Category: Safety & Compensation

1. Changing your motorcycle solicitor

   Posted on 10:25am Wednesday 20th Feb 2013

   The decision to change your motorcycle solicitor is never an easy one to make, but sometimes it’s for the best.

   There can be many reasons for wanting to change to motorcycle compensation:

   your emails are never returned
   your calls are never returned
   they don’t seem interested in your case
   they don’t seem interested in your case
   you feel your solicitor is not fighting your corner
   your only point of contact is their secretary
   your case gets passed around
   your worried why your case isn’t settled yet
   you think they are only interested in their costs
   you doubt their expertise, they avoid technical questions
   they are taking far too long to settle your case
   you never fully understand what they’re doing
   you are concerned that you could be getting better advice and a better overall service
   you find out that they have never ridden a motorcycle and don't understand
   you get the impression that you are just another number
   you feel fobbed off…

2. Experience counts in the drive for safer roads

   Posted on 6:59am Friday 30th Nov 2012

   Older drivers are as safe as drivers from all other age groups, according to research published today by the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists).

   Contrary to widespread belief, the study shows they have better attitudes to safety, deal with hazards better than young drivers and use experience to increase their safety margins on the road.  

   The report reveals that drivers over 75 react just as quickly as other age groups when a vehicle emerges from a side road or if the car in front brakes suddenly on a rural road.  

   Official statistics show that people over 70 make up nine per cent of drivers but six per of driver casualties.  This practical study found that where older drivers had slower reaction times, they used their experience on the road to compensate:

   •They drive at slower speeds on all occasions
   •They keep a bigger following distance than drivers from other age groups. Whilst the study found little difference in driving performance across the ages it did highlight two surprising areas of concern:  
   •Compared with other age groups, the eldest group appeared to stop short of the stop line at junctions and not look as often as others before pulling out.
   •Older drivers failed to look in their rear view mirror as much as other age groups on the motorway.  
   
   The report found that older drivers were likely to have less flexibility in neck movement and poorer vision standards but this did not translate into differences in driving performance. Neck flexibility varied widely, with some older drivers as flexible as some in the youngest group.

   The IAM believes it is important these findings are used in on-road and online assessments to ensure that older drivers understand the risks they face and what they can do to improve their driving in key areas.  
   In the light of this new report the IAM is calling for:  
   
   •A government action plan for older drivers
   •More car manufacturers considering older drivers in vehicle design
   •Greater publicity to encourage health professionals to discuss driving
   •Better information for older drivers and their families
   •Online self-assessment tools for older drivers
   •Wider availability of voluntary on-road driving assessments
   •Better partnership working at a local level  
   
   IAM chief executive Simon Best said: “The government needs to create a strategy now to deal with the ageing driving population. Older drivers, their families and friends deserve access to assessment and information to help them stay safe on the road. As well as this, car makers need to look at innovative ways to use technology to help this growing sector and the medical profession has to improve the way it delivers support and advise to keep drivers fit for the roads.”  
   
   TRL principal human factors researcher Nick Reed said: “This study for IAM using TRL’s DigiCar simulator revealed that in many of the driving scenarios tested, older drivers were typically as safe as their younger counterparts. It was notable that performance was more varied across the older participants; seemingly reflecting differences in the ageing process and highlighting how difficult it is to make judgements about driving ability based solely on age. It was pleasing to identify specific areas of concern for older drivers and perhaps to correct some common misconceptions about their driving ability.”  

   www.Iam.org.uk

3. Cars - How to Avoid Having Problems

   Posted on 11:19am Friday 23rd Nov 2012

   Even with all the required testing and verification procedures performed, problems can still appear so your car could become uncontrollable.

   Causes can range from a mere flat tyre to a serious malfunction of the car’s systems. Depending on the type of problem, the car can be hard to control.

   How to Avoid Having Problems

   You cannot control what breaks your car down. Even if you are taking it to the mechanic for regular check-ups, it does not mean that a problem cannot occur. The mechanic can miss things when he verifies your car.

   If your car shows any symptoms of any kind do not let the problem escalate. A small problem could affect other parts of the car and the damage could be much greater, and so will the costs. So if there is a problem that you are aware of, have the car checked and fixed as soon as possible.

   What to Do In Order to Regain Control of Your Car

   Depending on the situation, there are some techniques that you could apply in order to gain control of your car. The most important thing you should do, regardless of the situation, is to keep your cool. This way you will have a clearer image of what could happen and how to react to prevent major accidents.

   For example, if your car starts to skid, you could regain control over it by steering in the same direction as the car is sliding. Consider this and try to practice if you have a chance on a race circuit, but not in a parking lot. On the circuit you can see how the car behaves when taking a corner at a higher speed.

   Using the brakes is sometimes a more complicated problem. As a general rule, if your wheels are straight and you have to stop urgently, then you can push down on them. If the car is straight then the chance of skidding is smaller.

   If you find yourself in unfortunate circumstances whereby you sustain a serious injury from a car accident or are a victim of one, Express Solicitors have a team on hand to support you and your claim.

   

4. Best Place to Store A Motorbike

   Posted on 7:21am Friday 26th Oct 2012

   Many people who live in larger cities purchase motorbikes for transportation. They are much more compact and easier to use to get around the city. However, as with any vehicle in the city, parking space can be quite limited.

   Also, another issue is that cities tend to have higher crime rates than less urbanized areas. What this means for a motorbike owner is higher insurance premiums. Living in a city with a motorbike poses a lot of inherent risk which affects insurance costs.

   Even though motorbike insurance costs are generally higher in urban areas, there are some things that can help bring these costs down somewhat. The insurance company will want to know where you store your vehicle. They may also send an agent down to inspect the location. When a motorbike is stored in a more secure location, this can help bring the premium down a bit.

   Some apartment complexes will offer storage units or offer renting of parking spaces within a covered garage. This are ideal if you own a motorbike. Secure and covered storage is the best kind to keep one’s motorbike safe. Insurance companies will offer lower premiums if this is where the motorbike will be kept.

   Certain parts of a city may be more prone to crimes than other. If you absolutely must park your motorbike on the street, perhaps the section of the city in which you reside is one of the lower crime areas. This can also make a small difference in the premium amount.

   If you have no other choice but to park a motorbike on the street, make sure to park in a well-lit area. It is also a good idea to park in location that has a certain amount of traffic. Also, adding a security alarm or device to secure the bike can help to keep it safe.

   There are many different types of insurance available, and lots of different insurers that will offer different types of policies. 

   Insurers like Carole Nash offer policies for motorcycles and you can find more information about what they offer by going to their website.

5. Bikers Friend Smartphone app offers extra protection for motorcyclists

   Posted on 12:56pm Wednesday 10th Oct 2012

   Motorcyclecompensation.com, has just released a free smartphone app, Bikers Friend, for the growing legion of motorcycle riders.

   Bikers Friend provides an effortless way to document motorcycle accidents, collecting evidence that can be used for insurance purposes, and offering other support just when a biker needs it the most. Created by bikers for bikers, Bikers Friend is currently available for the Android market but is soon to be released for Apple devices as well.  

   "Bikers Friend is one of those apps you hope you never need," says Colin Mahoney, creator of Motorcyclecompentsation.com, "but you'll be awfully glad you have it if you ever are in an accident." Indeed, as more and more people take to the road on motorcycles, there will inevitably be more motorcycle accidents. "This free app is the best 'witness' any motorcyclist could ever have after an accident," says Mahoney. "By providing an extra layer of protection for motorcyclists, and hard proof and evidence for insurers, we make an already stressful situation a little bit easier for all involved."

   Mahoney adds, "As a motorcyclist myself, I've experienced many issues with other road users. They are often very negative and even aggressive towards motorcyclists. Even if a motorcyclist observes all safety rules, accidents happen. And even if the biker wears proper protective gear, injuries can be pretty bad, and potential damage awards can be substantial. It's little wonder that insurance companies will frequently deny liability after a biker has been involved in an accident."   Enter Bikers Friend, which records such data as the biker's exact location (with overlays on a Google map), the other driver's details, and so forth. There are also voice and video recording facilities, and Bikers Friend can locate and call the nearest emergency services - police, ambulance, fire department or other first responder. If the user chooses to do so, the app will send all information to Motorcyclecompensation.com for assessment. However, the app can also be used without giving motorcycle compensation.com instructions to act.  

   Bikers Friend is constantly being improved upon, Mahoney notes, and updates and new versions will also be free.  Choosing to create Bikers Friend as a Smartphone app was an easy choice for Motorcyclecompensation.com. "There is no question that the mobile device is the fastest growing online search tool today," says Mahoney. "As millions of people worldwide migrate to Smartphone usage, the number of people who are downloading apps and browsing the web on their phone is growing at an incredibly rapid pace. It is for this reason that Motorcyclecompensation.com has made its innovative and informative app available for free to every motorcyclist worldwide. This is a UK first for sure, and possibly a worldwide first for the motorcycle fraternity and community."  

   Mahoney and his colleagues predict Bikers Friend will be a friend to more than just bikers and their insurers; it will also be welcomed by lawyers, who will recognize that it represents innovation and technology at its best.  

   Besides being an avid biker, Colin Mahoney is an Internet marketer of legal services, with over 20 years of applicable experience. Of Motorcycle compensation.com, he says, "We're still a small firm of six. But we are all experienced motorcyclists who also happen to understand law and software design." Although originally created for the UK market (Mahoney's firm is regulated in the UK by the Ministry of Justice), Bikers Friend can be used by bikers worldwide.   Mahoney emphasizes that Bikers Friend is a free app, and the company intends to keep it that way. "We will never charge a single penny for this app, ever," he says.  

   Currently motorcyclists can download "Bikers Friend" from Google Play, and soon they will be able to download from the Apple Store as well.  

   The download page for the app is http://www.motorcyclecompensation.com/bikers-friend

   www.motorcyclecompensation.com