1. Streets near bars at closing time.

2. Beach promenades that are chock full of pedestrians, skaters, skateboarders and gawkers.

3. Streets near hospitals.

4. Narrow streets without bike lanes.

5. Streets on holidays like the 4th of July.

6. Steep mountain roads.

7. Deserted desert highways.

8. Perilous neighborhoods.

9. Driveways where people backout without looking.

10. High school and shopping parking lots.

Here are ten other tips of advice from a bicycle accident lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a personal injury in Orange, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can help you.

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. But, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most vital thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just excellent manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get mad or start a fight.

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, place them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and go them more safely at a later point.

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it straight away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. But, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plot that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

Seventh, call a excellent bicycle accident lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other vital evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A excellent bicycle accident lawyer can save you from making a fantastic deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you reckon you will save money by not having an attorney, reckon again. A excellent bicycle accident lawyer can nearly always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most bicycle accident attorneys advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s excellent advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This nearly never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his tale and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

If you’ve had a bicycle accident in Orange County, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Orange, Fullerton, costa Mesa, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Chino Hills, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Orange Bicycle Accident Lawyer and your Orange County Bicycle Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can help you.

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1. Huge cars.

2. Heavy duty trucks.

3. Elderly drivers.

4. Uncovered road construction.

5. Out of control drivers.

6. Cars backing out of driveways.

7. Pedestrians walking out in front of them.

8. Drivers on cell phones.

9. Water.

10. Road junk.

Here are ten additional tips of advice from a bicycle accident lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a bicycle accident in Westminster, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can help you.

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. But, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most vital thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just excellent manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get mad or start a fight.

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, place them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and go them more safely at a later point.

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it straight away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. But, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plot that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

Seventh, call a excellent bicycle accident attorney as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the lawyer can gather other vital evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A excellent bicycle accident attorney can save you from making a fantastic deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you reckon you will save money by not having an attorney, reckon again. A excellent bicycle accident lawyer can nearly always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most bicycle accident lawyers advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s excellent advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This nearly never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his tale and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

If you’ve had a bicycle accident in Orange County, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Orange, Fullerton, costa Mesa, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Chino Hills, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Westminster Bicycle Accident Lawyer and your Orange County Bicycle Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can help you.

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An understanding of how bicycle accidents or a cycling accident occurs can help us to avoid them.

Most people tend to reckon that bicycle riding is perilous although the facts point in the opposite direction. Cyclists travel more miles than any other travelers on an average per accident, and they spend more hours on a bicycle compared to other travelers per accident. The fragile look of the bicycle, compare not to most other modes of transport, giving the thought of being perilous, while its maneuverability tends to prevent most accidents.

Despite the facts pointing to a bicycle being safe, it is vital to take certain precautions in making it safer. Although the rate of accidents is lesser, most bicycle accidents are either harmless or just the opposite. Riding habits vary widely and it has been observed that the rate of accidents vary widely between different groups of riders. Children are known to have about 725 accidents per million hours of riding whereas a group of UK cyclists averaged just 66 accidents per million hours. Since, cycling is an art mastered differently by everyone, skill becomes a major factor and it has been observed that many people tend to fall off a bicycle frequently while others seem to be riding eternally.

Most cyclists tend to reckon that they are plain lucky or unlucky, which is not the case. It is vital for a cyclist to work towards safer riding practices than to blame it on luck alone. It has been seen that many cyclists get involved in accidents owing to being careful. They tend to follow incorrect procedures. Cyclists riding on the incorrect side of the road or riding on the edge of the pavement are really trying to be careful in preventing accidents failing to realize that they are more prone to being hit by larger vehicles.

BBC Radio 4 collected some fascinating opinions where cyclists say they have excellent reason to ride in the road, as bike lanes are often terribly designed, even perilous.

* “In Battersea there is a cycle path on the pavement which has a gorgeous tree in the middle of it.”
* “A cycle facility near me has five gates to negotiate in half a mile (involving slowing down, stopping, opening the gate, going through, shutting the gate, back on the bike etc)… or I could use the road.”
* “Our cycle lanes offer poorer visibility than the road, run dangerously near lamp posts and road signs, and are not respected by pedestrians.”
* “In 2003 I rode from John O’Groats to Lands End and attempted to use cycle lanes where possible. On too many occasions I found myself in situations which were potentially more perilous than staying on the road, where cyclists have a legal right.”

Careful analysis of most bicycle accidents proves that cyclists are safer when they treat riding their bicycle as driving a car or any other vehicle. A motor vehicle drivers scans for other traffic on the road but does not really look at bicycles, neither does he expect a bicycle to come rushing at him from the sides or from the opposite side of the traffic.

Despite the law giving the bicycles, the recognition of being a full fledged vehicle and the riders, the rights and responsibilities of a vehicle operator, the police do not enforce them, since they reckon that a cyclist is most prone to injury.

Finally, do not on edges of the street, and fight for your rights when you reckon that the accident was not your fault. Be careful and ride your bicycle as though you were driving your car, you will be safer that way.

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1.Not choosing a budget and sticking to it.

Some people make the basic mistake of spending too much for their bike then not having enough to buy the basic accessories associated with most bikes. 

Reckon about the extra items you will need to buy, puncture repair kits, basic tools, clothing, shoes and gloves also a excellent quality pump. Allow these into your budget. Expect to pay from £250.00 to £8,000.00 for a road racing bike.

 2.choosing a bike because you like the colour and your friend has one so you want the same. Just because the colour of the frame may match the colour of your favourite cycling team doesn’t mean you’ll be able to ride like a pro. The bike may well have been poorly manufactured parts or could be assembled using just a set of pliers.

 The sales and marketing for all bike manufacturers is to make the bike appealing to the eye and to fulfill a dream of being able to ride as quick as their heroes in the Tour de France.

Avoid this mistake by choosing a racing bike that has a excellent mix of quality components and a smart paint job that is pleasing to your eye.

Here are a few pointers in choice of frame:

Just be very aware of the material of the frame which normally has a sticker on the frame between the pedals. This sticker will state the steel type, carbon, aluminium or titanium.

With some manufacturers they offer a lifetime warranty on the paintwork, so, if you have a few stone chips then take it in to the dealer where you bought the bike and get it resprayed or they will exchange the frame.

Its possible to choose an “off the peg” frame which is already painted to the manufacturers colours, or, you have a custom paint job. Take a look at posh bikes .com they have a fantastic range of limited edition paint applications for both racing and mountain bike frames. This company also airbrush an image of a ghostly face on the frame that is not reproduced on any other frame.

Carefully reckon about what you are using your bike for. Just because your mate has a fantastic looking bike and you want one the same doesn’t mean that it will be suitable for you.

3.incorrect choice of size of frame

 Probably the most vital aspect of choosing a racing bike is the right frame size. This can have physiological effects both in the small and long term if you have a bike that does not fit you. Please keep in mind that when buying a bike for a child that have a few more years growth and development. This means they will outgrow their bike within a matter of 6 to 12 months.

It may well be worth considering buying a racing bike that is a few sizes too huge for them, or, just buy a secondhand racing bike from Ebay or Cycling Weekly magazine. A excellent quality secondhand race bike will cost around £250.00.

To get the right size either visit your local bike dealer or look at the websites below for extensive advice.

Bike sizing can be a complex procedure with many different variables taken into consideration. For this reason please view the following websites to obtain the best information on the right size frame for you. I would not give any advise to what frame would fit your particular height, body size, ability.

There are now women specific frames meaning that the geometry of the frame best suited for women cyclists.

Above all your cycling experience must be enjoyable and comfortable so the choice of frame size should be a cautious one.

4.not knowing the use of your racing bike, are you going to be a  club rider, racing or time trialling.

You have chosen to ride a racing bike. At what level do you want to ride? If its to join a local cycling club and to ride the odd Sunday as a group which can be very sociable as well as improving your fitness dramatically. for this purpose an ideal racing bike would cost between £350.00 to £500.00 which is at he lower end of of the race bikes. The frame will be made from steel and the weight of the bike will be about 22 pounds. Riding in a club will also provide you with alot of knowledge and advise from other club mates.

You may want to progress to road racing? The need for a lighter and more responsive frame is advisable. Also the moving parts on the bike need to be lighter, work more efficiently and unfortunately are more expensive. The weight of a excellent quality racing bike will be 15 to 18 pounds. In road racing you get to ride at speeds up to 30 miles per hour on the flat, 25 on the uphills and 50 miles per hour on descents.

If you want to start time trialling. These are raced alone against the clock over 10,25,50,100 mile distances ten for there are 12 hour and 24 hour events where you ride as far as you can over those periods of time. You can ride these on a racing bike or more specialized time trial bikes are available.

Take some advice from the British Cycling website or just question your local cycling club if they hold any time trial events

Whatever your dreams are of cycling you should just delight in and be safe.

5.Incorrect choice of handlebar width.

Mostly overlooked by first time purchasers of racing bikes, the width of the handlebars determine the way you breath and also climb on your bike.

If your bars are too narrow for you then you will restrict your breathing due to your hands and arms are closer together. If they are too wide then your control over the bike will be poor. Please look at the websites in section 2 to achieve your perfect riding position.

To ride a racing bike uphill you will need to be out of the saddle, your weight on the pedals and hands pulling hard on the bars. It is therefore critical that your handlebars are the right width or this will cause unstable control, inability to pull hard on the bars and so causing poor position and lack of confidence on the bike.

This can be easily resolved by ensuring your bar width are roughly the same width from shoulder to shoulder, If this is not clear just take a look at the websites above on the right position on the bike.

6.not asking for discounts on accessories such as pumps, puncture repair kits, clothes, helmets, gloves.

Most bicycle suppliers want to keep you as a customer for as long as possible. They realise that you will need accessories, clothing and shoes, so, always be a small cheeky and question for discounts or even free items.

7.Not setting up a regular maintenance regime for your bike.

Either do this with your dealer or on a regular basis yourself.

Depending on how often you ride your bike, maintenance is a crucial part of keeping your bike from breaking down whilst out on a ride. You don’t want to be stuck out in the middle of know where with your bike because you didn’t spot your chain was worn out and was due to snap. Or traveling at 40 miles per hour and realising your brake blocks needed to be changed.

Even if you start racing you may not be able to start the race if your bike is seen to be unclean, not maintained and could cause an accident to yourself and other fellow competitors.

Getting into excellent habit of cleaning your bike after each ride not only reflects on you as a responsible and safe cyclist but also you can spot potential worn parts such as brake bocks, tyres and lose cables etc.

Don’t leave your bike to rust after a ride, if you have ridden in the wet then spray all the moving parts like the chain, brakes, gears and exposed cables with a excellent lubricant like GT88 or WD40. Leave for a few hours then wash off with warm soapy water. Its simpler to do this than trying to wash off rust or mud and road dirt from your bike. Apply a litle car polish to the frame and buff to a shine, this will protect the frame and make washing off the mud and road dirt.

Also reckon about your future use of the bike, you may want to sell it, part exchange for a new model or keep it as a second training bike.

If you are unsure of how to clean and maintain your bike then just question your local bike shop or the dealer that sold your bike to you. You can even set up an annual maintenance package.

An brilliant source of bike maintenance is the internet. Who knows there maybe a “How To Clean & Maintain Your Racing Bike” DVD?

8.One overlooked mistake most people make is to not insure their bike for hurt and theft.

It doesn’t matter if you just use your bike on the odd sunny day or you train everyday and race on the weekend. To insure your bike is not expensive, you could have it as part of your contents insurance at home or take out a separate insurance. If you store your bike in the garden shed or your garage make sure you secure it well. For advice on this issue contact your local crime prevention department.

9.Not getting a price comparisons between different bikes.

Browse the internet and print off price comparisons and question for a price match with your local bike dealer. They will more than likely want to keep you as a local client, realising the need for every cyclist to constantly buy “bits for their bike or even buy a second racing bike.

10.Not taking a specialised approach with your new sport.

Why not build your own bike? Buy the exact frame you want and the other parts. Don’t make the major mistake of attempting for the first time to assemble the bike yourself. Question your local bike shop to do this for you, it will cost between £50 and £100, but, its well worth the money to get it right first time.

11.Not getting the right choice of wheels and tires to be able to road race at a reasonable standard it will be a excellent thought to invest in a excellent set of wheels. Ideally carbon rims and with tubular tires, these are tires and inner tubes all in one tube. They are glued to the wheel rim with a special adhesive. These tires can be inflated to 200 ponds per square inch.

This combination of wheel and tubular set up is expensive. A more cost effective solution is to use the wheels that have been supplied with your new racing bike and invest in the best set of racing tires you can afford.

The difference between the tires can be significant, from the side walls of the tire being too soft for your weight or not providing a better rolling resistance. Reckon about a puncture resistant tape fitted between the inner tube and tire. Tire pressure will have to be checked each time before you go out on your bike. This will give you the benefit of not only a comfortable ride but also to get the full life from your tire. Its simple to check the recommended tire pressure, just look on the side walls, it will state the tire size and then the maximum pressure to be inflated.

Practice changing your inner tube so that you know what to expect when repairing a puncture on the road. Always take care to check for sharp stones, glass or thorns on the tire before refitting your inner tube.

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If you can’t afford to buy a new bike, purchasing a used bike is an option. But you must know what to look for when purchasing a used bike. If you do not know what to look for you could end up making a buy you will regret. Here you will learn what to look for and how to avoid the 3 most common mistakes people make when buying a used bike.

There are many places where a person can buy a used bike today. Each weekend there are garage sales in every community. Go early since that is when the best items usually get picked up, if you are going to buy a used bike from a garage sale.

You can also buy secondhand bikes on Craigslist or on eBay. As you will learn by reading further, never buy a bike sight unseen. What may sound like a perfect deal in an ad, can turn out to be a disaster when you truly see and ride the bike.

You want to make certain the bike will be a design that will suit your needs is the first consideration you want to keep in mind. Just because it has two wheels and you can ride on it, doesn’t mean it will do what you want it to. There are different types of bikes and each one is built to be operated in certain situations.

There are road bikes, mountain bikes, bikes designed for racing, for touring and for cruising. There are even bicycles that are hybrids that combine features and make sacrifices in other areas. A racing bike, as an example, may not be the best pick, if you plot to be riding casually around your residence.

The second thing to do is to give the bicycle a thorough, visual inspection.

Look at how it has been maintained. If there is a lot of rust and corrosion around the chain and gears, that is not a excellent sign. If the tires, as another example, are cracked or rotting that is another sign of neglect.

Here are things to look for during a first visual inspection that will give you an thought of how the bike has been cared for and how much work it will need to be safe for you to ride:

• Check the condition of the brakes, the cables and pads. Check to see if they work.

• How does the chain look? Does it run smoothly? Are there any teeth missing in the gears?

• Do the handle bars feel secure?

• How do the tires and rim look? Are the tires worn? Are they properly inflated? Do the wheels spin right without wobble?

• What does the frame look like? Is there much rust on the bike? Does the frame look solid or is it bent?

• How do the pedals look? Is there any wear or hurt with the pedals that will need to be repaired?

Keep in mind that this is a secondhand bicycle you are buying so it will not be in very fantastic shape. But, a thorough evaluation will tell you how much it will take to get it up to safe operating condition and how much you might want to spend on it.

The third vital thing to do is take the bike for a thorough test ride. Most people just ride it a few feet in a quick circle or two. You should ride it for a longer distance and be able to really test out the gears, the brakes, the saddle the steering and the overall feel. You want to make sure you feel comfortable on the bike.

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