“The meeting will now come to order.” “The secretary will now read the minutes of the last meeting.” “Any old business? Any new business?” After the new business is discussed, there are usually snacks and a raffle. By the time the meeting is over, you’ve spent two hours listening to people argue whether they should
The power of motorcycles and making new friends
This past week, I must confess I’ve made a lot of new friends while out and about with my motorcycle. Although there are quite a few people who don’t appreciate bikers, there are equally if not more people who are genuinely interested in bike culture. I also think the fact that I’m a woman tends
BMWs, NY motorcycle clubs and the Fonz
Whenever a guy invites me on a run, I beg off, telling him that a motorcycle is a piece of transportation, not a sigil, not an icon: it's a way to get to the store, get to school, to slip through traffic and find a parking place easily. My grandmother used to tell me that
San Bernardino Motorcyclist/Professor Accused of “Breaking Bad”
There's a fascinating show on AMC called "Breaking Bad." The show follows a high school chemistry teacher in New Mexico who, upon finding out he has terminal cancer, decides to start cooking meth to stockpile money for his family before he passes. It's in its fourth season, and pardon the pun, but it's quite addicting.
News Reports Motorcycle Passenger “Shot” in Temecula, California
Responsible journalism about bikers? Don't expect it. Sensationalism, misinformation, biased writing, those are the cornerstones of modern media. That's what we've come to know and loath from the press when it comes to motorcyclists, and particularly when it comes to motorcycle clubs. When a cop cars were planted with explosives in Riverside County a few
Outlaw Club’s Patch Does Not Belong to the Feds
In 2008, the feds indicted a number of members of the Mongols Motorcycle Club. Since then, an ongoing battle about whether the US government could seize the club’s patch has been raging. More than 100 people faced charges in state and federal courts, and dozens have pleaded guilty to crimes ranging from drug possession to
Biker Whips May Get You in Trouble in Ventura, California (Part 3)
It has recently come to the attention of the motorcycle accident lawyers at Riderz Law that a number of bikers — specifically patch holders — have been arrested for carrying decorative motorcycle leashes, sometimes called “getbacks whips” or “getbacks.” The leashes are made of braided leather, often in club colors. At the end of each
Biker Whips May Get You in Trouble in Ventura, California (Part 2)
As discussed yesterday, the courts have upheld the constitutionality of California Penal Code section 12020(a) — the law with which bikers are being charged for carrying decorative leashes, aka “getback whips” on their motorcycles. In upholding the constitutionality of the statute, both generally and as applied to Fannin, the court offered a definition of the
Biker Whips May Get You in Trouble in Ventura, California (Part 1)
It has recently come to the attention of the motorcycle accident lawyers at Riderz Law that a number of bikers — specifically patch holders — have been arrested for carrying decorative motorcycle leashes, sometimes called “getbacks whips” or “getbacks.” The leashes are made of braided leather, often in club colors. At the end of each
Be Careful Who Your Customers Are in Shasta County, California
Yesterday, a Redding (Shasta County), California man was arrested on “drug and theft-related” charges. In May, LEOs (law enforcement officers) served a warrant on his motorcycle shop based, at least in part, on accusations that the man has “long been suspected of being an associate of [a] motorcycle gang.” According to the affidavit, members of
Riverside Bikers Beware! Cops on the Prowl for Motorcycles in Hemet, California
Motorcyclists in Riverside County, California, should be on the lookout this Saturday, January 22. The Hemet Police Department has planned a “saturation patrol” for Saturday night. They will be prowling for intoxicated motorcycle riders and “motorcycle safety violations.” While the motorcycle accident lawyers at RiderzLaw are all in favor of police efforts to curb
New California Law Puts “Straight-Up” Damper on Customizing Motorcycles
Riding a customized motorcycle? Thanks to our fearless leaders in Sacramento, California, another bill became law this week that will immediately affect many riders, particularly those of you with a penchant for customizing your motorcycles. SB 1318 was passed last year, amending California Vehicle Code section 5201 as of January 1, 2011. Among other things,
New Law Makes Thieves’ Tools Illegal (And Maybe Yours, Too)
It should come as no surprise that California leads the country in motorcycle thefts. We have more thefts (and motorcycle accidents, more motorcycle fatalities, etc.) because we have more riders and more registered motorcycles than any other state. But there is more to these numbers than that. Motorcycle theft is big business these days in
Hell’s Angels Lawsuit
Although motorcycle accidents are the focus of our practice, as lawyers and riders, we like to keep our friends and clients informed on legal issues that may affect them. A recent case filed in Los Angeles, Hells Angels Motorcycle Corp. v. Alexander McQueen Trading Ltd, may have a big impact on the biker community. The