Bike Law’s focus was…
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Rachael: 8 Years At Bike Law!
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Paul, My Brother, Rest in Peace.
If there’s one thing we know at Bike Law, it’s that behind every cycling fatality there’s grief and a longing for justice. And sometimes justice is just understanding what happened. Paul Rucker’s story reminds us of the importance of putting aside assumptions and finding the truth. Paul wasn’t perfect. None of us are. But his family…
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Don’t bother with restitution in a bike case, unless . . .
One frequent bike accident related question I get asked many times a year is “Should I submit a claim for restitution in the criminal case against the person that hit me?” Generally, my answer is “No.” When the person who caused your accident was cited for a traffic or criminal violation, it began a sequence…
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Detroit Bikes: made in the USA
It is common knowledge that most bicycles are made in Taiwan or China these days. However, the craft of making bikes has seen a rebirth in Detroit. In the last several years, a number of small frame builders have opened their doors in Detroit, including Motorless City Bicycle Co., Detroit Bicycle Company, Shinola, and 313 Bicycle Works. These…
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Flying With a Bike: A Way Around Excessive Fees
Flying these days, with or without a bicycle, is a frustrating endeavor. Along with all the traditional hassles and stressors of flying, there is a new trend of hidden or additional fees – $25 to check a bag, $35 to check a second bag, $11 for an extra six inches of leg room, etc…. Some…
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Let’s Help CX Racers Stuck in Austin
*** UPDATE: 1/22/15: Now that all the donations are in, and the requests for funding have been processed, we have started to dole out the Relief Fund. As of this morning, we have sent out $,4410, benefiting 22 young racers! *** As most of you know, the last day of Cyclo-Cross Nationals in Austin was…
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Are Bicycle Lights Required?
Hint: It’s not just at night… Now that winter has arrived, days are shorter than at any other time of the year, and nights are longer. Adding to this, daylight saving time has ended for the year. All of this means an increased chance that you may be riding in darkness in the morning and…
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Headlight and Red Rear Reflector Required Under Iowa Law
If you have a regular 9-5 job, this time of year you’re getting off work when it’s still dark out. If you ride your bike to work or you like to get some miles in after work it’s important that you make sure you have proper lighting equipment on your bicycle, not only to make…
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Disturbing Videos Of Car Slamming Into Chicago Cyclist Helps Case
Persistent sleuthing, hard work and a little luck has brought about successful resolution of a bicyclist’s legal claim against a driver that struck him from behind last year. Our law firm represented the bicyclist, an active, physically fit 75 year old man. The case resolved for the full amount of available auto insurance coverage. The collision…
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Oregon Cyclists With Traffic Tickets Can Attend Traffic School
At Least In Some Cities. Is Your City On The List? Ride a bike, and sooner or later you will notice that drivers often receive preferential treatment under the law. Our streets are often designed with drivers in mind, with little or no thought given to cyclists. If you are hit by a careless driver,…
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Bike Crash: do I need a lawyer?
A common question from cyclists injured in a crash or accident is, “do I need a lawyer?” Cyclists can be a tough bunch. We like to figure out things for ourselves. There are two possible scenarios: (1) If the injury is serious, the injured person often thinks, this is a no-brainer, the insurance company will…
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Oregon Bicycle Helmet Laws: Your Rights and Duties
Bicycle helmets have been in the news lately. Last month, Bike Law Illinois attorney Brendan Kevenides reported that an Illinois case may have some potential to hold Illinois cyclists liable for their own head injuries if they are hit by a car and are not wearing a helmet. The day before that report came out, a study was released…
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Mandatory Sidepath Confusion
Guest post from cycling historian Dr. James Longhurst Sidepaths haven’t existed for a century – so why do we still refer to “mandatory sidepath laws”? I want to reclaim a word. As a policy historian who has spent several years writing about the brief and largely-forgotten sidepath movement of the 1890s, I sometimes get an…
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Cycling Champ Won’t Let his Child Ride on the Road
Former British pro cyclist Chris Boardman wrote a great op-ed piece appearing on the BBC website today complaining that the lack of safe traffic infrastructure makes him fear for his daughter’s safety while riding on the roads around their home. Chris is most famous for setting the world record in the one-hour track time trial three times from 1993 to 2000.…
