Riding Your Motorcycle in the Rain: Some Lessons Learned

The following is an excerpt from The Guide to Protecting North Carolina Motorcyclists & Their Families penned by Ben Cochran and motorcycle riding guru James R. Davis. Since this week has given us so much rain, we figured it would be a timely post for our blog. The following is tips are #105-113 in the book which features 179 riding tips by Mr. Davis. You can request a free copy of the book by clicking here.  

Riding in wet weather: Some lessons learned


My riding partner, Cash, and I just completed an eight-day tour. Seven of those days were glorious, but for one full day we experienced rain or drizzle, at high altitude, and in severe cold. Here are the lessons we learned during that one day.

105. When it is drizzling (no depth of standing water on the roadway), we were perfectly happy to ride at or near speed limits. Traction was NOT a problem, but visibility often was.

106. When you are riding at 65 MPH and an 18-wheeler is doing 65+ MPH in the opposite direction with light rain, you can be sure that that 18-wheeler is kicking up a MAJOR rooster-tail. That wall of water is approaching you at 130 MPH! When you hit it, your visibility will be momentarily reduced to ZERO.

107. That same 18-wheeler when passing is going to do more than drop your visibility to zero. That 130 MPH mass of turbulence that you run into WILL abruptly slow your bike down!

108. Because rain, drizzle and mud will collect on your windscreen and on your face shield, you will not be able to see through those layers of water. So, you must look over your windscreen until conditions change.

109. Altitude and cold are synonymous. If it's raining and cold, then if your direction is to a higher elevation, you are best advised to STOP for the night. If your direction is to a lower elevation, you are probably best off continuing your ride.

110. No matter how well-clothed you are, no matter how many layers, if your hands get too cold, you will not be able to safely handle your motorcycle.

111. Keeping your CHEST warm will greatly help in keeping your hands warm! Your body protects its chest cavity (core) by restricting circulation from your extremities (hands and feet).

112. Cramps can be eliminated almost instantly by the consumption of GATORADE! We always carry water, and now, when riding in cold weather or high altitudes, we also carry GATORADE.

113. You should always carry a set of rain gear with you even if you don't or won't ride in the rain! It was so cold coming down from the high altitude of Colorado Springs that Cash was forced to wear at least the pants of her rain gear (over everything else) in order to keep her legs warm. It worked wonderfully for her!

Distracted Driving

Technology is great, but when used carelessly it can become fatal. An example of this is texting while driving. We were surfing around some other law blogs today and came across Bob Kraft's blog about this subject and a new initiative by the Department of Transportation to help in the battle against distracted driving.

To supplement the push for awareness about distracted driving, the DOT has built a website with a ton of information on the subject. Click here to visit the website.

Here are some quick stats from the Distraction.gov website:
1. In 2008, almost 20 percent of all crashes in the year involved some type of distraction. (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration - NHTSA).

2. Nearly 6,000 people died in 2008 in crashes involving a distracted driver, and more than half a million were injured. (NHTSA)

3. The younger, inexperienced drivers under 20 years old have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.

4. Drivers who use hand-held devices are four times as likely to get into crashes serious enough to injure themselves. (Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety)

5. Using a cell phone use while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver's reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent. (Source: University of Utah)

The website also has information on all 50 states and their laws on handheld devices. Click here to check out North Carolina's laws when it comes to driving and using electronic devices.

If you'd like more information on statistics and reports about distracted driving, check out the "Research" page from the Distraction.gov website by clicking here.

* Cell Phone picture courtesy of samantha celera via Flickr Creative Commons

FDA Limits Access to Avandia

If you've stopped by our blog here lately, you may have seen frequent updates on the diabetes drug Avandia. The drug has been in the news lately due to a heightened risk of the cardiovascular system in patients. Today, two regulatory entities, the European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration, have announced what they will do about the availability of Avandia in their respected countries.

The European Medicines Agency is recommending the suspension of Avandia. New prescriptions will not be made and the EMA is advising patients to see their doctors about moving to an alternate medicine. Read the full press release from the EMA here. The suspension of Avandia will remain until drug maker, GlaxoSmithKline, can prove with convincing data that the benefits outweigh the risks in a group of patients.

The US Food and Drug Administration announced that the drug will stay on the market, but only with significant restrictions in the United States. Those who are currently taking the drug may continue to take it, but only after they sign-off on knowing the risk they are taking in continuing use of the drug. For patients who have not been taking Avandia, a doctor will have to certify that blood sugar levels could not be controlled by other medications and that there are medical reasons they cannot take Avandia competitor, Actos.

Quotes on today's announcements:
The FDA is taking this action today to protect patients, after a careful effort to weigh benefits and risks.We are seeking to strike the right balance to support clinical care.”
- FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg

Related Content:
Hamburg Says Avandia Restricted to `Limited Conditions': Video
Major crackdown on GSK’s Avandia
Doctors React to Avandia Decision
FDA Restricts Use of Diabetes Drug Avandia
FDA Restricts Access to Avandia

Quick History of What We've Covered on the Blog:
February 2010 Senate Report
Study released by the Journal of the American Medical Association
Day 1 of the FDA Panel Meetings
Day 2 of the FDA Panel  Meetings
Panel Meeting Wrap Up

Related Video (FDA Panel Meeting on Avandia)

Employee Spotlight: Dara Bigby

She is originally from New York, but she has been a country girl for years and absolutely loves it. We’re talking about none other than Social Security Disability Senior Case Manager, Dara Bigby. She has been with Hardison & Cochran for five years and has been assisting the Social Security Disability attorneys help our clients obtain their benefits the whole time. Her favorite part of working here is helping the clients get the benefits they deserve when they were not able to get them on their own.

In her leisure time, Dara enjoys walking to the lake, writing, reading and watching movies. She loves basketball and says LeBron James is her favorite player. Remember the country girl in her? Well, she likes getting out and riding four wheelers with her brothers and slinging the football around in the yard with her 12 year old son Fredi. “I just like having fun and enjoying life,” says Dara. When asked about what she liked the most about her move from New York to North Carolina, she said, “The BBQ! It’s the best in the world.”

Protecting Yourself With Motorcycle Insurance

Let’s start with what we know you must have in North Carolina. North Carolina requires you to carry a minimum of liability insurance consisting of split limits of 30/60/25, or in plain English – $30,000 bodily injury liability, $60,000 total bodily injury for all persons in an accident, and $25,000 for property damages in each accident.

Experts recommend that you buy enough liability coverage to cover your assets. If you own a home, have money invested in stocks and bonds or savings accounts, or own items that could be considered assets (i.e., antiques, expensive jewelry, etc.), you should think seriously about protecting those assets in the event of a lawsuit resulting from an at-fault accident.

What does this mean to you? Well, suppose you purchase only the required minimum liability coverage ($30,000) and you have assets worth $50,000. If you or someone covered by your policy is involved in a motorcycle accident and held legally at fault, the other person involved in the accident can go after your assets if their expenses (auto repairs, medical bills, etc) exceed the amount of your bodily injury liability limit of $30,000.

Basically, they can hire attorneys and come after your property. Be certain that your policy covers or exceeds the value of your assets.

Southeast Biker Betterment Conference Line Up

If you're a frequent reader of the Hardison & Cochran blog, you may have seen our posts on the Road Guardians, their 2010 Biker Betterment Conference held in Chicago and the upcoming Southeast Biker Betterment Conference. We're very excited that the first ever Southeast BBC will be held in Winston-Salem North Carolina at Smokin' Harley Davidson. Just to give you a taste of what will be going on at the November 13th meeting, check out the planned day below. If you would like to sign up for the event, check out the instructions on this PDF flyer.


8:00 - Registration & Networking at Smokin’ Harley Davidson
9:00 to 9:30 am - Opening remarks and introductions
9:30 to 10:15 am - Presentation –Protective Apparel
10:15 to 10:45 am - sponsored break
10:45 to 11:45 am - Presentation -Don’t get hurt twice – (Insurance& Legal)
11:45 to 1:00 pm – LUNCH catered lunch - get food and sit for presentation at
12:15 -Motorist Awareness
1:15 to 2:00 pm – Rider Demonstrations – braking, cornering, crash scene response demo (outdoor)
2:15 to 3:00 pm - Presentation – Impaired Riding, & Group Riding
3:00 to 3:30 pm - sponsored break – alcohol free beverage tasting
3:30 to 4:15 pm Class – ABCSS of Trauma
4:30 to 5:00 pm – General Session - wrap up /evaluation/dismiss

If you're a subscriber to our motorcycle e-newsletter, you will have a chance to win free admission to the event. The details will be in tomorrow's edition of our newsletter. If you would like to sign up for our motorcycle newsletter and make sure you get a chance to attend the Southeast BBC for free, just e-mail your information to wsc@lawyernc.com.

Friday Feed #62

10 Most Incredible Cave Waterfalls
Beautiful.

10 Most Magnificent and Breathtaking Lakes of The World
Staying on the aqua theme with some beautiful lakes from around the world.

The Best Foods for Your Mental Health
Eat smarter to be smarter.

Top 10 Steepest Streets in the US
Might have to shift down to get up these.

10 Unforgettable NFL Rookie Initiations
Joe Montana threw more than touchdowns. He threw bicycles in trees.

Around the Solar System
Boston's Big Picture Blog is back with shots from around the solar system.

Fosamax and Femur Fractures: Expert Panel Concludes That Drug Should Add Special Warning to Label

In April, we had an informational post on the potential dangers of the bisphosphonate drug Fosamax. The drug, which is used for the for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, is back in the news.

An expert panel has concluded that the group of bisphosphonate drugs, which includes Actonel, Boniva in addition to Fosamax, can raise the risk for a rare fracture in the thighbone. Due to the findings of the expert panel, they are urging the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to add special warnings to the labeling of these drugs.

The expert panel reviewed 310 cases of "atypical femur fractures". Out of those 310 cases, 291 (94%) of the patients had taken some form of a bisphosphonate drug. Many of the patients had taken the drug for more than five years. Co-chair and lead author Elizabeth Shane, M.D., of Columbia University said the following about the panel's findings:

 "Most of the patients who experienced these atypical femur fractures had been taking bisphosphonates for more than five years. However, we are concerned that there may be a relationship between these fractures and long-term bisphosphonate use and, although the risk is low, we want to make sure that people know about the warning signs."

In addition to special warnings on these drugs, the expert panel is calling for better identification and tracking of patients experiencing these breaks, and more research to determine whether and how these drugs cause the serious but uncommon fractures.

View the full report in PDF from the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research.

View the press release from the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (includes a list of the panel participants).

The Use of Restraints in Nursing Home and Adult Care Facilities

A restraint is any device that prevents a patient from freely moving. Restraints can include bed rails, lap buddies, table tops, geri-chairs, and any other device that prevents the resident from moving. Many studies have shown that restraints cause more injuries than they prevent. Thus, before the nursing home uses a restraint, all other possible methods should have been attempted and then, only after consultation with the physician and family, should a restraint be considered.

A nursing home may not restrain a resident except in cases of emergency (24 hours only) and then only upon receipt of a written physician’s order. Restraints may not be used for the nursing home’s convenience or as a form of discipline.

$58,919,838

The MDA Telethon was this past weekend nation wide. In the Raleigh area, it aired on CW22. If you missed it, don't worry you can still make a donation to the MDA. Just click here. As you may know, the MDA Telethon is broadcast each year across the nation in an effort to raise money to help find a cure for various muscular diseases. The show also features entertainment acts. So today on the blog we're going to post some videos of entertainment acts through the years with the MDA Telethon.

You might be wondering, "Why is the name of this post $58,919,838?" Well, that's how much the 2010 Telethon achieved. Enjoy the videos!

Fibromyalgia: Searching For The Right Doctor

Fibromyalgia, as we've stated on the blog many times, is a condition that is still somewhat of a mystery to the medical community. Due to this, finding a medical provider who understands the condition may take some research. Even though it might still take research, it is getting easier to find medical providers due to the growing acceptance of the condition in the medical community.

WebMD, without a doubt, has some of the best resources when it comes to fibromyalgia. In this article they offer tips and suggestions when searching for a doctor who treats sufferers of fibromyalgia.

The WebMD article also states that even after hearing about a doctor, you should get with them and ask questions. The National Fibromyalgia Association suggests this list of questions:

● Are you comfortable with diagnosing and treating fibromyalgia?
● How many fibromyalgia patients have you treated?
● Are you familiar with my other conditions?
● What medications do you usually prescribe for fibromyalgia? Do you have a problem with the medications I am currently taking?
● What do you feel is adequate pain control?
● Can you treat depression or must I see a specialist?
● Are you familiar with alternatives therapies? What therapies do you recommend?
● How can you and I communicate best?

Selected quotes from WebMD Article:

"Fibromyalgia has come a long way in gaining acceptance in the medical community -- now that we understand the mechanisms of this disease and have treatments proven to help."

"Find out who in your town has fibromyalgia and who is taking care of them. Call local hospitals. Ask about support groups for fibromyalgia, lupus, chronic fatigue. People in those groups will know which health care providers treat fibromyalgia."

-Kim Jones, PhD, associate professor at Oregon Health & Science University School of Nursing and Medicine

The North Carolina Community: Operation Nineveh (Rocky Mount, North Carolina)

At Hardison & Cochran, we love hearing about the positive that is going on in North Carolina communities. If you check out our Twitter feed, you can see that it is filled with positive stories from around the state. Today, for example, we featured a page from the News & Observer website about youths going above and beyond in the Triangle. We love articles and stories like these, so we figured why not dedicate some blog posts to the subject. Today, we will start our first of many stories of "The North Carolina Community."

Today's story comes from Rocky Mount, North Carolina where Operation Nineveh has taken huge strides in the past six months, but still needs some help to transition the vision to a reality. The vision is turning a 7,000 square-foot building on South Church Street into a place where those in need can come for a warm meal, a bed to sleep in and a hot shower. Check out the whole story from the Rocky Mount Telegram.

Article Excerpt:

Work so far has been done with one carpenter and several helpers, who have the desire to assist but not the skills required to renovate an empty 7,000-square-foot building into a place where those in need eventually can come to get a warm meal, a bed to sleep and a hot shower.

Quotes from Article:

“We just need people to come down here and catch the vision. Once you come down here, and see what you can do to change lives – that’s what I mean by catching the vision.”
- Tommy Ivey, pastor of New Life Full Gospel Church in Rocky Mount.

Friday Feed #61

From the Archive: Historic NASA Photos
We've showed a lot of the new pictures from NASA. Let's take a look back.

Interesting Optical Illusion in Home Design
Some crazy looking furniture.

30 Impressive Examples of Landscape Photography
"Impressive" doesn't do these pictures justice. Great stuff.

NC Highway Patrol urges drives to slow down
Be smart and stay safe this Holiday weekend.

The History of Labor Day
Get the lowdown on Labor Day.

Have a fun and safe weekend. We'll see you back here on Tuesday Sept. 7th.

Lawsuits Filed After Recall of Hip Replacement Implant (DePuy ASR)

Four lawsuits have been filed in Arizona, California, Illinois and Virginia after Johnson & Johnson recalled their DePuy ASR hip replacement implant a week ago. The cases allege that the metal-on-metal design of the product was flawed. Subsequently, the cases allege that the hip replacement product failed after surgery causing the patients to suffer pain. In addition, it also required a second surgery to correct or replace the implant.

From Medical News Today:
Due to a fairly high percentage (12-13%) of five year revision or secondary hip surgeries DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. reported based on this year's data from the National Joint Registry (NJR) of England and Wales, the manufacturer announced this week it is voluntarily pulling the ASR™ XL Acetabular System and DePuy ASR™ Hip Resurfacing System from the marketplace. DePuy has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other regulatory agencies globally of the voluntary recall.

From the Wall Street Journal:
The recalled devices are called the ASR XL Acetabular System, which is the cup portion of a replacement hip joint, and the ASR Hip Resurfacing System. Resurfacing involves implanting a cup and capping the ball at the top of the thighbone in a procedure that preserves more bone than traditional replacements, and is geared toward younger patients. The ASR XL system was first launched in 2004 and sold worldwide, while the resurfacing system was launched in 2003 but has only been approved outside the U.S.

Photo courtesey of Simon Davison by way of Flickr Creative Commons.

Hurricane Earl Prompts Early Delivery of Social Security Checks

Due to the category 3 hurricane, Earl, brewing in the Atlantic Ocean, the US Postal Service is sending out Social Security benefit checks earlier to select parts on the U.S.

From Ed O'Keefe's "Keeping Tabs on the Government" blog:
Letter carriers will deliver the checks early to locations in the Mid-Atlantic, specifically coastal areas of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey and New York. Some checks will arrive in the mail today, while others should arrive on Thursday.

Additional Resources:
Advance social security checks mailed