John and Rhiannon took plenty of photos from last weekend’s action at Aberdare Park for the road races…

David Saul from Rochester in Kent came in to our offices on Wednesday to pick up his brand new CCM R35 with the prize card he collected at Tail End last year

David is a contract manager for a steel fabrication company and despite being very busy he still manages to get out on his array of motorbikes, whether that is on the road, track or green laning.

David’s other bikes include a Kawasaki ZX10R, a ZX7R for track use and a KTM 250 EXC Enduro. He has just sold a CRM250 – just as well really as he now needs to make room for the CCM R35, unless anyone wants to build him a bigger garage.

A new government run website has been launched that allows the public to suggest changes to the law

The website is designed to allow the general public to input their ideas into how laws should change and to comment on other submissions, to quote “identify anything which looks unnecessary, pointless, or just downright daft”. Some of the suggestions under the heading of motoring and motorcycling include:

• Abolish Car Tax and put on Fuel
• Make the speeding laws work FOR road safety
• Allow Motorcycles to use Bus Lanes
• Remove the 25Kw restriction for motorcyclists under 21
• Review Speeding Laws
• Speed Limits – Restore The 85th Percentile Rule
• Remove Fixed Speed Cameras

It’s a sad day in the White Dalton Offices today as we wave goodbye to my Ducati 600SS (I finally had to agree with others that I really wasn’t likely to ever ride it again as it was no match for the Triumph 675).

The bike was sold to Dave Wood Racing who specialise in road and race preparation for motorbikes as well as literally everything else motorbike related.

Dave is a great, straight-talking kind of guy who has done several bike MOTs and servicing through the years for employees of White Dalton and he has crazily now agreed to sort out the mass of electrics John is hoping to add to his beema.

I am pleased the Ducati has gone to him for resale, and I hope it then goes on to a deserving new home. Meanwhile I will continue to enjoy getting out and about on my Triumph

Our bus will be at a “Help for Heroes” charity event at Victoria Park Community Centre in Taunton Saturday 12th June 2010.

Whilst this is not a bike show as such, we were invited by Judy Gaden, mother of Corporal Tom Gaden who died in action serving with 1st Battalion The Rifles on 25th February 2009.

His parents are organising a thank you for people who have shown support and Tom’s home town, and Tom was a biker as well as a soldier. It would mean a lot to Tom’s family if there was a big show of bikers there.

If you can spare the time, have a ride out and show your support, buy a wrist band and show our armed forces that our community of bikers  support them.

Corporal Tom Gaden

23 November 1984 to 25th February 2009.

Soldier, son, fiancé and rifleman.

The Rifles – “Swift and Bold”

Defence News – www.mod.uk

Saturday the 3rd July 2010 sees the start of the second Allied Memorial Remembrance Ride, hosted by the Royal British Legion Riders Branch

Two rides are to take place, one in the UK in Cambridgeshire and the other in the US in Texas, both ending in a short service. The UK ride will end at the American War Cemetery in Madingley after which there will be a barbecue at a local pub. For more information on the Memorial Ride please visit www.alliedride.org, the official website for the event, where you can register and view photos and videos of last years ride.

Some photos of us at the Ace Café Margate Meltdown last weekend

The key about evidence is to get the best evidence you can from the scene of the motorcycle accident.

Camera phones are excellent but download the photos. I was recently in court on a road surface accident case where a witness had the presence of mind to photograph loose gravel, but then her phone got stolen, before the photos were downloaded.

Also, don’t be reluctant to get the police to show up at the scene of the motorcycle accident. Their reports are far from perfect but people tend to speak honestly to the police about what they saw.

Be nice to the eyewitnesses. Most are sympathetic to injured bikers (so long as you don’t go ballistic at the scene of the accident) and they are much more likely to help us. We work very hard to get eyewitnesses to give a statement but I really don’t recommend you get witness statements yourself. There are fairly relaxed rules about witness statements but taking them is a skill. Also your witnesses need to say what they saw at the accident scene, not just what you want them to say. A witness statement that is clearly biased carries no weight with a Judge. It is also very easy to destroy in cross examination.  Also if the witness statement contradicts the police statement the Judges will always start off preferring what was said to the police before the lawyers got their hands on to it.  I still enjoy the moments in cross examination of a defence witness (and it has happened quite a few times) when the witness says “The solicitor told me to say that” and my personal favourite, by a lovely witness down in Devon who said at trial “I did not sign the witness statement because the insurer would not let me put what I wanted. The motorcyclist did nothing wrong and the defendant reversed into him round a blind corner. I didn’t sign it because it is not what I saw but what they wanted me to say.”" Even the Judge couldn’t resist smiling, and I almost felt sorry for the poor barrister against me, but not too sorry. The moral is be honest, because the truth will come out.

If this is of help, maybe you should print it off, put it in a freezer bag and stick it in your bikes tool roll or your bike jacket. Hopefully you will never need it but if you do you have just seriously increased the odds in your favour if you have a less than straightforward motorcycle accident claim.

Motorcycle Accident Claim – Checklist

• Exchange Information – Number plates, driving licence and insurance companies
• Keep Calm
• Call the Police
• Eyewitness details
• Take Photos – Accident scene, road layout, road surface, other vehicles
• Take a sample of the road surface if you came off on gravel or similar

Andrew Dalton
Solicitor Advocate & Barrister
Law Society Personal Injury Panel.
Senior Partner White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors

Over the years, since I first specialised in 1993 in motorcycle accident personal injury claims, I have seen good claims struggle because of lack of evidence gathered from the scene.

What I say is developed and battle proven in close to 20 years of trial experience. Not many other lawyers are going to be able to say that to you. Very few solicitors are trial lawyers, and do not have the experience of what cuts it in real court, rather than making points in letters.

 If you have a motorcycle accident or crash here is what you need to do straight away. However the motorcycle accident is caused, here are some top tips to give yourself the best fighting chance of winning in Court, or bringing a successful motorcycle personal injury claim.
 
Exchange information with the other party or parties involved in the motorcycle accident. Keep calm. An “effing and blinding” motorcyclist fulfils a lot of stereotypes of the speeding and aggressive motorcyclist and can totally turn witnesses. There is a study from Leicester University that noted that drivers of perceived fast cars were driving more quickly than little town cars – even though the speeds were identical. A motorcycle is a fast and noisy thing, usually ridden by tough looking guys or wild biker chicks. As a 42 year R1200 GS rider I know these stereotypes are nonsense but I have been a biker since I was 17. Even the police will treat with real caution the stories of speeding bikers appearing out of nowhere.  Don’t get involved in an argument at the scene. If it is likely to get ugly definitely call the police. In fact, always call the police. Getting them to actually come out is a different story.

In an ideal world you might ask for a driving licence and insurance companies but all we need to trace an insurer and a registered keeper is a UK number plate.  If it is a hit and run motorcycle accident you must get the police involved.  Use your mobile phone camera. The identity of who was driving is an issue surprisingly often. It is not often we come across cars that have alleged false number plates but it is something we see occasionally. A picture of the driver and the car kills off the “not my car, I wasn’t there” (surprisingly common) or the car being reported as stolen.

When you have your camera phone out, take as many photos as you can of the road layout, where vehicles are and anything else you think might be of interest at the scene of the motorcycle accident. I have had to rely on camera phone photos in Court many times, especially in defective roadway accidents. If you fell off on a loose road surface the hardest thing I have to prove is where that gravel came from. If you have photos and a sample from the scene of the motorcycle accident then you have made my job in bringing a personal injury claim go from the near impossible to the very much easier.

If you are trying to help an injured motorcyclist – especially in a “highways case” the state of the road is key, but that is not enough. We need to show the source of the material that fetched the rider off. A gravel sample has won me many cases, and I have had to decline to press on with cases where there is just not enough evidence.

Photos of a street name or junction sign helps place the photo. Remember this is not CSI, the Court will believe your photos are honest unless there is evidence of fraud.

Motorcycle Accident Claim – Checklist

• Exchange Information – Number plates, driving licence and insurance companies
• Keep Calm
• Call the Police
• Eyewitness details
• Take Photos – Accident scene, road layout, road surface, other vehicles
• Take a sample of the road surface if you came off on gravel or similar

Andrew Dalton
Solicitor Advocate & Barrister
Law Society Personal Injury Panel.
Senior Partner White Dalton Motorcycle Solicitors

It was my turn for another road trip in the Great White Whale over the weekend for the BMF Show in Peterborough.

Joining me on Saturday was Rebecca and on Sunday I was joined by Martyn. The weather was excellent despite the dodgy weather forecast for Sunday, though a bit cold at night (I must be getting old).

It was another good show, and allowed me the opportunity to meet up with clients, both old and current, and to meet lots of great new people. Numbers seemed a little down on last year however everyone seemed to be having a fun time.

The large screen TV proved a big hit again allowing everyone to keep up to speed with the WSB Championship, with two excellent races again. It is so good to see the Brits doing so well – keep it going guys.

I must make a quick mention to the lads from bikegear4you, the stall next door. Good bunch of guys – good luck with the tests D.

Another special mention to everyone from the TL Zone, who once again entertained royally when the gates closed. Martyn was baptised on the bungee run (not sure he has recovered yet – or ever will) and a special word for poor ‘Hasman’ – who fell foul of the bonfire – I have never seen anyone pouring lager into their boots before to ‘put their foot out’. Hopefully no long-term damage was done and I trust that everyone else has recovered from their war wounds – AJ and G et al.

All in all a good weekend – with lots of interest in the new CCM prize bike. Keep checking the numbers – you never know it could well be you who wins it.

Safe riding to everyone and fingers crossed for a good biking summer. See you all next time.