MotoJustice

New Orleans Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Jacque Touzet

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Motorcycle Insurance to Protect You From Idiots

Now and then, I meet riders who I consider to be “bathed in a special light.” These people can ride for years and years, and they’ll never have an accident or even get a scratch. But the rest of us will have our occasional mishaps on Sunday rides or track days.

We all love the freedom of the road and the track, and that freedom is what makes riding a motorcycle feel like an adventure compared to riding in a boring car. But we have to balance our sense of adventure with a realistic assessment of potential dangers. In other words, we always need to keep safety in mind. That means good bike maintenance, sound safety equipment, and the ability to engage our brains before twisting the throttle.

And it also calls for insurance. Simply put, you need the right coverage.

I know insurance isn’t a sexy topic. No one wants to talk about it. That’s why insurance companies try to jazz it up with talking geckos or a retro Flo. But for us riders in particular, insurance is vitally important. Most riders keep the bare minimum of insurance and otherwise try not to think about it at all. But I’m here to argue that having good insurance will increase your enjoyment of riding a bike.

Remember there are are lots of distracted drivers on the road who are not looking out for motorcycles. You have to look out for yourself.

Louisiana Drivers Don’t Have Enough Insurance

In Louisiana, the driving stats are bad. A site called Nerdwallet ranks Baton Rouge as the second most dangerous city for drivers and New Orleans as the sixth. Here in Louisiana, we are subject to some of the highest premiums in the land, and many drivers carry the bare minimum coverage, which is $15,000. That amount typically is not enough to cover the damages a motorcycle accident will incur. Bike repairs can cost a fair amount of coin, and medical care certainly isn’t cheap.

The worst part is that a lot of folks on the road don’t carry any insurance; it’s either because they neglect to keep up with the premiums or they simply can’t afford it. So if you’re hit on your bike by an underinsured or uninsured driver, you can be on the hook for a lot of money even when it’s the other guy’s fault. They might get in trouble with the law, but you can’t draw blood from a stone, and you can’t make someone who’s broke give you money they don’t have.

Uninsured and under-insured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage will help make up the difference. It kicks in when the knucklehead that hit you doesn’t have any coverage or simply doesn’t have enough.

I know that I don’t personally feel comfortable riding without adequate coverage. There was a time where I was riding my track bikes more than my street bike, and because I wasn’t out in traffic, I decided to save some money and drop my UM/UIM coverage while the street bike sat in my garage. But I still rode my street bike now and then, and when I did, I was paranoid at every stop light. I was fearful driving through every intersection that I was going to get rammed. I finally got UM/UIM coverage again, and now I have peace of mind and feel OK to ride my street bike again.

Peace of mind. It’s the old standard line of insurance marketing, but insurance really does provide it. And you really just might need to collect on a policy someday.

What Good Insurance Costs

Imagine you’re shopping around for insurance, and you have a decent driving record and no real accident history. Let’s take some easy figures for the average insurance buyer and apply it to cars and motorcycles.

If you’re looking for car insurance, you may get a quote for “full coverage” liability insurance for $300 per six months. This type of coverage will pay the bills of other drivers you might hit and protect you against theft and other non-injury losses. Then, if you ask for UM/UIM coverage, the rate may go up to $500 total. It’s not a huge jump, just another $33 per month, and many drivers choose to get the added coverage.

On the other hand, if you’re shopping for motorcycle insurance, you’ll get a much different quote. If you just want full coverage liability insurance, it may run as low as $50 for a six-month premium. That’s a lot less than the auto quote and for good reason. If a motorcycle hits a car, the damage is typically minimal, and even a damaged motorcycle doesn’t cost as much to repair as a damaged car. But when you tack on the optional UM/UIM coverage, you’re looking at maybe $450 for that same six-month period. That’s a jump of $400—eight times as much the original premium.

That sticker shock often compels the motorcyclist to waive UM/UIM coverage, because the difference is simply too great. It’s a problem motorcycle accident injury attorneys like me see all too often. Riders find it too hard to agree to that extra expense. But I’d argue that UM/UIM coverage is a must. After all, we’re riding on the streets with only a leather jacket and a helmet on to protect us from two-ton cars.

Think about it: if someone rolls forward at a stop light and accidentally taps your bumper when you’re in a car, you are safely encased in a metal structure and restrained by a seat belt, and your bumper often absorbs the shock. Not so on a motorcycle. That small hit can break your back or pull a shoulder out of socket.

A hit and run is even worse. When people are hit in their car or truck and the driver tries to flee, they can follow the offender, at least they get the license plate and then call 911. Or if the impact is significant, both cars will typically be disabled and can only limp so far before stopping. Not so with a motorcycle.

Here at MotoJustice, we have dealt with hapless souls that have been tossed from their bikes into ditches or rendered comatose while the offender simply drives away. The biker is always the worse for wear when a car or truck meets a bike at speed.

So what’s the solution to this inequity? Get as much UM/UIM coverage as possible. If you’re the victim of a hit and run, it can cover property damage and your bodily injury claim. If you don’t have it, chances are you’re out of luck.

Are you really covered?

  • You may have UM/UIM on your auto policy and think it covers you when you ride your motorcycle. Nope, it does not.
  • You may have UM/UIM on your main bike and think it covers the bike you ride only occasionally. Nope, it does not.
  • You may not have any liability insurance at all on your motorcycle but figure you’ll be OK because you’re a careful and attentive rider. Sorry, but you could be in a world of trouble. Louisiana is one of ten “No Pay, No Play” states. You are required by law to have liability insurance. If you don’t and get in an accident that’s not even your fault, your compensation from the accident will be minimized.
  • You may have health insurance, but after an accident, you will still need an attorney to help with personal injury claims. MotoJustice can help recover medical deductibles as well as compensation for lost wages, pain and suffering, future medical bills, and any future disability.
  • If you don’t have health insurance, UM/UIM is even more vital for you to pay exorbitant medical invoices.

So the message is that we motorcyclists must carry maximum liability insurance, and we strongly recommend that you get the UM/UIM coverage to match for your bike too. It may seem a little costly, but that’s the world we live in. Without it, you may be out of luck when it comes time to pay all the bills.

New Motorcycle Gear & Tech

A new year, a new array of trendy motorcycle products hit the market. Fresh options—helmets, add-ons, bike accessories, and more—provide plenty of choice, but also leave riders with a peculiar conundrum. Which options are worth the investment? What’s just hype? What’s affordable? What’s quality? The following overview is all about sorting through the filler and getting straight to the heart of the matter: recently released riding attire and bike add-ons that are worth the serious (and recreational) rider’s time.

Riding Kit — Helmets

There’s a preponderance of gear a biker can choose to wear on a ride. Most importantly though, a rider should always have a good helmet. In this category, there’s a wide range of great brands to select from, but for riders wanting to balance quality, affordability and protection, the new Bell Star Series lids stand out among the pack. Billed as Bell’s “most advanced” design to date, these new helmets feature not only an enhanced carbon fiber shell, but interior improvements in the form of the airflow, lining and face shield that keep the helmet comfortable at the same time.

Bike Essentials — Clutches & Levers

Performance upgrades are like icing on the cake for many riders, but if there’s one that makes the case for being an essential (for sport and race bike enthusiasts, at least), the Rekluse Core Clutch Kit comes closest. This auto-clutch uses centrifugal force to automatically engage and disengage based on current engine RPM. Though riders still have to shift their transmission manually, the Core Clutch helps prevent engine stalls and doesn’t require modification of any stock parts to function (making it convenient to install as well).

Of course, not all bikers desire that race-like level of enhancement. Some are just fine with smaller upgrades, like custom levers. While there are plenty of bike-specific models floating around, but options like the new Magura HC1 Master Cylinder are suitable for a wide range of cycles, and are a great choice as either a brake or clutch to improve overall performance.

High Tech — Radar Detection

Add-on gadgetry has gotten more affordable as the years go by, a fact exemplified by products like Adaptiv Technologies’ TPX Transceiver. The detector can alert riders via Bluetooth to a helmet communicator, and has the ability to sync with the latest smartphones (such as the iPhone 7), provided the Bluetooth system is capable of pairing with more than one device simultaneously.

Preventing Motorcycle Theft

Sadly, every bike enthusiast out there has to contend with the ongoing risk of theft. Regardless of a bike’s value or popularity, all of them are a target for thieves, who may steal them with the intent of stripping them for parts. Riders can keep their bikes safe by following a few easy-to-implement measures. These fall broadly into two categories: anti-theft devices and theft-prevention tactics.

Motorcycle Anti-Theft Devices

Anti-theft devices are physical obstacles that riders can implement to slow down or deter thieves from attempting to steal their bike. They aren’t foolproof, but using multiple security devices can make a criminal’s job that much harder.

Locks

Motorcycle locks come in several varieties, but their purposes are largely the same—to prevent a bike from moving until they are disengaged. Disc locks, for instance, can keep the wheels of a bike from turning. Some chain-style locks can attach simultaneously to a bike’s wheel and an anchor point, which helps keep the bike from being carried off. Bikers can use more than one type of lock to bolster their security efforts.

Advanced Ignition Security

Since clever thieves know how to disengage motorcycle steering locks and can, with enough time, cut through cables and anchors, an additional layer of security that riders can implement is improving their ignition. Bikes with keyless ignition are seen as a deterrent (though some thieves have methods of bypassing these as well). Another method is to install a removable ignition that can be taken out of the bike when it is not in use.

Alarm System/Kill Switch

Alarms use sensors to detect vibrations or tilt, which indicate that a thief may be attempting to tamper with them. Once the alarm is set off, it sounds, alerting people in the vicinity that something is amiss (and, hopefully, scaring off the bike thief). Combined with a remote kill switch, bikers can sever the connection between the battery and the motorcycle’s starter from afar, impeding a criminal even further.

Simple Theft Prevention Techniques

In addition to implementing multiple layers of physical security, bikers can engage in common-sense tactics that will reduce the likelihood of being targeted and increase the likelihood of finding their bike if it is stolen. According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, these include:

  • Parking in low-crime neighborhoods or in a public garage
  • Checking on your bike periodically if parked for an extended period
  • Parking in visible locations, within view of a camera if possible
  • Adding unique identifying markers to the bike

By following these tips and remaining cautious, bikers can limit the possibility of being a victim of theft. The more methods used to discourage thieves, the more likely they will be to target more vulnerable bikes.

New Orleans Motorcycle Culture & Community

If there’s one thing that’s nearly universal about motorcycle riders, it’s the shared sense of camaraderie and community. The practice of riding motorcycles has created fellowship among those who do own bikes and also many subcultures that center on a range of different riding experiences. That’s because motorcycle culture isn’t made up of just one group but instead of many diverse groups that share a common theme. Nowhere is this more pronounced than in New Orleans where the bike scene takes on a life all its own.

If we get a day of nice weather and you ride anywhere in the city or neighboring parishes, you’ll likely see a group of 20 young riders on 50cc Honda Ruckuses or 125cc Groms. Elsewhere, you’ll see a group of older riders on fully chromed Harleys with radios and ice chests. The sport bike scene gets even more diverse, from riders fully outfitted with race-style leathers and boots on visibly modified bikes to female riders like the Caramel Curves and Queen of Spades who barely wear any clothing at all when riding their super bikes.

New Orleans & Bike Culture 101

Some people ride because they find it relaxing, others love to tinkering and customizing, and others still just love going fast. On the whole, though, bikers generally display something of a duality in their nature. Their bikes are “sacred,” for lack of a better term. They put care and diligence into maintaining and upgrading them and get annoyed if you touch or sit on their ride without permission. At the same time, many bikers are exceedingly friendly people. They’re more than willing to share their stories along with whatever they know about life, the road and, of course, motorcycles.

In groups, riders might rally around a particular style of bike. Vintage-bike aficionados, for instance, generally gravitate toward custom-style bikes, heavily modified to enhance their appearance. The classic bike scene has a deep history in the United States, as they were instrumental in further popularizing motorcycle culture from the 1960s onward. Vintage-bike lovers have seen fads and trends come and go and some remain strong to this day. In New Orleans, they’re represented by groups like the New Orleans Custom Motorcycle Enthusiasts & Pleasure Club. True to the ethos of camaraderie, they gather, share a good time and organize group rides to further build the biker spirit among their group members.

Alternatively, motorcyclists might declare the performance bike or “super bike” their ride of choice and place emphasis on tuning that ride for optimized stats using a slew of aftermarket parts. They’ll converse on Internet forums and in real life about the best bike upgrades and proper riding form, and they might even hurl a few friendly barbs at their chopper-riding cousins for good measure. The Ducati Owners Club New Orleans (DOCNOLA) embodies some of these facets. In particular, this club has a deep love for the Ducati brand and “Ducatisti” are very passionate about the look and style of their beautiful Italian rides. In addition to taking great pride in keeping their bikes in peak operating condition, members love sharing stories about riding and tearing up the track to keep their skills at their best.

Motorcycle clubs have become a large part of the overall motorcycle “hive” mind, with a proud and rich history being written about their mystique. Though some might emphasize the “outlaw” aspects of a few of these organizations, the truth is that just as many clubs are dedicated to shared culture and respect and donate their time generously to charitable causes and fundraisers. The Annual Poker Run, hosted by the Blue Knights International Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club Louisiana II, is a prime example, as all proceeds from the event go to police-oriented and other charitable organizations. Other area organizations dedicated to charity include the Eagle Riders 518 New Orleans, who recently hosted their own benefit to raise money for Leukemia treatments. In fact, the New Orleans Mission in conjunction with MotoJustice and several riding clubs hosted for a fundraiser to benefit Homeless Veterans of War. It was a great event for a great cause, and many of the various local bike communities were present.

Some groups even center on breaking through the barriers of what is traditionally considered to be a male-dominated sphere. Here, New Orleans is leading the charge with organizations like Caramel Curves Motorcycle Club. These ladies buck the trends and have been featured in numerous articles for the passion they bring to the hobby along with their one-of-a-kind sense of style and elegance. They’re a testament to the fact that New Orleans bike culture is about as diverse as it gets, but the connection the area has to motorcycling goes even further still.

Motorcycling In & Around New Orleans

Since it opened in 2012, a CenterPoint of local motorcycle culture has been Nola Motorsports Park.  With 700 acres on the West Bank, this facility hosts track days where motorcycle owners can ride their vehicles as fast they were meant to be ridden. The park also holds safety classes, races, and other events, not to mention an atmosphere where motorcycle enthusiasts can get to know each other.

When you want to get on the open road, New Orleans and the rest of Louisiana shine with some of the richest motorcycle roads in the country — scenic routes that cover cherished historic sites, vast stretches of coast and dense woodlands in equal measure. Many have enjoyed the tranquility of riding through highways surrounded by cypress trees and swamp with only the occasional alligator crossing the road to break up the ride.

Bikers can see the Gulf and its beaches by riding up to Gulfport or Biloxi, or you can venture north to Baton Rouge or one of our state’s several wildlife areas. Or take a relaxing jaunt out to Lafayette or Lake Charles and enjoy smooth straight highway while stopping at plantations or to simply get some hot pork cracklings. If you’re a rider, no matter your individual tastes, the depth of choice offered by New Orleans and the Gulf makes it possible to experience the best of what the motorcycle community has to offer.

Photo Credit: CC BY-SA 2.0

 

5 Cool Things About Motorcycles

Why are motorcycles so fun? It’s a question that both hardcore enthusiasts and novices who might just be getting into bikes for the first time ask repeatedly. There’s a certain mystique, if you will, to the concept of riding a motorcycle down the open road. The reality, in many ways, lives up to that lofty ideal. Here are five reasons why.

Motorcycles Look Attractive

This almost goes without saying. Bikes aren’t just a mode of transportation; they’re works of art in their own right. Manufacturers put tons of effort into the design and build of their motorcycles, something that riders can then choose to further augment through various customizations. Looking at some of the creations born from the hard work and patience of master customization shops, it’s not hard to see why.

It’s Fun to Go Fast

This is one element that is hard to overstate. Many a rider will proudly proclaim that there’s no feeling quite as exhilarating as the wind rushing around them while they’re cruising down the road on a two-wheeler. It’s more than just a rush, though, it’s also a calming experience. A chance for a rider to clear their mind and meditate on their day-to-day. They just have to be savvy about riding intelligently while they achieve this Zen racing state, lest they find themselves in need of some emergency motorcycle accident help.

Commuting Is Easier

It’s not the first thing people usually think of when people think of riding bikes, but an easier commute is undeniable fact all the same. Once a rider becomes proficient, they usually come to find that motorcycles are more nimble than driving a car, easier to park and, in places where lane splitting is legal, an excellent way to get around faster. Even in regions where it isn’t, riders enjoy a reduced amount of stress when cruising on two wheels, which is more than enough reason on its own to embrace the bike.

It’s Good for the Planet

Some motorcycle enthusiasts hype the costs savings of riding a motorcycle, which, to be fair, are there. They just aren’t as great as some have been led to believe. The true savings come from the decreased footprint riders leave in terms of fuel emissions, space taken up on the road and maintenance.

There’s a Sense of Camaraderie

The community that has formed around motorcycle culture is one that has a reputation for being friendly and welcoming. A wink here, a nod there—it’s a mutual respect among people who ride. Stories abound about riders meeting some of the nicest people they’ve ever encountered while out on the road.

The Rise of Electric Bikes

Electric cars have been shaking things up in the past few years. Why not go all-in with electric bikes, too? The plan for all-electric motorcycles nearly fell off the radar for years, but, believe it or not, this idea seems to be on the precipice of a renaissance.

There’s this article, for example, about the Evoke Urban S, and this one regarding the newest line of Zeros poised to hit the market. Plenty of folks are licking their chops to get their hands on these new models.

The new options are a far cry from the electric bikes of old, and an important question must be asked: Is all-electric worth it this time around? Here’s a closer look.

Why Would Someone Want An Electric Bike?

The obvious arguments are the same ones people make for electric cars. Owners can say “bye-bye” to the gas station, they don’t need to worry about polluting the atmosphere with exhaust fumes, and they don’t have to get their hands dirty changing the oil. All fine upsides, but how do these bikes ride? Poor performance from a bike is an instant turn-off, so it might be beneficial to gain a firsthand perspective before committing.

For the Zero, at least, opinions seem positive. In Cycle World’s review of the Zero DSR, they laud the speed, throttle action and ease with which riders could flow with the rhythm of the road. They also feel that the Zero has plenty of juice to get around on daily commutes, and that charging times are more than reasonable.

When combined with the reduced cost of maintenance, there appear to be more than enough incentives to go electric.

There Are Some Drawbacks, Though

Perks are all well and good in the heart of the city. Riders in areas that are less “plugged in,” on the other hand, still have to carefully consider whether the range on an all-electric bike will be enough for their purposes. They also need to consider the initial investment of an electric bike, which, even when offset by tax credits, could be a fair bit higher than what most might be willing to pay.

So, Is It Worth It?

Here at MotoJustice, we believe the future looks promising for electric motorcycles. Electric bike technology is already progressing at an outstanding rate. If more people get hip to the idea of riding all-electric (and the infrastructure to support it nationwide becomes commonplace), it might well become a viable, perhaps even preferable, option for a good majority of bike enthusiasts.