Monday March 1, 2010 was a beautiful day and like a lot of other motorcycle riders I fired up my bike and went for a ride.  Brushing off the winter cobwebs I was careful to be very safe with my driving and very safe watching the vehicle drivers around me because I know that they are not looking for motorcycle riders this early in the motorcycle season.

I suspect that a 29-year-old motorcycle rider from Provo was doing the same thing - out for an early ride on his motorcycle.  Unfortunately a 19-year-old woman driving an SUV around noon made a left turn into the path of the Provo man on the motorcycle.  The motorcyclist was able to lay down his motorcycle, but still slid into the front fender of the SUV.  He was critically injured with head, chest and leg trauma.  Immediate helicopter evacuation was performed and the injured motorcycle rider was airlifted to Utah Valley Medical Center where he remains in critical condition today.

The motorcycle crash occurred near near 700 North and State Street in the Utah County town of Lindon. Police told the Salt Lake Tribune that the woman, who was northbound, told them she had glanced at her watch just before making the turn west onto 700 North and did not see the approaching southbound motorcycle.

The most common type of motorcycle crash involving another vehicle occurs when the other vehicle is turning left in front of the motorcycle rider.  I think the crash occurs for at least three major reasons.  First, the driver of the vehicle just is not accustomed to and looking for motorcycles.  We, as human beings have a tendency to see what we are looking for and if we are not looking for motorcycles on the streets we drive we simply will not see motorcycles.  Second, motorcycles are relatively small as compared to vehicles and they can be obscured from view by roadside obstacles or even the car strut that holds up the roof of the car.  Last, but certainly not least, is that because motorcycles are small they appear to be further away than what they actually are and vehicles turning left think they have all the time they need to safely turn in front of the motorcycle when in fact they do no.

I point out these common causes not to lay blame so much as to attune other vehicle drivers and motorcycle riders themselves about how left-turning vehicles cause motorcycle crashes.  We all, both vehicle drivers and motorcycle riders need to watch out for each other out there!

Utah Bike Law and its lawyers are not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

I think Harley Davidson makes a great motorcycle - I own two of them and I love them.  I love everything about them - their bulk, their gutteral rumble and their classic design.

But things are tough at Harley Davidson what with the economic recession and their core market baby boomers reluctant to plop down thousands for a bike.  To add to their woes Harley kept producing bikes in the face of slowing sales leading to a product glut.  Not only is there a glut of new Harleys out there but as times are tough for current owners there is also a glut of Harleys on the classifieds pages.  To compound their problems Harley engeged in questionable lending to help support lagging sales in 2009 and that is coming home to haunt them as these soft loans have cost Harley dearly.  Harley stock got as low as about $10 in 2009 but has rebounded to about $23 recently.

On the bright side Harley Davidson is an icon and has survived over 107 years coming through the great depression and foreign motorcycle invasion of the 1970's.  What saved them then and what will save Harley now is the loyalty of their fans.  Harley has done a great job marketing to their cadre of loyal fans.  To survive they will have to keep up thier innovative marketing programs including HOG (Harley Ownership Group) and introducing models like the V-Rod that appeals to younger riders.

A man in Colorado's Weld County was arrested recently in connection with a 2007 motorcycle crash that killed a 21-year-old woman who was the passenger on his motorcycle when they crashed.  Tyrrell Kochenower, the motorcycle driver, was arrested and is being held on a $100,000 bond.

The crash, which happened on Sept. 21, 2007, occurred near Weld County roads 29 and 74, about three miles west of Eaton. A passenger on the motorcycle, Bethany Gibson, was killed, and Kochenower was seriously injured when the motorcycle they were on skidded out of control.  Kochenower was driving the motorcycle, according to affidavits, when it ran off the road. The motorcycle tumbled for 255 feet with both Bethany and Kochenower thrown off.  The crash occurred about midnight, but the victims weren't found for more than seven hours. When found, Gibson was dead and Kochenower was alive, but he was in serious condition with a brain injury.  Further investigation alleges that Kochenower was legally intoxicated at the time of the crash.  Kochenower suffered a severe brain injury, fractured skull and collapsed lung in the crash and hospital bills in Greeley exceeded $300,000.

In Utah, if a passenger is found to be 50% or more at fault, the passenger will receive no compensation whatsoever.

Ronda Menlove, R-Garland, whose 1st District includes the rest of Tooele County along with parts of Box Elder County will be sponsoring legislation to provide a $10 discount for motorcycle and ATV riders who are wearing helmets when they receive a ticket for a moving violation.

This is a simple, fun and positive way to encourage helmet use.  It is a reminder to all riders that their safety will be increased if they wear a helmet.  However, it is not a law that will unilaterally force riders to wear helmets.  I think this is a good idea Representative Menlove - good for you - and us!

Utah Bike Law represent motorcycle riders and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City.

On July 28, 2007 Angelica Lopez was charged with negligent homicide after she lost control of her 1998 Ford Explorer and killed motorcycle rider Ben Layne.  Ms. Lopez knew the brakes of her truck were not working and she continued to drive regardless.  She chose to drive and she killed a man.  According to the Salt Lake Tribune citing court documents, Lopez exited her car exclaiming, "My brakes wouldn't work. My brakes wouldn't work."

Lopez, 26, pleaded no contest last month and Third District Judge Michele Christiansen sentenced to 80 days in jail, followed by deportation. "She didn't go out that day expecting to kill someone," Salt Lake City Prosecutor Sim Gill said Monday. "But there was criminal negligence here."

I do not think this is a stiff enough penalty!  There is a ground swell across this nation that calls for people to be held fully accountable for their misdeeds.  In New York it is now routine for prosecutors to seek stiff penalties ranging from 10 to 20 years in prison for negligent homicide that occurs when driving drunk.  What is the difference here? Assuming Mr. Layne was still working and was married with children his family will be deprived of his income and companionship forever.  Eighty days just does not seem just or right.  Of course that raises the question about what is just and right.

I do not have the answer to that question and the answer should be determined through like penalties given in like cases across the nation.  In New York if Lopez would have received 15 years in prison and in California she would have got 30 days maybe somewhere int eh middle might be more fair.  Maybe we need to change the laws.

We represent motorcycle riders and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City.

Oprah is talking about distracted driving today on her show.  As a matter of fact a local man from Utah will share his grief for causing a crash while driving distracted.

The United States is a society of multi-taskers and obsessed with electronic gagets of all types - especially our smart phones.  We talk on them, text on them, look at maps on them and even play games on them - all while driving.  Distracted driving is becoming an epidemic. Distracted driving is like driving drunk.  This is an issue especially dangerous to motorcycle riders because distracted drivers can turn in front of you claiming they just did not see you.  Of course they did not see you because they just plain old were not paying attention.  When you are propelling a two ton vehicle down the road it is a dangerous piece of equipment - just like a loaded pistol.

The tragedy is on both sides.  Of course the person injured endures pain - sometimes years of pain and rehabilitation - and those are the lucky ones.  Of course sometimes people are killed and the surviving family is left to deal with the loss.  But what about the person who was texting or taling on the smart phone?  They are not bad people and probably did not purposefully intend to hurt or kill the person they hit.  But nonetheless they caused the crash.  They have to live the rest of their lives with the knowing that they have caused great hardship to others.

One of the worst offending segments of society that drive distracted are teenagers.  Here is a video that tries to make teens aware of the dangers of texting and driving.  If you have lost a loved one or been injured as a result of distracted driving you might think that this video is offensive because it takes a light-hearted approach.  But consider teh audience - we need to do everything we can to make sure that people, people of all ages, do not drive distracted.

Here are a few links to great sites that talk about distracted driving and we invite you to become more involved but there is one very simple thing we can all do - and that of course is to pledge that you will not be a distracted driver and not use your phone at all while you drive.

National Safety Council

Focus Driven Advocates for Cell-free Driving

We represent motorcycle riders and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City.

Up until 1997 the federal government required state governments to implement helmet laws as a precondition to receiving federal money to help with maintenance of roads.  No helmet law = no federal dollars.  In 1997 the law requiring helmets to get federal dollars went teh way of slaveryand since then states have been able to determine for themselves whether or not to implement helmet laws. Texas repealed their helmet law in 1997 and since then there has been a 25% increase in motorcycle fatalities per motorcycle mile driven.

I do not argue that motorcycle deaths are not increasing but I do think motorcycle deaths are increasing for additional reasons than just repealing the helmet law.  First of all there are a lot more motorcycles on the road given the recent high gas prices.  Most of these people entering the motorcycle population are relatively new riders and are inexperienced. As a result of the increased numbers and inexperience more motorcycle riders are going to die.

In the article linked to above a professor states “this study show that it's bad public policy to repeal mandatory motorcycle helmet laws."  If public policy were simply to preserve the lives of every human within their borders I might be inclined to agree with the professor.   However, public policy is a reflection of what the people want.  If the people do not want to wear helmets and want to ride thier motorcycles free with the wind in their hair that is their choice.  That choice should not be infringed.

We represent motorcycle riders and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City.

The Deseret News reported today that 18-year-old Alma Brown is in critical condition after his motorcycle crashed into a semitrailer.  The crash occurred at 2850 N. State around 7:00 pm.  Brown was reported to be traveling north and according to witnesses was speeding and recklessly driving in and out of traffic.  The article says that Brown crashed into the left rear of a car that was hauling a semitrailer.  The car was in the fast lane traveling west on 2850 North and was completing a left turn onto State when the crash occurred.  Brown was taken to McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden in critical condition.  Police are investigating the crash.

There are a couple of points that need to be made here.  First is whether the reporting is accurate.  Unless the car was some type of prototype I am unaware of any car that can haul a semitrailer.  Second is the report witnesses.

Witnesses to a crash are notorious for false reporting especially when reporting on speed of motorcycles.  I have a video on my website titled Optical Illusions & Motorcycles that might explain why witnesses mistakenly report the speed of motorcycles.  Furthermore, if these witnesses seen Brown recklessly speeding some time before the crash and did not actually see him recklessly speeding at the actual time of the crash their testimony might be kept out of evidence.  Motorcycles can accelerate fast and they can decelerate fast and whether Brown was speeding and reckless at the time of the crash is another matter entirely.

Utah Bike Law is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

We represent motorcycle riders and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City.

The Salt Lake Tribune reported that on January 1, 2010 Karen Baker of Payson Utah was a passenger on a 2008 Harley driven by her husband in California.  They were probably enjoying a beautiful ride starting off the new year right.  The Baker motorcycle were fifth in line of a group of bikes when a vehicle on Highway 18 just west of Lucerne Valley in California stopped to make a left hand turn.  For whatever reason it appears that Colton Baker was unable to stop in time and their motorcycle veered off teh road and flipped throeing both Bakers off.  Both Bakers were wearing helmets but it appears that Karen's helmet came off and she struck her head killing her at the scene of the crash.  Colton Baker suffered only minor injury.

Group riding can be dangerous.  the lead rider needs to be a seasoned rider and be aware that each rider behind has an increased delay in reaction time to respond to dangers ahead.  There is a great article for everything about group riding at motorcyclecruising.com.  You need to read this article before leading or being a rider of a group of motorcycle riders.

Utah Bike Law is not representing any of the parties mentioned in this article at the time the article was posted. Our information source is cited in the article. If you were involved in this incident or a similar incident and have questions about your rights and options, call us or another reputable law firm. Do not act solely upon the information provided herein. Get a consultation. The best law firms will provide a free consultation. We provide a free, confidential consultation to not at fault persons named in this article. The free consultation offer extends to family members as well.

A four ton bronze sculpture by Jeff Decker named "Land Speed" was stolen from the front of Timpanogos Harley sometime this past Friday night.  Obviously heavy machinery was required to abscond with the sculpture.  "Land Speed" was mounted on top of a huge boulder and all is gone - including the boulder.

Lindon police are asking anyone who saw a crane or forklift in the area Friday morning to call them at 801-229-7070.  The piece is valued in excess of $100,000.  I think the sculpture is beautiful and the people who stole it should return it - let's say if it is returned by midnight this coming Friday no questions will be asked!

Too late!  It appears that the sculpture was "stolen" by the artist.  KSL reported that the Harley dealer declared bancruptcy some time back and Mr.Decker may have simply reclaimed his work.  The legalities are murky but the bankruptcy court will probably have the final say in the matter.

Utah Bike Law is a law firm dedicated to representing injured motorcycle riders and their families. If you or a loved one were involved in a motorcycle crash in Utah we invite you to call for a free confidential consultation. There is no obligation and you are not charged any fees whatsoever unless we recover money for you.