How Not to Get Hit by a Car
A lot of my practice involves car-on-bike collisions that results in serious injuries. A bike has no chance against a motor vehicle, and many drivers don’t look out for cyclists. When you ride on shared roads, you can only trust your judgment and cannot rely…
Bike Lanes: Sometime Yes, Sometimes No.
Bike lanes are a simple concept; they’re supposed to be a separate lane for bikes that provides cyclists with a bit of safety. They seem like a good idea, and they are if the bike lane provides a clean, safe place to ride. However, this…
Biking on a Sidewalk: Do or Don’t?
The General Answer: Do not ride on the sidewalk. When it comes to biking on a sidewalk, the most important factor to consider is safety, and in general, it’s not a very safe thing to do for an adult cyclist. A cyclist on a sidewalk faces…
Dallas Bike Lanes or a Shift in the Zeitgeist?
Maybe you have noticed these emblems in the roads with a bike and arrows. These are called “sharrows” and they are there to advise motorists that bicyclists use that road. According to the Dallas Morning News, there are now 32 miles of roads with “sharrows.”…
How Your Auto Policy Can Protect You When You Are Riding Your Bike
Too often I handle bike cases where there is just not enough insurance coverage. The minimum required coverage in Texas is $30k, and if you are hit by a car while riding your bike, your losses could be way more than that. More than 15%…
Don’t Own or Drive a Car? Get “Non-Owners Coverage”
If your only form of transportation is a bike and you don’t have auto insurance, it is important that you get either “non-owner’s coverage” from an auto insurer, or some type of cycling specific insurance (“Velosure”) that can protect you if you are involved in an accident. What Is…
4 Tips for Biking in the Fall
Biking in the fall can be a very relaxing, especially after suffering through the summer heat. A cool breeze, quiet roads, and more forgiving temperatures make rides a lot more enjoyable. However, there are some special considerations you want to take when you are biking in…
What if I crash because of some defect (pothole) in the road?
Generally, you cannot recover because of a defective condition on a roadway or on a bike path. Roads and bike paths are built and maintained by government entities. In general, a claimant cannot sue the government unless the government gives permission to do so. That…
Do bicyclists have the “right of way”?
It all depends. In the Texas Driver’s Handbook it says “in every situation, right-of-way is something to be given, not taken.” And as a cyclist, you just can’t take something that is not being given. Yes, legally you are right and you had the right-of-way,…
If I am injured while riding my bicycle, what parties can I recover damages from?
In general, the other driver’s insurance company, and your auto insurer under the PIP/UM portions of your auto policy.