Finding Success in Cycling

There is no such thing as accidental success. Period.

Success in cycling is no different than success in business, family, and life in general. It doesn’t happen by accident. I have been blessed with some amazing experiences and associations with some truly incredible people. I have found that in order to be truly successful you must create your success. It doesn’t matter if you competitively race or just enjoy riding. Your success in your joyful rides are subject to the same principles of success that an avid competitor must follow. It takes hard work, intention, commitment, determination, etc. Even the joy rider has to make sure to carve out time to ride, and not let every other challenge get in the way. Too many distractions in this world lead us away from our goals and our dreams. Even if you only dream of enjoying some decent fitness and the occasional group ride you will want to understand these principles of success.

Do you think you can get lucky? Maybe, but in my experience success is something you have to create. This world will not hand it to you. Your dreams don’t just magically come true and your life will only ever end in “happily ever after” because you work your @## off to create your dreams.

You can create success. And let me tell you, success begets more success. It doesn’t take untold riches or fame to finally be successful. It takes hard work, clear commitments, unflinching determination, and a ton of intention. Show me a successful person and I will show you these characteristics.

It is an absolute lie that some people are just born into success, or are born with a natural ability to be successful. If you are a human being and currently breathing then you have the power to choose. The power to create. The power to be successful. It is not some right reserved to the wealthy. It is not some gift only some special few athletes enjoy. Success is up to every one to create for themselves. In fact, I know some very wealthy individuals who are not even remotely successful. Their wealth was gifted to them. They are not successful they are merely living a lifestyle that was given to them. Imagine what these people could do if they were driven, determined, committed and intentional about being a better version of themselves today than they were yesterday? If they were driven to accomplish something today that was greater than their yesterday? You would then see some success start to be born and with their resources some pretty epic accomplishments.

I refuse to be average. I refuse to believe that the circumstances we are born into dictate our potential and our possibilities. I know that everyone can accomplish unbelievable and epic things. I know we can become incredible and dominate our space- whatever that space may be. Given enough time and determination in your commitment you can become the best at anything you want. YES, I said anything you want. I have experienced this time and time again in my own life and in the lives of those incredible people I associate with. Look at the Steve Jobs’ of the world, or the Facebook king, or Warren Buffet, Michael Jordan, and so on and so on. These titans did not accidentally get successful. They built an empire through hard work, determination, commitment, and lots of intention.

I’ll share two simple yet powerful personal examples out of my own life. While I have many of these stories, the two today seem appropriate and fun: one while I was a young scrappy high school kid and the other from just 2 years ago. When I was in high school I wanted to play on the boy’s volleyball team. In southern California the volleyball teams were incredible and well respected. Many players from my regional area went on to play in the Olympics, college, and pro teams. I tried out as a sophomore and made the junior varsity team. I never played a single game. I was terrible, legitimately terrible. The upside was I sat next to the coach every game. I really got to know him well. I also worked my butt off every day in practice and demonstrated my commitment and determination to be better. I am not sure if he took pity on me or what he was thinking, but he offered to personally coach me through the off season. With his mentoring and my determination to practice every single day, I tried out for the varsity team the next year and made it on the team as a starter. I remember falling a sleep at night with a volleyball in my hands while I laid in bed and practiced setting the ball to myself. I was committed. I was determined. And in that time period I became good enough to start on our varsity team. Our team went on to compete in the state championships and many of my teammates played college ball on scholarships. It was truly an incredible transformation.

On another occasion as an adult I weighed nearly 300 pounds and was absolutely tired of feeling fat and out of control. I recall getting into triathlons and cycling. I eventually and slowly lost most of my weight and competed in 8 full distance Ironman triathlons along with countless other halves, and Olympic distances. Eventually I competed as a solo cyclist in the Race Across the West. It is a 930 mile endurance cycling race from Oceanside CA to Durango CO. With a 96 hour time limit to complete this race in you are compelled to ride without stopping, or at least keeping your breaks to a bare minimum. There isn’t much sleep to speak of with most of us cycling the first 48 hours non stop, followed with the occasional 20-30 minute power nap every 24 hours later. In 2016 I was 1 of 9 finishers and I finished in the midst of incredible adversity. I suffered from some extreme fatigue in my neck and shoulder muscles eventually contracting a condition known as Shermer’s Neck. My head fell completely to my chest and I could not lift it of my own strength at about 400 miles into the race. The pain was incredible and I had another 500+ miles to go! I had passed out, I had extreme difficulty breathing and even coughed up blood several times. The days and the nights all seemed to merge together. I had thousands of opportunities to quit and even more reasons that would seem 100% justified. In fact many of my competitors quit for much less severe adversities than I suffered with.

My point is, that ordinary people can accomplish extra ordinary things. Success is becoming a little better than you were yesterday. Regression should be your worst enemy. Forward progression should be your relentless goal. Your success can never properly be measured against the standards of your peers or the cultural expectations of your society. Success is simply giving it your best and making damn sure that your best today is better than your best was yesterday; that is success. It is in a nutshell never settling but rather always striving for your full potential. And I assure you, whatever you have now- whoever you have become now- NO MATER HOW GREAT, is not yet your full potential. If you are a millionaire, then why not be a billionaire, if you are a billionaire, then why not be a trillionaire, etc. Keep reaching. Keep pushing. Keep fighting.

Success then does not happen by accident. You can’t accidentally wake up better. You have to work hard at it. You have to be awake to who you are and who you were. You have to be awake to what you want and where you are going. Then you must act intentionally to create that. You must be committed to it like its your last breath. You must go all in. There is no half way in commitment. Then match your commitment with a level of determination that can overcome any challenge you will face. It is not a matter of whether or not you will face adversity, it is a question of how you will handle it when it rains hell fire down on you whilst you are trying to smash your goals. Hard work alone is not enough. But when you harness hard work with intention towards a clear commitment matched with unflinching determination… well that is someone I’d bet my life is successful.

Tune out the naysayers. Ignore the haters. There will always be opposition. Some of this may even come from those closest to you. Starve these feelings and instead feed the beast within. That primal beast that is unsatisfied with what you have today and who you are today. Feed that beast that wants more and wants to be better. This is key to staying focused on what you know you want to do and become. Tune them out, and only listen to you. You’ve got this. You’re incredible. If you are reading this then you are breathing, so make the changes you know you need to make. I’ve got your back. I love hanging with incredible people- happy to chat about this any time. Call me, email me, message me, Instagram me, Facebook me, tweet me, YouTube me, whatever it takes- I’m here and I want to see you reach your potential.

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Dodge, Esq., Endurance/Ultra Cyclist

 

 

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the world. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. Ben is competing in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

 

The Top 8 PT Stretches Every Cyclist Should Know

The Top 8 PT Stretches Every Cyclist Should Know

My friend and teammate, Tyler Arnett, is a fantastic and competitive cyclist. Currently racing as a Cat 2 cyclist he really knows his way around competitive cycling. He is also a fantastic physical therapist. I once asked him his thoughts on some of the best stretches cyclists should know in order to prevent pain and increase performance. He just recently wrote this up for me to share with all of you. Thank you Tyler!

My experience as a Cyclist & a Physical Therapist

By Tyler Arnett PT, DPT

I’ve considered myself an endurance athlete since the 7th grade when I went out for the cross-country team. I was always someone with average talent who decided I could beat people if I out-worked them. I spent the next 9 years through high school and college running at a (somewhat) competitive level in cross-country and track & field. I competed at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, CT – a Division I school. I was a walk-on athlete who earned a scholarship my sophomore year based on my freshman results. My mentality was always to train when others were sleeping; do the extra mile (or 5); do the extra interval; or push myself when I was hurt.

Did you read that last sentence? That was my former/dumber self. There’s a small but significant difference between “Pushing when it hurts” and “Pushing when I’m hurt”. If you don’t push yourself when it hurts, then you’re not really competing. You might be exercising, but you’re certainly not competing. I want you to think back to your last really tough event. How were those last 5 miles of that century ride? How did the last 5 minutes of that 40k time-trial feel? Were you in the pain cave? I hope so! That’s what I consider “healthy pain”. This is where we grow as an athlete and a person. This is vastly different than pathological pain, though as athletes, we often confuse the two. We often rationalize working through pain when we shouldn’t. It has taken me years (decades?) to figure out that I was doing myself more harm than good when I continued to run through pain and injury.

So what type of pain should you be concerned with? As a rule of thumb, muscle soreness after a hard workout or race that dissipates in 48-72 hours is normal. Muscular pain that lasts longer than that is a sign that something isn’t normal. If the little voice in your head says, “This doesn’t feel like normal pain”, then it probably isn’t. There are way too many overuse injuries to discuss here, but as a general rule, if I’m having muscular pain that lasts longer than 72 hours, I take a week off the bike. I’ve found that at least 90% of injuries can be avoided if we properly rest and give our body a chance to heal things before they become a chronic issue. Many of us (my former self included) tell ourselves, “If it still hurts in a month, I’ll take some time off”. By this point, it’s too late. The damage is done and your recovery is going to take at least 3-4 times as long to improve.

Another pain to be concerned with is pain located at or near a joint. Cycling is a low impact sport and should not cause joint pain. Tendonitis is a common injury for cyclists and is often found at the knee or ankle. This is not a type of pain I would recommend “pushing through”. Rather, take up to a week off the bike and focus on some of the treatments found below.

Can I prevent pain?

Short answer – No. I’ve never met any serious endurance athlete that has never experienced some sort of injury. That being said, there are way to minimize the risk of injury.

  • Professional bike fit: A bike fit makes sure your joints and muscles are properly positioned so they can maximize power to the pedals while improving efficiency in your pedal stroke. A seat too high or too low can cause knee pain. Handlebars being too far or close to your saddle is sure to cause back or neck pain. Even small adjustments in cleat position can have a huge effect on foot or knee pain. Do yourself a favor and get a professional bike fit. Otherwise, you’ll need to spend a LOT more time doing the following Physical Therapy interventions.
  • Foam rolling: It would be great if we all have unlimited wealth and access to a massage therapist, but that’s unrealistic for most of us. Foam rolling is a great alternative that is inexpensive, simple, and you can do it anywhere. Spent a few minutes foam rolling each major muscle group in your legs 1-3x per week as maintenance. Roll your calves, quads, hamstrings, IT band, and glutes. If there’s a certain muscle or area that is extra sensitive, emphasize that area for a week or 2 until it becomes more tolerable. Foam rolling both legs shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes. I typically don’t recommend rolling too close to your joints. It’s easy to irritate tendons, joints, and bursa that are found near your knee. I also like to lay on my foam roll at my mid back and let my arms flop out to the side. This opens up my chest and stretches my thoracic spine. Cyclists tend to have poor posture, and this can help address that – plus it’s super relaxing.
  • Stretching: Flexibility of our lumbar spine, hamstrings, quads, calves, hip flexors, glutes, hip abductors/adductors is important to for efficiency of pedal stroke as well as reducing risk of injury. There are at least 4-5 ways to stretch each muscle group so I won’t go into specific versions of each stretch, but I will give you some general guidelines and include some of my favorite stretches at the end of this article. 1.) Make sure you’re warmed up before stretching. This can be as simple as a 5 minute spin on the bike, foam rolling the muscles you plan to stretch, or even taking a hot shower prior to stretching. Cold muscles don’t like to be stretched.   Another great time to stretch is after your bike ride. Muscles are loose and it acts as a nice warm-down. 2.) Make sure to start gentle and gradually increase the intensity of the stretch. Hold 45-60 seconds per stretch and repeat 3 times. 3.) Don’t bounce. A ballistic stretch can make muscles tighter as a protective mechanism and can cause injury to tendons. 4.) Don’t stretch aggressively before a race. If you have a tight area, doing some very light stretching can be beneficial, but intense stretching has been shown to decrease your peak power output.
  • Strengthening: If you want huge legs that produce tons of sprinting power, then lifting in the off-season is a good idea. If that’s not your goal, you still need to do some strengthening – your back and “core”. I particularly like core exercises that emphasize a neutral (straight) spine. Planks and bird-dogs are 2 of my favorite core exercises. Sit-ups and crunches tend to put too much pressure on our lumbar and cervical spine (plus they’re so 1987).

These are some general guidelines that I’ve come to believe over the past 20 years as an endurance athlete and 8 years as a physical therapist. If you have specific questions about an injury, seek guidance from a medical practitioner you trust. A good doctor, physical therapist, or chiropractor should be able to guide your individual recovery.

Tyler’s favorite cyclist stretches: Please note that there are literally hundreds of different stretches that are appropriate for cyclists. These are by no means an exhaustive list but a couple of my personal favorites.

  1. Prone pressups – 10 second hold
  2. Supine hamstring stretch with strap/towel  
  3. Standing or prone quad stretch
  4. Foam roll or exercise ball pec stretch  
  5. Standing calf stretch against wall   
  6. Piriformis / Glute stretch 
  7. IT Band Stretch
  8. Hip adductor/hamstring stretch
-Tyler Arnett PT, DPT
Physical Therapist, Cat 2 Cyclist

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Dodge, Esq., Founder of Bike Accident Attorneys PLC is a teammate and friend to Tyler.

Follow Ben on STRAVA.

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the world. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. Ben is competing in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

The Nuts and Bolts to Fat Adapting

Webinar: The Nuts and Bolts to Fat Adapting and Intermittent Fasting to Boost Athletic Performance.

Anna Sparks

Recently had the distinguished privilege of hosting an online webinar with pro cyclist and Athletic coach Anna Sparks. She is a feisty ball of energy and passion to say the least. Her driver and commitment to health lifestyles and top level athletic performance is hard to match. She has positioned herself as the leading authority in all things Metabolic Testing. Her company Sparks Systems focuses on providing services to help people young and old live a more healthy and improved lifestyle. She does this through her proprietary software, experience, and metabolic testing machines to collect and interpret a person’s personal metabolic efficiency, caloric burn rates, carb vs fat burn rates, aerobic thresholds, athletic performance, and more. Sparks Systems then provides you with a detailed report unique to you and your body.

As an athlete, this information is critical if you want to intentionally make gains in your performance. From a general “health” perspective this information can help get a handle on issues such as diabetes, tiredness, and more. The specific nutrition planning custom tailored to your own personal metabolic efficiency point is pretty cool as well. I try to test several times per year to track my progress and changes I have been making in my fitness and nutrition.

In the webinar below we discuss the important points of What, Why, and How as it relates to becoming Fat Adapted. Here is the short version: The What: Essentially, a fat adapted athlete has intentionally went through a physiological transition where the athlete has taught his/her body to burn fat as a fuel instead of carbohydrates. It is not ketosis. It is not some fad diet or some weird meal replacement strategy. It is not a multi level marketing deal with supplements and specially branded processed food products. It is not a magic pill or supplement you buy. Fat Adapting is a way of being, it is a way to live your life, a lifestyle that is easy to sustain. It is a better way to experience every single day. It is simply educated choices on what we eat on and off the bike. The Why: fat is a more readily abundant source of energy and much more clean and efficient to burn. Even the skinniest athlete has a near infinite amount of energy stored in the fat cells of his/her body. Tapping into fat eliminates the need to use all of the Gus, gels, gummie blocks, high sugar powder drinks, etc. When you transition to burning fat instead you feel less hungry, less tired, your mental clarity is incredibly increased, your ability as an athlete to go faster/longer/harder is increased. You don’t have to eat any garbage during your ride/run etc. You can fuel for hours off of nothing but water. It is a game changer. Especially for longer events. But even for non athletes, this is a total upgrade to your way of living life. It is supercharging your day to day living experiences. The How: becoming Fat Adapted starts with getting your personal metabolic test. Hard to know what to eat and what to avoid, and how much of what to eat until you know exactly what your body burns, and at which aerobic points it starts to burn different fuel sources. In other words, you need to know what and how much food to eat and when your body defaults to carbs vs fats. Knowing this will put you in a position to intentionally influence and train your body to witch over to fats. Step 2, is make the necessary commitments to yourself to change what you eat on and off the bike. Start your own personal nutrition plan where you begin teaching your body to burn fats instead of carbs. This will most likely include some period of time where you will be in a “pre-phase” sort of process. In the pre-phase there is a purge of carbs so to speak. After the pre-phase you continue eating a fat adapted meal strategy. After just 1-2 weeks your metabolism can change. The longer you eat fat adapted the more Metabolic Flexibility (MF) you get. MF is best understood by saying that the longer you are fat adapted the easier your body will be able to take on carbs and still switch back over to burning fat. Sort of like switching on and off a light switch. The greater your MF the easier it is to consume a few carbs here and there during longer races, or training events and not lose any fat adaption.

All this and more discussed below in the Webinar. As always, if you have questions or comments pleas post them here and we will answer them to the best of our ability. Thank you.

PDFs & Handouts

becoming-fat-adapted-handout

time-restricted-eating-handout

-Ben Dodge, Esq., Founder of Bike Accident Attorneys PLC

Follow me on STRAVA and Social Media.

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the world. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. Ben is competing in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Supplements Proven to Boost Your Cycling Performance

There are no shortage of supplements out there on the market that allegedly make you faster, stronger, lighter, and so on. It can be overwhelming and often conflicting to sort through all of this. After trial and error of many of these supplements I have found that a few of them are much more preferable  than others. Some are a must in my opinion, while others are pretty good. Some are even proscribed by doctors based on your individual blood work and what you may be deficient in.

I open up some of my latest blood work results, Doctor’s notes and recommendations, and my personal tote bag of supplements in this webinar. While I readily acknowledge whole foods are BEST, we are often imperfect humans who could use a little help in our nutritional demands while killing ourselves as athletes. Some of the supplements will be very specific to my metabolic and physiological needs as tested and recommended by my team of doctors. Many more are natural supplements that I recommend for ANY athlete to take to boost performance, recover quicker, and feel better.

Supplements Point of Facts

HUGE point of fact #1, in my opinion supplements are exactly that: supplements. They should not be used to replace clean eating and proper exercise. As cyclists we often get so hammered out there and our bodies take a lot of abuse. Eating clean, raw, and organic whole foods is the best thing we can do to make sure we get all of the nutrients we need. But in my experience I still fall woefully short of what my body needs. Supplements help. Point of fact #2, make sure you are taking what you actually need and no more. Go see a physician or two. Get blood work done. Know for sure what if any your body is lacking. I see 3 doctors who all play a separate role. In fact, I fly up to Seattle Washington every 2-3 months to see one doc in particular who I feel is so amazing that it is worth my time to do so. Point of fact #3, I have experience with some supplements but obviously not all. I welcome comments and questions and suggestions for what you are taking. I only discuss those that I typically use right now at this stage of my cycling experience as a fat adapted endurance/ultra cyclist. There are others that didn’t make the recording on this webinar that I take regularly (i.e. Vitamin C).

Enjoy the webinar below, type comments and questions in and I’ll be happy to answer them the best I am able.

Webinar

YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/AWVr3m0LEsk

PDFs & Handouts

dahlgren-notes-for-endurance-cyclist-ben-dodge_1217

7-17-blood-work Test

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_facebook][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_googleplus][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_tweetmeme][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]-Ben Dodge, Esq., Founder of Bike Accident Attorneys PLC

 

Follow me on STRAVA and Social Media.

[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][mk_social_networks size=”xx-large” icon_color=”#dd3333″ icon_hover_color=”#eeee22″ align=”center” facebook=”https://www.facebook.com/BikeAccidentAttorneys/” twitter=”https://twitter.com/bikelawben?lang=en” google_plus=”https://plus.google.com/u/0/+BenDodgeBicycleLawyer” linkedin=”https://www.linkedin.com/in/ben-dodge-bicycle-lawyer/” youtube=”https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRjvYjLeSB07VRbCvCL9Zkw”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the world. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. Ben is competing in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Self Driving Uber Car Hits and Kills a Cyclist

Screenshot of my FB Feed

In what is possibly the 1st ever fatal crash involving a self driving Uber, the police are routinely keeping everything close to the vest. There is video evidence in the case but it can’t be released yet “due to the ongoing investigation.” This crash involves a pedestrian and a bicycle and is landmark as there are no other precedents that I am aware of in the United States that have yet to involve a self driving car and a fatal outcome, let alone with a cyclist or a pedestrian. I came across this story in my Facebook feed from channel 12 news and was instantly struck by it!

In this case the cyclist, Elaine Herzberg, was walking her bike across the street and was not in a crosswalk. The news article described the crash as happening with a cyclist. While she was with her bike, on a technical note she was walking her bike across the street which makes her a pedestrian at the moment of the fatal collision. However, the technicalities of this designation shouldn’t overshadow some of major concerns or issues with self driving cars.

The live press conference video as posted by Channel 12 News is embedded below. My initial feel from the press conference by the Tempe Police department was that they are quick to point out that she was not in a cross walk and then immediately asked for everyone to please use the cross walks. Of course it is a good thing to use cross walks, but it is sad as to how predictable their opinion may be. I believe they will most certainly try to pin some portion of the accident on this poor victim simply because she was not in a cross walk and almost ignore entirely the fact that neither the self driving car nor the operator behind the wheel even saw the cyclist. I’m eager to wait it out and see all the facts like everyone else – yet this prediction is something I am comfortably making in light of the years of experience dealing with cycling and pedestrian accidents in Arizona as a personal injury attorney. After all, cyclists are not everyone’s favorite road users here in Arizona.

Preliminary reports confirm that the driver was in fact behind the wheel of the car but that the car was in autonomous mode, i.e. self driving mode. Obviously this begs the question as to why didn’t the vehicle operator see the cyclist? And or take control of the vehicle to prevent the fatal bicycle crash? I have not yet personally sat behind the wheel of a self driving car, but I presume the driver most likely could have slammed on the brakes and somehow terminated self driving mode to prevent this unfortunate death. Also, what about the functionality of teh Self driving Uber… doesn’t it have some sort of system and safety protocol in place to stop when an obstruction is in front of it? Does that only apply to a large vehicle made of fiberglass and steel and not a bicycle or pedestrian? Self driving or not, it is another example of cyclists and pedestrians are getting hit and killed due to negligent driving.

As of now, reports have confirmed that Uber has temporarily suspended all self driving programs in the U.S. in light of this bicycle crash.

We hope and pray for the friends and family of Elaine Herzberg that they have some peace through this process. Our hearts are broken for them.

Stay safe out there everyone!

-Ben Dodge

Follow me on STRAVA:

 

 

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the world. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. Ben is competing in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

 

Everesting – An Epic Experience on a Bike

As an ultra endurance cyclist one of the notches in your belt of accomplishments is to ride your bicycle on a single ride to the tune of 29,029′ – the same height of Mt. Everest. I can’t wait to do it myself one day very soon as I prepare for Race Across France in August 2018, and then as part of my training for Race Across America in 2019. My friend and teammate Jason duPont just completed this incredible feat and did so even on an impromptu last minute sort of decision. What a stud. I personally am so proud of him. Here is his story in his own words…

“Impromptu Everesting – 173x Repeats on Shaughnessey Hill

148mi | 29,183ft climbing | Avg. HR 117bpm | HR 79%Z1 & 21%Z2 & 0% 3,4,5
It’s on STRAVA (It did happen) https://www.strava.com/activities/1458440554

*** Video links at the end of this post ***

That was the HARDEST thing I have ever done! And, I started businesses from scratch. I dealt with injuries, breaks, and sprains. I went blind temporarily. I raised 5 children. I watched my wife suffer with depression. I rode to Payson and back. I cycled 200 mile one day races. I participated in many epic rides. I have lost much. I failed much. I learned from each and every trial. Nothing compares to Everesting.

Cecily & Jason duPont

What is Everesting? The Rules https://everesting.cc/the-rules/
– CLIMB 8848m: Climb the height of Mt. Everest 8,848m / 29,029ft
– SINGLE CLIMB: On the one climb, on any hill, anywhere in the world
– ONE RIDE: In a single activity, with no time limit, and no sleep

Everesting Shaughnessey hill was excruciating! I have never pushed a boulder up a hill in my life, but after completing the ultimate climbing challenge with 173 repeats on my new, beautiful Cervélo S5 at 12% grade, I have a greater respect for the hell Sisyphus lived.

In total I cycled 148 miles and climbed 29,183 feet. Whew! I finally accomplished the goal I made 3 years ago. THREE YEARS…

A lot of training went into making this feat achievable! Through exercise and diet I was able to improve my power to weight ratios. I’m biologically engineered to sprint through life. I am guy with abundant fast-twitch muscle in love with a slow-twitch sport. I worked on my endurance with many 20+ hour weeks of cycling. I gave up many fun group rides for months to work on my zones and my weaknesses. I used various diet and exercise techniques to train my natural high carbohydrate burning body to use more fat during exercise which is necessary when burning over 9000 calories on a EPIC ride. I ate very clean. My diet changed to super low sugar and no processed foods.

I have attempted Everesting before and was not able to complete it. I wasn’t ready then. In fact, I wasn’t ready this time.

I knew it would be better to plan it out and wait until this fall after my Race Across France, but Thursday night, on the way home from work, my brain went into overdrive about where to ride Saturday. I wanted to do this thing for so long and got to the point of: “GRRRR, Let’s just do this”

On Friday morning I awoke with a sore throat and stuffy nose and was a little frustrated, but I still thought: “GRRRR, Let’s just do this”. I went to the restroom and stepped on the scale and saw my morning weight: 188.7 lbs. 😟 (I was testing carb-loading for Race Across France)

My beautiful wife, Cecily was on her way to her weekly girl’s ride when I told her, I was thinking of making an Everest attempt at either Hawes, SOMO, or Shaughnessey. I love her and love how supportive she was, especially knowing she would not get much sleep (if any) that night; sleep is very important to her. “GRRRR, Let’s just do this”.

I was grateful Cecily would be part of this adventure with me. Especially since she will be sharing in my France adventure.

By the time Cecily got back from her ladies ride, my impulsive side had taken over. I decided a dream deferred is like a raisin in the sun. It was time to go for it and get it done.

I decided to keep it on the “down-low” because I failed before. I couldn’t even climb small hills like Las Sendas three years ago, my heart rate would get dangerously high. An unfounded insecurity washed over me. I didn’t want to deal with any added pressure if I didn’t finish.

I packed up the car with items I thought I would need. Unfortunately, in my haste, I missed a few things. The good news is Cecily is a ROCKSTAR. When she came later, she brought out many items I missed, including zinc & echinacea to help with my cold.

I drove out, found a good parking spot, and started prepping. I knew that I would be out in the middle of the desert riding solo for awhile.

It was time. I started on my first lap. There was a strong force pushing me back on my first climb and I thought, “REALLY A HEADWIND?!?😁“

As I climbed the windy winding road, I had a lot of different thoughts. I thought things like, “This is gorgeous”, “I’m very blessed to be able to be out here”, and “Why did I choose a climb that had 12% grade? That’s not very efficient”.

The first 7,000 feet of climbing went pretty quick. I averaged around 2,000 feet an hour. However, that pace did not hold up.

At eight o’clock (ish), Cecily drove out with our five kids to see me and they struggled on foot to the top as I rode. We wanted them to get a taste of how steep it was: a glimpse of what it would be like to climb that hill over 100 times.

At the top we joked, laughed, and took family pictures.

Cecily drove the kids home and I was left alone to climb the hill solo in the cool darkness of the desert.

It started to get cold (especially on the descents). I packed on layers, remembering the warning an Everester Jesse gave me about keeping my knees warm. I know I added too many layers because I was sweating like a yeti in the summer on the climbs and then freezing like an Arizona boy in the snow on descents.

When I am cycling, I hate the cold.

My speed started to slow. I started telling myself finishing time didn’t matter. I came up with a ⚡Mantra⚡: “It’s all about completing. It’s all about completing. It’s all about completing.”

Ces came back out a little after midnight. We spent the entire night together talking, laughing, and panting like dogs on our bikes! It was freezing! She gave up her sleep to hang and support me. We rode together and were able to watch the vast colors ascend from behind the mountain as the desert sun rose. It was just us and our bikes.

Ohhh, the warmth of the sun! I was loving life as soon as I started stripping off clothes!!!

Mid-morning, the four horsemen of the apocalypse rode in from the east: Lynn, Jesse, Ralf, Doug.

^&%#$ they are strong cyclists!

They took turns distracting me and helping my mind NOT focus on the daunting journey still ahead of me. They spent hours and hours at my side riding at my slow pace up the climbs. I could not have done it without them and will always appreciate it.

The horsemen were exceptionally positive, upbeat, and careful to not let negative energy interfere. At that point positive energy was sorely needed.

By the way, they gave up their planned rides once they found out about my unplanned ride👍👊 SHOUT OUT & THANK YOU!!!

Ces had to leave but she would be back later. The four horsemen rode with me until she was able to return.

Ralf & Jesse are HELLS 500 members, an elite group of cyclists that have completed Everesting. They posed with me in an inspirational pic to help give me confidence. It was super nice to have two people there that have Everested before and the two people that supported them!

Hells 500

Lynn gave me the great idea of having Cecily bring back enticements with her that I could have when certain goals were met.👍 I texted Ces a list of motivational treats. We are still trying to figure out what I meant when I asked for a “chocolate banana prangle shake” 😁 I’m pretty sure it was the sleep deprivation. 😉

Ces came back and I was really starting to slow down. The four horsemen left and I started thinking / chanting: “It’s all about completing. It’s all about completing. It’s all about completing.”

Even though I was not about to quit; I started hitting various walls. Jesse had mentioned the dreaded 7 megajoule hurdle (think burning 7,000 calories) However, I started feeling it at 6 megajoules.

I started perseverating that I had picked a hill that was too steep. The optimal grade was around 6%, however, I chose a hill with an 8% average grade and the last quarter mile was 12%+. For some reason, I used standard gearing (most likely not the best decision). 🤔 I should have taken a compact (easier gearing) and not a standard.

The high grade started wearing me down. I was thinking of how much just being 5lbs to 10lbs lighter would have helped. I started making smaller and smaller goals just to finish.

Even before the end I knew my body was pushed past its limits. I was having a hard time getting my heart rate up. I was thinking, “You know when your heart rate only gets up to 115bpm on 11% grade your body is trashed … At this point it’s ALL MENTAL.” Then something from deep inside me started to chant: “It’s all about completing. It’s all about completing. It’s all about completing.”

This was my Race Across France MENTAL TRAINING!

Cecily was done riding. She decided to save any remaining energy to support me. A selfless act that helped motivate me to finish strong.

Garmin Data

Ray Harris called Cecily & asked how close I was to finishing. She let him know I was still about 2,000 feet away. He came out and took some siccc vids and pics. He was super encouraging and brought an amazing dinner. Although, I was only allowed to have it once I finished. The perfect enticement.

I started counting down the laps left. 4,3,2, and Ray yelled, “Enjoy your last lap”. I worked really hard to enjoy it. 172 laps complete 👍.

OOPS! After my last lap I looked at my Garmin and I was at 29,020 feet ascended. I was NINE FEET short of achieveing my Everesting goal. I descended and told them I needed one more. This time I stood for my REAL last lap and made sure to REALLY ENJOY IT!!!

👊 This ride includes a big THANK YOU to EVERYONE for all of the texts, calls, social media posts, etc. And, thank you CECILY. I could NOT have done this without you!!!👊

This ride was the HARDEST (by far) for me to date, but I am so glad I took on this challenge.

“Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible.”
Albert Einstein”

Final Ascent Vid
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kkeV8s5dZxhx2gbr2

Ray Harris Stay True Cyclery Az Video Commentary
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kkeV8s5dZxhx2gbr2

Ray Harris Stay True Cyclery Az Video Showing me climbing summit during sunset.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Zt4YqKYizzRBsXX42

Photos / Vids
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Nt8BUBqoTdMRzavE2

 

 

Congrats Jason! You are a beast my friend.

-Ben Dodge

Follow me on STRAVA:

 

 

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the world. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. Ben is competing in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

“Shhhhh No One Cares”

I saw an interesting t-shirt for sale today on FaceBook and couldn’t help how it precisely captures the mindset of so many people I come into contact with through my business as a bicycle accident lawyer.

As a committed cyclist and a dedicated bicycle crash lawyer I find it completely disturbing how little people seem to care about cyclists. Trust me I am not ranting here, just perplexed and disturbed. After months of litigating several different bicycle cases recently the over arching feeling in every deposition, every phone call with a defense attorney or insurance adjuster, and even today on a sunny afternoon ride is: Shhhhhh no one cares.

It’s as if everyone knows they should care about cyclists getting hurt, but in the end they all but admit they don’t care and even want to blame cyclists for the crime of riding a bike on the same road a car might travel. Of course that is no crime. But in the eyes of so many it is an all out assault to their right to drive if anyone on the road is slower than they are. I get it. I promise I really get it. I may or may not have lost my patience on more than one occasion while driving in areas of sunny Arizona where there may be an influx of retirees. But frustration is not even by a long shot any justification for hitting a cyclist nor is it a productive way to feel while driving.

Just today I was descending a well ridden road by cyclists in South Phoenix Arizona in South Mountain Park. I was nearly hit twice as drivers boldly crossed the double yellow line into my lane of traffic while out of frustration they aggressively and carelessly passed other cyclists in their lane. Each time the drivers holding up their hands and yelling in the car as if I was in their way! They illegally passed a cyclist and crossed a double yellow line almost hitting me just to get on their way a few seconds faster. And of course they blamed the cyclists for their inconvenience. What an over inflated sense of entitlement.

Driving with frustration like this leads to tragedy. On this very road not long ago an incredible cyclist and all round amazing human being was hit and killed on this very road by a young woman who also carelessly crossed the double yellow line. If a driver doesn’t hit and kill you with this sort of frustration and aggressive and careless driving, then you may end up permanently injured. If you’re lucky you may just end up having a close call like I did today.

What happens next? What happens after the dust settles and the legal case is over? What happens if it was merely a close call? I will tell you no matter the result, a close call, permanent injury or death, it seems that eventually the feeling in the room or the feeling of the drivers out there ever remains: Shhhhh no one cares. The drivers still drive carelessly, aggressively, and do everything they can to blame cyclists. Insurance adjusters, defense attorneys, and law makers still ignore the realities and dangers our current laws which do not protect cyclist enough. They still pretend that it isn’t that big of a deal since the collision was really just an accident and it was with a bicycle. I want to be crystal clear; that is a total lie that society wants us to believe. Lots of people care!

So listen, I don’t accept this mentality. I don’t accept our current legal state of affairs I don’t accept the blatant disregard for cyclists, for the lack of laws protecting them as vulnerable users of the roadways. I don’t accept that cyclists are inferior or at fault simply because they are exercising their right to use the roadway. I have a zero tolerance policy for drivers with entitlement and patience issues relating to cyclists. I am committed to changing this culture, the legal landscape as we know it, and serving and protecting cyclists. I am proud to be a bicycle accident attorney.

Next time you have a “close call” with one of these drivers or you encounter an attitude or paradigm of shhhhh no one cares then I challenge you to do something about it. Be someone who cares. Be someone who makes a difference.

For those of you who have been injured, or have lost a loved one in a bicycle wreck – please know that there are lots of us who care. This ridiculous mind set of shhhhh no one cares is simply NOT TRUE within our cycling community. I have witnessed so many random acts of kindness within the cycling community. Cyclists take care of each other, and look after one another. There is a bond of friendship formed and a strong community established with cycling. If you want to make some sincere and true friends who are incredible and who will inspire you to be better then get a bicycle and join a local bike club.

Loads of people care; and we are going to do something about it every single day!

-Ben Dodge

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Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the world. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. Ben is competing in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Kill A Cyclist And Get Away With It

As distributing as the title implies, in this article we discuss the tragic unfairness of bicycle laws that simply allow for drivers to hit and kill a cyclist with little to no punishments. So what happens if you hit and kill a cyclist in Arizona? I can tell you from years of personal experience representing the surviving family members of killed cyclists that it is hardly a fair experience under the current law. In most cases the it feels like the driver isn’t even cited for any number of possible traffic violations. Sometimes the police even sympathize so much so for the driver that they find a way to inappropriately cite the killed cyclists on an imaginary or misunderstood traffic law. The usual result is that the driver may get a traffic ticket and a fine for nor more than $250. Yep. That’s it, $250.

In a very tongue and cheek sort of a way many of us have joked in the past that if you want to kill your enemy in Arizona don’t you dare shoot him! it is much better to put him or her on a bicycle and run them over. It’s the only way you can literally get away with murder. I know that sounds extreme. And I agree it is. But in all seriousness this is not exactly a fair playing field for cyclists. Most drivers are truly annoyed at cyclists on the road and really do think that cyclists deserve to get hit if they are stupid enough to ride on the same road as vehicles. That is absurd to me. But I deal with it daily. I have the most insane conversations with insurance adjusters and police officers on a daily basis who have literally said this to me, or in the very least consistently imply it with every false citation, unjustified excuse for the driver, and more.

Most traffic violations in Arizona are strictly civil matters. If a driver is actually cited and found responsible he or she is generally subject to a fine of not more than $250 (§28-1598); and of course no jail time is possible. There is one other set of added penalties when specified specifically by the type of traffic violation. For example, the “Three foot rule” (§28-735) includes increased financial penalties of up to $500 or $1000 if a motorist seriously injures or kills a cyclist when unsafely passing them. Except these enhanced penalties do not apply if a bike lane is “present and passable”. Sort of sounds like a joke.

Of course these financial penalties exclude the criminal traffic violations (but even then those are so minor they’re disgusting). I’ll discuss those in a moment because they seem to be insulting to anyone who has ever lost a loved one in a bicycle crash. One quick example is that it is typically not criminal to negligently hit and kill a cyclist but it is criminal to litter within 20 yards near a highway ( littering near a highway §28-7056.) Are you serious? What is wrong with our society and what we value?

A small group of traffic violations are specified as criminal (surprise surprise not hitting and killing a cyclist) and they include for example reckless driving, DUI, and excessive speed. To add a bit of context, even if a driver is cited under one of these criminal statutes they are typically minor crimes and carry very small penalties with little to no jail time and small fines. What Arizona doesn’t have is a vehicular manslaughter crime on the books. And to my knowledge we are only one of 3 states who still doesn’t have such a law.

Cyclist Funeral_Kill A CyclistNow after all of that, there is still one more Arizona law that makes certain negligent driving behaviors criminal if serious injury or death occurs: §28-672. The very specific criminal negligence examples are all listed below. Sadly, I wonder just how often the police even use these. I can tell you that none of my cases have ever involved this statute but many of them could have justified it:

  • §28-645(A)3(a): Running a red light
  • §28-729: failure to drive in one lane
  • §28-771: failure to yield to vehicle on the right (generally applies to uncontrolled intersections)
  • §28-772: Bad left
  • §28-773: drive out at stop sign (see also, 855B, below).
  • §28-792: Running down a pedestrian in a marked OR UNMARKED crosswalk
  • §28-794: Not exercising due care around a pedestrian
  • §28-797 subsection F, G, H, or I:  Disobeying various school zone rules
  • §28-855(B): Running a stop sign
  • §28-857(A): Disobeying school bus stop signs

One last final note on the criminal part of this; there are a couple of related laws that do actually increase the severity of the penalties. They are: §28-675 and §28-676. They apply to the same exact same list of violations listed above in A.R.S. §28-672, BUT ONLY APPLY if the driver’s license has been revoked for a cause relating to previous illegal bad driving.

SO are you ready to learn what actually happens if a driver is criminally cited under §28-672? Remember, I don’t personally know of any cases involving bicycle crashes where this statute was involved – I’m sure they exist somewhere but it is pretty infrequent. Remember, most will simply not even get a citation and those drivers who do get cited will simply pay a $250 fine. HOWEVER, just in case the police start getting a little sharper in their investigations and the prosecutors actually start bringing charges under §28-672; here is what a driver would get in terms of “punishments”:

  • The driver must attend and successfully complete traffic school, and the court may order the driver to perform community restitution. Wow – way to really bear down on killing a cyclist AZ. Again, super disappointing. We all know that traffic school is literally a waste of time.
  • The court will report it to the MVD. The 1st violation will be a license suspension of not more than 90 days for serious injury, and not more than 180 days for a death. The 2nd violation within 3 years the MVD will suspend a license for 90 days for a serious injury and 180 for a death. WHAT? Are you kidding me? So the 1st time offense is a suspension of NOT MORE THAN 90 or 180 days, while the 2nd offense is guaranteed 90 or 180 days. Super disappointing.
  • If the license is already suspended then this license suspension of 90 or 180 days will simply be tacked on. Yep, lets not skip out on a few more weeks of suspension, way to make sure that it just gets added to an already suspended license! Yikes. This is disturbing.
  • If the driver fails to complete the traffic school or community restitution then the court can promptly suspend the driver’s license until proof of completion. I love how focused they are on license suspension. Why not just throw some jail time in there? Clearly suspending a license doesn’t really prevent anyone from driving.
  • Restitution can’t exceed $10,000. Um, obviously way too low.
  • It’s a class 3 misdemeanor and only carries a $1,000 fine. Uh, yeah – again, way too low. Someone just died and the driver has to pay a fine of up to $1,000 and restitution of up to $10,000. Very, very, very disappointing.
  • Lets not forget my favorite part of the criminal penalties here for gross negligence: §28-672(F): Essentially, if before the completion of the trial the seriously injured party comes before the court and “acknowledges receipt of satisfaction for the injury, on payment of the costs incurred” the whole crime simply gets dismissed and the state is barred from bringing the prosecution ever again. WHAT?! So if I was a shrewd criminal defense attorney then I would simply subpoena the settlement from the injured party’s personal injury case and compel the cyclist to come to court and acknowledge that the medical costs incurred were satisfied out of the settlement and then my criminal client walks free! So angry about this. I really hope we can bring this sort of awareness to the knowledge of our legislature and get some real change going here.

How would this be different if it were a car on car crash instead of a cyclist getting hit and killed by a car? That is best saved for another article to be written soon; but let me wet your appetite with the simple thought that the police investigation alone would be drastically different and much more involved if two vehicles were involved as opposed to one vehicle and a cyclist. Disclaimer: I do not hate cops. I believe their role is absolutely vital to our society. However, I do wish that more and more of them would be better trained and would care a bit more about investigating bicycle crashes. Especially those involving fatalities.

-Ben Dodge


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Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

LOTOJA 2017

LOTOJA 2017

By: Ben Dodge, Esq., Ultra Cyclist

For our 3rd year in a row now our team has been lucky enough to race LOTOJA. LOTOJA is the longest single day USAC sanctioned road race in the united states. It is approximately 203 (give or take) miles crossing through parts of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming. Starting in LOgan Utah, you race TO JAckson Hole Wyoming (thus LO-TO-JA). It is simply beautiful and amazing. In order to race LOTOJA you actually have to submit an application and get drawn to race. I do not know the details of how the selection process is made, but I am grateful for our BAA Team’s opportunity for the past 3 years in a row to race LOTOJA! It has become a staple for us and we look forward to it every year.

Of course, for those of us BAA clowns in Arizona, we must commit to training all summer long in order to be race ready for this epic event. LOTOJA is always in September. Hammering out grueling 100-200+ mile training rides in the summer isn’t for everyone. But for us, we love it. In fact, most of us continually comment on how much we love LOTOJA in large part for the crazy fun training rides we force ourselves to do all summer long. Some of the highlights include training rides such as: Gilbert AZ to Tucson AZ and up to the Mt. Lemmon Summit (175 miles); Gilbert AZ to Globe AZ and back (140 miles), 5x-10x South Mountain (SOMO) repeats, Gilbert AZ to Payson AZ and back (170 miles), Gilbert AZ to Florence AZ to Casa Grande AZ to Gilbert AZ (120 miles), Gilbert to 9 Mile Hill and back (104 miles), Vision Relay, Iron Lung, EOP, Saguaro lake, and on and on. So many fun rides. Essentially every Saturday we are engaged in a new adventure around the state of Arizona with approximately 1oo miles or more on the ride. Often because of the heat and other Saturday family commitments we start these rides between 3am and 4am. It can be incredibly early but I am always amazed at how many teammates and friends show up to hammer out a Saturday Century ride with us. So fun. So inspiring.

This year was a great year as quite a few of us on the team were attempting to get the Triple Crank award. In order to earn this award you must complete 3 of the toughest races in Utah all in the same calendar year: Vision Relay, Iron Lung, and LOTOJA. We were so proud to get several of us on the podium for this fantastic award this year. Congrats to my amazing teammates who earned this award this year!

2017 BAA LOTOJA Team and SAG Crew

I think my favorite part of LOTOJA this year was seeing our team and SAG crew grow from the 8-10 of us our first year to over 30 of us this year. And standing alongside of us was over 20 friends and family members there to volunteer as SAG crew! The growth, energy, and positive vibes were really cool as we hung out the night before and had an awesome team dinner and team meeting. The sheer size of our group represented thousands of hours of training, volunteering, commitment, and support. We are one big happy BAA family. It was cool to meet some new faces, and make some new friends as our team has spread into several states now including Utah. The friends and family who supported us were simply amazing and inspiring with their continued acts of selflessness. That is for sure my favorite part of LOTOJA this year.

A close second to that was the race itself. I loved our race this year. Several of us had trained hard and we had developed a strategy and some goals that we knew we would have to work hard to achieve. We did just that. Many on the team set personal records shaving time off their previous best times. Many more finished for their first time. Others endured some grueling physical, medical, and certainly mental challenges. Everyone seemed to come away from this year a little better, a little stronger, a little wiser, a little more ready for whatever is next. It was cool to see that in the eyes of my teammates. This year our teammate Eric Woolsey snagged a 3rd place podium finish in the Mens Masters 55+ category, as well as his 10 year/2,000 mile LOTOJA award. He has raced LOTOJA 10 times. Epic! Congrats Eric!

Eric Woolsey: 3rd Place 55+
Eric Woolsey and 2,000 Mile LOTOJA /10 Year Award

My personal goal was to shave off about an hour of my best time and finish in nine and half hours. I openly commented on this goal and also expressed how happy I would be with any time less than 10 hours if I could be so lucky. Riding with my good friend and teammate Tom Liddell, we raced the whole race together and pushed ourselves as best as we could and found ourselves setting PRs all along the course. As the end drew near we found ourselves in a pack sprint for the finish. I was so pumped to see that our finish time was 9:28! We met/beat our goal! That is always a good feeling. Set it, plan for it, train for it, then work for it.

Triple Crank Medals. Left to Right: Tom Liddell, Jason DuPont, Ben Dodge, Karl Zeibig, Darin Edwards, Kelly Lund, and Mike Dawes.

 

To all my teammates out there, and everyone else who showed up to race or support LOTOJA, I say thank you for your efforts. You all inspire me. LOTOJA is an amazing race. A full race report may be coming later if I get to it. But I will share a few things billeted here:

  • Nutrition was spot on. I used 4 bottles of carborocket mixed with 6-8 scoops each. I carried 1 bottle of carborocket and 1 bottle of water on board. I ditched my empties and snagged new ones pre mixed and ready at the 3 designated Feed Zones for racers with crew (I believe they were 3, 5, and 6). I had 3-4 GUs for good measure. I ate nothing else. I drank 1/2 of a glass bottle of real coke with real sugar (from Mexico) at each of the 3 feed zones. These were already opened and poured into a disposable plastic water bottle (the kind you get in a case of 24 at a grocery store). This nutrition was ready to grab and go at each feed zone in a draw string bag labeled with my name on it. And the crew was expertly ready for me each time (THANK YOU!).
  • I had 2 flasks of pickle juice through out the entire race – mostly preventive. I carried this in my jersey picket.
  • I consumed 2 salt pills every couple of hours – I carried them on board in a little plastic vile.
  • I consumed 2 Excedrin every couple of hours -carried them on board in a little plastic vile.
  • My total stop time was 3.5 minutes and only because the draw string bags weren’t great for reaching into while riding. So we had to stop to open them and grab our water bottles out of them. Plus, Tom and I were hurting at the top of the KOM climb so we stopped for approximately 1.5 minutes there to get a water bottle and coke from the neutral sag there. 😉
  • I never stopped to pee. I sued a condom catheter. It was fantastic and saved loads of time and energy for me. Frankly, it was genius and I’m glad our teammate Darin Edwards thought this up for us to experiment with (Thanks Darin). For the record, I had practiced using this on other training rides. I will for sure be using it again on other longer rides or races. See this article here for more discussions on peeing while racing and the condom catheter.
  • Our average speed was something like 21.6 miles an hour (which includes our 3.5 minutes of stop time).
  • Top speed was only 55 miles per hour.
  • Burned about 5700 calories.
  • Average HR was 150 bpm.
  • Max HR was 187 bpm.
  • Average Power was 199 watts, Normalized Power was 202.
  • Max power was 1282 watts.
  • Average cadence was 82 rpm, with a max cadence of 166 rpm.
  • Elevation gain was 8,727′.
  • No mechanicals or flats during the race, although Tom rolled up to the start line and he noticed hist front tire was flat! So with 4 minutes before we were supposed to start he and I scrambled to change his tire. We did just in time and it held up the whole way.
  • Great weather and favorable winds for most of the entire day.

All in all it was awesome. I highly recommend you give LOTOJA a try. The training alone is awesome.

Be safe out there and keep the rubber side down!

-Ben Dodge

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Mastering “How to Pee” During a Bicycle Race

Mastering “How to Pee” During a Bicycle Race

By: Ben Dodge, Esq., Ultra Cyclist

Why the heck would you have to worry about peeing in a bicycle race? Why not just pull over and pee? Well, I admit that pulling over and peeing is by far the safest thing to do and the lawyer in me will always endorse safety! There are lots of reasons to not stop riding in a race. Mostly you are trying for the win, or hanging onto a group you can’t afford to drop off of (lose the draft), or just aiming for a personal best time and stopping to pee can throw all of that off.

If you are competing out there, you may struggle with the thought of what to do when you have to pee during a race. In fact, you might even worry about it so much that you don’t drink nearly as much as you should before and during your race. You are left under hydrated and risk not only under performance but some serious health issues as well. Any competitive cyclist will acknowledge that hydration is a huge component to a successful race, especially any longer bicycle race. Many cyclists start hydrating days before their race. The morning of a race I usually drink at least 1-2 bottles an hour or two before the race. I have a whole routine and hydration is always a top priority.

The problem of course is that you hope you pee before you race. Or that the race is short enough so if you have to pee during your race you simply hold it until you finish. This can be horribly uncomfortable, and even painful. Let me offer some helpful suggestions on How to Pee During a Bicycle Race. These pro tips are collected from personal experience, conversations with other competitive cyclists, teammates, and some awesome chats with pro cyclists. Here is a list of suggestions that are tried and true, and some even more experimental… lol

  1. Stop and pee. Yes, just pull over and pee. Its only a race, and any other suggestion could risk a crash. You could crash or cause a crash in the peleton if you’re not extremely careful and experienced in any of the next suggestions. The longer the race the more likely you won’t need to worry about losing time to stop and pee. When I raced the solo Race Across the West in 2016 I knew I had to bike 930 miles pretty much non stop all on my own. I knew I had plenty of time to stop and use the restroom when necessary. No need to pee yourself during such a long solo race. Ultra cycling is almost a different animal all together.
  2. Negotiated Pee Break. No kidding, sometimes in the peleton if you are feeling the painful urge to pee and you can’t hold it anymore you may very well not be the only one who feels that way. There are times when a fellow cyclist will start recruiting others within the peleton to all pull over and take a pee break. These negotiated pee breaks are hilarious. Everyone quickly pulling over and scrambling to pee and keep riding again. It is a sort of treaty where everyone agrees to stop and pee. Yet, no one really waits for the last guy. You pee and you start pedaling again, end of story. Hopefully you’re not the last guy peeing who is suddenly caught having to bridge a gap back up to the rest of the group who peed faster than you did. I have participated in a negotiated pee break in the LOTOJA race. It is a 200+ mile road race and without fail every year after about 1.5 hours or so everyone ends up negotiating a pee break on the side of the road in the middle of no where. I have never been so grateful in a race!
  3. Just pee in your bibs. Yep, its as gross as it sounds. But many cyclists who race have all tried it. You just pee and then try and squirt a bit of water on yourself out of your water bottle. This suggestion is one of the ones pro cyclists are familiar with. One complaint I hear from them is that you get “pee pee shoes.” The pee can just run down your leg and into your cycling shoes. They smell for ever after that and it seems virtually impossible to get the smell all the way out. I admit I have tried this as well. It sucks. It smells. And you could even get irritated skin everywhere if you don’t wash your bibs out well immediately after you pee. It is the easiest way to stay on your bike and pee. It is fairly safe and you don’t really have to stop pedaling to do it. I will warn you, it takes practice to get to the point where you can pee and pedal at the same time. If I recall correctly I came home and threw away my “pee pee shoes” swearing I would never try that again.
  4. Stand and Deliver. No kidding, one of the most impressive things I have seen in a race is a guy slip off to the right hand side of the peleton and coast along the shoulder standing up; with one hand on the handlebar and one hand on his… he whipped it out and peed while coasting along side the peleton. We rode by him in awe. A bit disgusted for sure, but more impressed. He lost a few positions in the peleton but nothing he couldn’t make up real quickly. He never dropped off the back or had to bridge any gaps. It was flawless. Genius. But of course he put himself and all of us at risk. What if there had been debris in the shoulder? Or what if he simply swerved into the peleton? There a number of reasons why this is an unsafe maneuver. He clearly had practiced it as he pulled it off in a seamless and smooth manner. That is what was so impressive. I know he must have practiced because I set out to try it on a training ride once with my dad. One summer afternoon while visiting my dad in Utah I pedaled ahead on a bike path in the middle of no where and determined to try it. There was some surprising stage fright. Some awkwardness in balance and stability while peeing. It was anything but smooth. I was however able to pee. I got a little on me but not bad. It had worked. But not well enough for me to do it in a race. I knew I needed a better option…
  5. The Condom Catheter. Wow, just writing it makes me a bit queasy. No joke, this is an incredibly creative option. One of my teammates who had to drop from a fast group of cyclists only because he had to pee during a competitive attempt at LOTOJA was so frustrated he thought to himself: “There has to be a better way.” It was his creative thinking that led to who knows how many weird google searches which in turn led to this idea of condom catheters. It is exactly what its sounds like. It is a condom you put on with a catheter tube you connect to it. The tube in a medical setting will presumably connect to a pee bag of sorts attached to your bedside. Adapted to competitive cycling by our very own teammate (D.E. – initials only to sort of keep his identity somewhat private, lol) the tube is cut to extend out the bottom of the bibs by 3-5 inches when in use. When not in use the tube simply tucks around your thigh/hamstring and into the bottom of your bibs. The tubing used can be purchased at Home Depot or any varoety of “medical tubing” on Amazon, etc. It is a bit of a hacked looking device we have made. The actual condom catheters can also be purchased on Amazon. Many of us have all tried different versions (makes and models) of condom catheters. I will say this: size definitely matters. Buying the right size is ultra important to even kind of being successful with this idea. Also, some have some sticky glue like substance that we recommend you avoid as it feels like your ripping a layer of skin of just to remove it. I will include pictures of the condom catheter I prefer and the tubing I used. I can say that I have actually tried it on several recent rides. In preparation for this year’s LOTOJA race a few of us BAA cyclists have been highly interested in trying out the whole condom catheter thing. I must say the conversations during the rides have been hilarious on an epic scale. Just the other night I was talking to a teammate and friend of mine on the phone in the kitchen asking him how he was able to get his condom catheter on (a challenge for sure) and my wife was listening in the background. It was too funny. I have pictures (all clean) of the actual catheter, and the tubing I use. I have some good and bad experiences with it so far. It seems the longer the ride the more likely it is to fall off right in the middle of a pee. This can of course be embarrassing and a bit gross. lol. All worth the risk for now as we try to discover new ways to pee during a race without stopping. I could see a follow up article on the DO’s and DON’Ts of condom catheters just so people who want to try it can learn from our mistakes. LOTOJA is in 1.5 weeks from today and I plan to try it out for that race (200+ miles). I’ll be happy to report how well or badly it went.

Again, if you have to ask why this is even important then you may not have ever been in a serious race where you couldn’t afford to stop, OR you already have a different solution that works. If you do have any solutions or suggestions that we haven’t thought of or tried yet please leave a comment to this blog and I’m sure myself along with some of my BAA teammates will be happy to run some tests/experiments with your ideas. We are always looking for the newest innovative ideas. We love to try new things, especially if they work well.

Have an incredible time riding your bike. Be safe, and keep the rubber side down!

-Ben Dodge, Esq.

More pictures:

 

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Today I Was Lucky…

In my career I have seen a lot of tragedies surrounding the sport and recreation of riding a bicycle. I have also experienced what seems to be at times the overwhelming nature of competitively training. The never ending long rides and the difficult day in and day out commitment to compete in significant bike races and events. Sometimes riding a bicycle can seem like it isn’t fun anymore or isn’t worth it. Today I was lucky enough to experience the simple pleasure of riding a bicycle all over again. I love bicycles. I love cyclists. I love to ride. I am a cyclist. No matter how crazy life can be sometimes, I am grateful and happy for the opportunities I have to ride my bike.

In Arizona it gets hot in the summer, like really hot. In fact, today when I left work I got in my truck which was in a covered parking spot and the temperature showed 118 degrees for the outside temperature. I know that those can vary sometimes in accuracy… but no matter how you look at it, it was hot. In fact, for the past two days here in Arizona it has been too hot for airplanes to take off from Sky Harbor and flights have simply been canceled! That is hot.

Many of us locals ride our bikes all year around here regardless of the heat. We actually get used to it. I honestly prefer it. I would much rather ride in the heat than in the cold. We are used to loading up with extra water bottles and even making a few stops at local gas stations to refill our water bottles when they run dry.

Today was one of those days where I dreaded getting up out of bed at 4:00am to ride my bicycle. Getting up at 4:00am is pretty normal for me and those I often ride with. In fact, sometimes we even start our longer rides at 3:00am. It is what you do to get your training in before work. Of course it helps with avoiding the heat a bit also. But today I was tired. I have been riding/training a lot and racing several weekends in a row. I was mentally and emotionally a bit tired, and I was definitely running low in overall energy. So when my 4:00am alarm went off today I wanted to just ignore it. But training doesn’t get done by itself, so up I was and out the door to meet up for our 4:30am group ride meetup.

As is usually the case, once I am out there and spinning around a bit I begin to feel better, more awake, and excited to challenge myself. Today was no exception. After a about 20-30 minutes we witnessed an amazing sunrise as we rode East. It was beautiful and I thought to myself I need to stop and take a quick picture. So I did. Grateful for the beauty and inspiration in the sunrises we experience as early morning cyclists. If the ride had ended then and there I would have gone home a grateful and re energized person. Fortunately there was more to experience that I didn’t anticipate…

After some good efforts, sore legs, and lots of sweat later our little band of friends arrived at Saguaro Lake. It is a beautiful little lake here about 25 miles from our homes. The lake had this beautiful calm to it. It was so peaceful and undisturbed. It was sooooo inviting. Even at 6:00am here in Arizona right now it is wicked hot; it feels like a stinking oven all the time. Longingly looking at the lake one of my friends suggested we park our bicycles and jump in. I laughed. He was serious. Then in a moment everyone started taking off their bike shoes, helmets, etc., walked to the end of the pier and jumped in!

It was one of the best decisions I have ever made on a ride. Jump in. Float around in a peaceful lake all by ourselves. I remember thinking to myself, this is one of the simple pleasures of riding a bicycle. I felt so fortunate to be able to ride a bicycle all the way to the lake, and then seize an impromptu opportunity to take full advantage of the atmosphere only a lake can provide that early in the morning. The water was so refreshing. We all laughed and swam around a bit. After a few minutes we all realized we weren’t in good enough swimming shape to keep this up for too long. We swam back to the pier, got dressed and rode home.

I’m not sure I have ever enjoyed a ride more than this one. It helped me remember that riding a bicycle is a simple pleasure that I want to take full advantage of. I want to continue to seize these such moments shared with good friends as often as they present themselves. I know many fallen cyclists who have been injured or even killed. I know how hard it is to train day in and day out as competitive cyclists do. I know how difficult it is to get up early, or to ride in terrible weather conditions. But today none of that mattered. For a moment it was just a simple pleasure to ride my bicycle that brought a refreshing energy and a brighter perspective on how special it can be to be a cyclist.

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

A bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

“Hardest Ride Ever”

Cam and Jenna Taylor

This morning I rode in a memorial ride for a fellow cyclist who was tragically struck and killed this past Wednesday. It was an honor to be a part of this ride because of the incredible love and support felt by everyone there, with an estimated 300+ cyclists in attendance. It was also heartbreaking because of the deep loss felt by the death of local cyclist, Jenna Taylor. It was a somber and quiet ride. Tearful and tough.

I have ridden 930.4 miles straight in 86 hours, covering 50,000 feet of elevation gain in the middle of June.  I have ridden my bike from Oceanside, California, trespassed the CA/AZ deserts, continued through the mountains of Arizona and climbed the great Rockies of Colorado. Yet nothing was more difficult, more tough, or as hard as this memorial ride this morning. I have raced excruciating races for several years, and have trained with multiple multi-hundred and 12-24 hour training rides covering some nasty terrain. Yet nothing was more difficult, more tough, or as hard as this memorial ride this morning.

Just riding over to the start of the ride I couldn’t keep my eyes dry or the lump in my throat down. I was a wreck, sobbing and wiping away tears. It was after the ride that a friend of mine and local cyclist who came out to support the Jenna Taylor Memorial Ride, commented on a Facebook Post with just three simple words: “Hardest ride ever.”

Jenna Taylor Ghost Bike – Memorial Ride

He was right. It was the hardest ride ever. How? Why? After so many difficult races and long training rides, how could a 30 mile flat route with an average speed of only 16mph, be the “hardest ride ever”? I wouldn’t have understood except that I was witness to it this morning.

There were hundreds of cyclists who showed up to show support for Cam Taylor, the surviving spouse of Jenna Taylor. Cam is an accomplished cyclist himself, and an ultra competitive racer. He has won many races here around town, and rides for the well known local Jetset team. This morning there were cyclists from many competing teams all over the valley. Cyclists who have raced with Cam, and cyclists who have raced against him. The vast array of  cycling jerseys present this morning was a testimony to the diversity of competitive teams in attendance. There were no boundaries today. There were no teams, no clubs, no finish lines.  It was a unity of love and support that transcended everything. The local cycling community is strong and protective and loving of each other. It is a family. It thrives on the support of one another. It is warm and inviting no matter your skill level, fitness level, or how experienced you are or expensive your bike is.

There were hundreds of people in attendance this morning who have never even met Cam, let alone his late wife Jenna. Yet they showed up.  They showed up to unite, to give strength, to convey deep respect for Jenna, and to demonstrate support to Cam and his family, that they are not alone in this.  Today was a hard ride because of the deep loss we all felt for Cam, for his children, for the cycling community.  It was so incredibly moving and touching, it was impossible hold back emotions no matter how hard one tried.

Cyclists gathered at Cam and Jenna’s house on the memorial ride.

Jenna was struck by a commercial truck driver while she was legally in the bike lane proceeding on a green light. She had the right of way and was doing everything she should have. Yet, her life was abruptly ended. It was a senseless and tragic bike wreck. The driver simply didn’t see her. She was 33 years old and left behind 4 young children. It was a poignantly difficult ride because it could have just as easily happened to any of us. The feeling of “this hits close to home” was just too powerfully real. The wreck happened in an intersection many of us regularly ride through, at a time of day we all ride. Some of my teammates went through that same intersection on the very same day, only minutes after the wreck. The reality of “this could have happened to any of us” had never felt more real. This was one more reason why the somber emotional impact was so tough.

I have been through many difficult, crazy hard and tough races and even more of those sorts of training rides… yet I agree with my friend, this was hands down the “hardest ride ever.”

May we all pay closer attention to cyclists out on the road. May we all drive less distracted. May we all be safer behind the wheel and on the bike. RIP Jenna Taylor. Our love and hearts and prayers are ever extended to Cam and his family.

-Ben Dodge

 

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know has been injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. He can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire United States. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West 2016, he really knows what it’s like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the United States every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important, but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your rights as a cyclist, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. There is never an obligation past a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback Rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Arizona’s Bicycle 3 Foot Passing Law, true or false? Do you know when you’re protected? And when you’re not?!

Many states have a safe 3 foot passing law required by motorists to pass/overtake bicycles. However, there are misconstrued exceptions and wrong interpretations that may leave you as a cyclist in the lurch. Know your rights for when you are protected and when you are NOT.

Lets break it down starting with the basics first. Arizona’s 3 foot passing law is found in A.R.S. 28-735. The basic gist is that a motorist is required to leave a safe distance of “not less than three feet” when overtaking a bicyclist. Want to venture a guess as to how often that happens? Yeah, like almost never. How about this interesting twist… a motorist can be fined for violating this law if he/she causes a serious physical injury up to $500, and only $1,000.00 for killing the cyclist. Wait for it, wait for it, it gets worse: then the notable exception found in subsection C where no fine is prescribed if there was a bicycle lane or path present and passable. Yep you got it, a motorist can violate this law subsequently hitting and killing a cyclist that is legally in the traffic lane (say turning left, etc.) and the driver won’t even be fined. Of course, the general 3 foot law traffic citation could still be given but no fines allocated in that scenario. CRAZY! No one ever said its fair, but it is the law.

Here is the full text of the Arizona 3 Foot Passing Law found in A.R.S. 28-735:

28-735. Overtaking bicycles; civil penalties

A. When overtaking and passing a bicycle proceeding in the same direction, a person driving a motor vehicle shall exercise due care by leaving a safe distance between the motor vehicle and the bicycle of not less than three feet until the motor vehicle is safely past the overtaken bicycle.

B. If a person violates this section and the violation results in a collision causing:

1. Serious physical injury as defined in section 13-105 to another person, the violator is subject to a civil penalty of up to five hundred dollars.

2. Death to another person, the violator is subject to a civil penalty of up to one thousand dollars.

C. Subsection B of this section does not apply to a bicyclist who is injured in a vehicular traffic lane when a designated bicycle lane or path is present and passable.

It should be mentioned that the minimum safe distance of not less than three feet (subsection A) applies to all streets in Arizona regardless of configuration or bicycle position. Streets in Arizona come in all kinds of varieties. Some have shoulders and some do not; some have designated bicycle lanes but most do not. Some streets are paved and some are not. Some streets are divided into lanes and some are not. You get the picture? If you are a cyclist on a street in Arizona then you have a right to be passed by a motorist with a minimum safe distance of not less than three feet. Period. End of story. Additional fines only don’t apply if you are in a traffic lane when there is a passable bicycle lane – again even if that is a legal place to be riding your bicycle.

What about a lane where it is not possible for a motorist to safely share the lane with you on your bicycle and still leave a minimum safe distance of not less than 3 feet? Lets be honest, some lanes if not most are simply not wide enough for this. So what then? Easy, the motorist is required to leave a safe distance of not less than 3 feet to pass you; so he or she must change lanes to legally pass you. Ir alternatively slow down and not pass until the lane width and safety permit a minimum of three feet distance. End of story. However, I highly recommend in that scenario for the good will of the cycling community and the safety of the cyclist that it may be wise to safely slow down and pull over (perhaps stopping) to allow the driver to pas you. This being the case even if necessary to temporarily dismount the bike and exiting off the street allowing for the minimum safe distance of three feet. If you are lucky enough to have a motorist behind you who knows this law and is abiding by t and your cycling is therefore causing a line up of cars to build up behind you then exit the road way and create your own three feet of space. Better that then get buzzed by lots of angry motorists zooming their way past the one car slowly following you waiting for three feet to show up.

On a final and sad note, there is reason to believe that only a few handful of these citations have ever been issued by the police here in Arizona since the bill passed in 2000. In a few notable fatality cases out of Tucson there have been glaring and obvious omissions of these citations where police reportedly forgot to even issue them. Luckily there is one documented case out of Scottsdale where a cyclist was hit and killed and it was reported that the driver plead guilty to violating the 3 foot law and was issued the maximum fine. Clearly we feel that this citation should be freely issued and investigated in nearly every bicycle wreck involving a vehicle and a cyclist. It should be looked at hard and then ruled out as oppose to omitted from the investigation entirely.

Summary: you are protected in Arizona by a Three Foot Safe Passing Law. By “protected” I mean there is a law out there that should be working in your favor but is likely never invoked by your local authorities. Secondly, even if invoked you are not protected by the motorist having to pay a fine if you were in a traffic lane while struck and there was a designated bicycle lane or path – in this scenario no fines to the motorist. Even if the cyclist was legally in the traffic lane when struck. Finally, the fines which I did not address in detail are so low they don’t adequately protect the vulnerability of cyclists and are therefore no deterrent at all for motorists to really give cyclists any space. I.e. A motorist can blatantly violate this law and cause serious injury to you nly to get fined $500, kill you and only get fined $1,000.

At least we have a three foot law… would be an even bigger disappointment if we didn’t.

-Ben Dodge

Keep the rubber side down!

 

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. Ben can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West, 2016, he really knows what it is like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

The 4 Basic Principles for Ultra Cycling 101

Welcome to the world of pain called Ultra Cycling. But it doesn’t have to be. I’m writing this to those of you who may be venturing out on your first ever “long” bicycle ride. Over the coming year or so we will be doing many “ultra” rides and many of you are coming out for the first time. Per their request I am writing down some basic pointers for getting into ultra cycling. These are just some of what I would call the “intro” points that you should be aware of when first getting into ultra cycling. There of course much more advanced topics we can discuss later, but these basic principles will help a great deal in your new journey into the Ultra cycling world. For me, I learned some of them the hard way through lots of rough miles in preparation for Race Across the West (RAW). Others I learned form more experienced cyclists who were kind enough to share their tips and ideas. Ultra cycling racing tips, practice, and strategies will of course be different and require more in depth review. But these tips are priceless to the soul who is just venturing out on his or her first couple of ultra rides.

A long ride in the Ultra cycling world is something well over 100 miles. There is no set number of miles before a ride becomes an ultra ride, but generally the further past 100 you go the more it starts to feel like an ultra cycling ride. Lets get some of the basics discussed in this blog to make sure that you can minimize discomfort and pain. Note that I never said you won’t feel any discomfort or pain. Ultra cycling by its very implied definition is long, uncomfortable, and eventually painful. The magic which draws some of us to this sport of ultra cycling is in what lies beyond the discomfort and pain, what you discover when you endure longer than all of the pain. The beauty of it all is what you see in you and in others when you push past the point of pain and discomfort. When you get to the mindset of the pain simply doesn’t matter anymore. Not every ultra ride will take you to those extremes, however, that sense of accomplishment and the accompanying feeling that can only be likened to some sort of enlightenment of oneself is teased out even in shorter ultra rides.

Ok, enough of my soap box feelings on ultra cycling. Lets get to the nitty gritty of proper preparation for your first few ultra rides. Your first few ultra cycling events or group rides will likely be in the neighborhood of 150-200 miles. This is where your love of ultra cycling can be born or buried depending on your preparation. Your preparation will minimize the pain and discomfort you may feel.

1) Nutrition:

Think of a 10+ hour ride as nothing more than an all day buffet. I personally love this idea because I love food. I love to eat. If I could get paid all day to just try the best foods this world has to offer I would do it in a heart beat. Thus my love for cycling… I have to do something to lose weight! But seriously, you will likely burn anywhere form 200-600 calories an hour or more depending on your pace. This means your body will be slowly depleting itself every hour until it has nothing left to give. This is what we call “bonking”. You should literally be eating all day. What you eat depends on your stomach and what it can handle while exercising. Regardless of your food choice you should attempt to consume about 300 calories per hour. It is hard for your body to absorb any more than that anyways. I have tried a billion things out there. Unless you spent months adapting to high fat fuels and you can keep your HR absolutely and strictly aerobic then you best be consuming a ton of carbs – so stay away from starch only fuels or you will hit bonk town for sure! You’ll need high quality carbs and lots of them. The kind that absorb quickly and don’t cause any GI distress. In all my rides over the years I have settles on Carborocket. It is by far and hands down the best product on the market. With each serving sitting at 330 calories and 84 grams of super carbohydrates it feels like rocket fuel for the endurance athlete. Zero GI distress for me. It doesn’t mix thick and gooey so I can put 3-4 servings in one bottle (i.e. 3-4 hours of nutrition in one bottle). Love that stuff. For 200+ mile rides I will supplement this with some solid foods as well just for mental pleasure. But I limit this because I don’t want to be caught in the middle of nowhere having a bowl movement… Sticking to fluids means all I have to do is pee every once in a while.

Other cyclists pound GU, Shot Blocks, Hammer, and more. In my opinion all of those products fall far too short on the quality and performance of Carborocket. Plus, the salt pills required to keep from cramping (remember you will be losing a lot of sweat over 10+ hours) are all included already in the carborocket mix. It is really an all in one nutrition – hard to beat. I will also take a couple of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a banana and coke. The caffeine and sugar in Coke are like a much needed shot in the arm – liquid gold…

Salt pills are essential if you don’t enough salt in your nutrition plan already. I usually use endurolytes Also, some good ole fashioned pickle juice is a life saver for leg cramps. I keep much of this in my SAG vehicle if I get lucky enough to have one. Otherwise I pack it in my jersey. There is a company that makes little shots of Pickle Juice in single servings. I love that product.

Excedrin. Yep. You will get sore. For me my neck and shoulders still get sore from my experience during Race Across the West (930 mile non stop race from Oceanside CA to Durango CO). Advil or ibuprofen is dangerous with the liver or kidneys (google it – lots of endurance athletes run into trouble here). Excedrin can relieve the pain a bit and not ruin your kidneys. PLUS it has caffeine. Caffeine is one of your best friends on an endurance ride.

Water. Water. Water. Drink lots. Your body will need it. try to get 1 to 1.5 20 ounce water bottles down every hour. If it is warmer and you are sweating more then you may need to bump this up to 2 per hour. You may not feel like doing this during the first couple of hours, but if you neglect to properly hydrate you will pay for it later in the day. Hydration is so very important. Shorter crit races for 45 minutes, or even 2-4 hour road races you can mismanage hydration and nutrition and get away with it. This is NOT true in endurance cycling. Every time you drink or eat something you are doing it for a benefit in a few hours. Likewise, nearly every time you bonk or begin to struggle you can trace it backwards a couple of hours to a mistake with your nutrition or hydration. This is why Nutrition is the first topic in this blog. It is hands down the most important issue.

2) Clothing:

Always and forever dependent on weather. Pay attention to the terrain and the weather. Often in ultra cycling you can transcend several climates all in one ride. Know this ahead of time and plan for it. The hours without the sun can be cooler than expected, especially if you are sweaty. Sometimes you may start out in a warm desert and ascend to a cold mountain top. Plan for it. Pack it. Be smart.

Shoes – good cycling shoes are important. Make sure they are not too tight. Feet tend to swell on longer rides. Make sure your cycling shoes can loosen.

Sunscreen. Yep, sunburns are common because of the sheer amount of hours you are out exposed in the sun. Also – make sure you pack some lip balm, chap stick, etc. because the sun and wind will wreak havoc on your lips all day.

BIBS. I highly recommend a good pair of bibs that are not too old and worn down. The longer you ride in a pair of bibs the more compressed the chamois pad gets and the less comfortable you will be. Invest into some very good bibs, your bottom area will be forever grateful. In some of my longer rides I have been known to wear 2 pairs of bibs and I have never regretted that decision! Along that note, use chamois cream or butt butter or something to lube yourself for these long rides and some to take with you and reapply later in the day. Some of them come in single dose packages that fit nicely in your jersey or saddlebag.

Jacket – I would certainly recommend a light windbreaker/rain style jacket. Weather changes so much and these are often required during the night hours. Particularly after a long sweaty day in the saddle and then the sun sets and you find yourself in the cool mountain weather.

Sun glasses. No brainer right? Yep. Don’t forget them and don’t forget some clear glasses for the dark hours.

3) Gear:

Bike. Make sure it is all tuned up and ready to roll to minimize any shifting problems or mechanical failures while out on your ultra ride. Long rides seem to have a nice way of highlighting any deficiencies in your bike and gear. Get them taken care of before your ride. Double check your bike chain and your cassette. These often wear down faster than any other part and are almost always the likely culprit of shifting issues. If you feel like you can’t seamlessly shift between gears or it jumps a  bit when you are trying to shift then your most likely issue is in the chain or the cassette or both. Of course, it could be anything so get your bike checked out and ready to roll.

FIT. Speaking of the bike, if you have not been professionally fit to your bike then I recommend it before any long ride. Long rides seem to highlight any deficiencies right? Yes. So if your fit is off then you will feel extra pain in places you probably don’t want to feel extra pain. It could be your knees, lower back, head neck and shoulders, hips, numb feet numb hands, and more. Most all of these issues can be avoided completely by riding the proper size bike for you and then of course being properly fitted to that bike. In my experience most bike shop owners and salesman really have no clue as what is really the proper size bike for you and the sell you what they have or what they think is “in the range” for you. They all assume that you can simply raise or lower the seat/handle bars and fix most any fit problems. Wrong. In fact they couldn’t be more wrong. Did you know that your frame size that fits properly for you can vary drastically based on manufacturer, and style of bike (i.e. TT bike vs Aero bike vs Gravel bike vs. Road Bike vs. MTN Bike, etc.)? Yep – get a professional fit. My favorite fit studio is Cyclologic. They routinely fit many pro cyclists from all over the world. Love their service and their reputation.

Lights. Almost all ultra rides start or end or go through night time conditions. Make sure your lights are fully charged and you have back ups if need be. Riding without lights is just stupid. I sincerely believe that riding during the day with lights should be mandatory. A bright blinking light can be the difference between a motorist seeing you and not seeing you. Be seen, not hit – is a motto I live by. Even my cycling clothing is obnoxiously (but tastefully cool) bright neon colors.

Drawstring style bag. Often as swag bags at events you are handed a drawstring bag of sorts. These are great because they crunch up so small and lightweight that you can simply keep it empty in your jersey pocket. Then, when you start shedding layers you can whip it out and place the extra layers in your drawstring bag and sling it over on your back. You won’t even feel it there. When the sunsets again you can put the layers back on and the bag back in your jersey pocket. Great idea for those long rides where you are in self support mode without a sag car to carry your stuff.

Ice Chest. If you are lucky enough to have a friend drive sag for you then I highly recommend an ice chest. Keep all of your drinks, food, etc in your ice chest. You’ll be so grateful you did. A nice cold drink during a long hot ride in the middle of nowhere is like a little slice of heaven.

Spare wheels. On ultra rides where you have a friend driving sag – don’t forget to throw in an extra wheel set if you have one. The last thing you want to do is terminate your ride early because of some pot hole or other hazard that wrecked your wheels and all of your training, prep, and volunteers have to call it quits now because you don’t have a replacement wheel. Along those same lines, pack lots of extra tubes, maybe a tire, CO2, and a pump. Again – if you have a friend driving sag then why not make sure you have all of this with you.

Tools. On my long sag supported rides I will also throw in my bike tool box. I have a decent set of bike tools for most any situation and they are always ready to go in a grab and go plastic tool box. I usually always throw that in as well. I may have only ended up using it once, but I was sure glad I had it!

4) Mental Prep:

Regardless of how sweet your bike is, or your gear, nutrition, clothing, or even your fitness, the most important part of any ultra ride is your mental preparation. I have given 3 days seminars on this topic alone and there is no way this short blurb in this blog will ever do it justice. However, I would be way out of line if I didn’t mention this as absolutely crucial to your ultra rides.

The most basic element in your mental preparation is realize that you as an individual are capable of at least 20x what you think you are capable of. If up to this point in your training you have only ever done 100 mile ride and you doubt whether you could do a 175 mile ride then you are fooling yourself. Of course you can. In fact you can likely do a 500 mile ride tomorrow if you had to. Start thinking much further down the road then what ever your goal is. When your mind starts to play tricks on you during the ride think of it as a training day and that you will someday do much more then what you are currently attempting and that you need to complete it as part of your training, even if you must then go a bit slower to make the miles. Think beyond your goal.

Visualize. Spend sometime quietly reflecting on your upcoming ride and visualize yourself completing it. Visualize yourself overcoming some negative situation (i.e windy conditions, fatigue, more climbing, etc.). Anticipate these in advance and spend sometime deciding now how you will react and then visualize yourself doing it. Visualization is a powerful technique that empowers you to accomplish what you aim for. And of course, you should be aiming high – like really really high.

A good friend of mine always told me to never make any decisions in the dark. In some of our long endurance activities from 100 mile ultra runs, Kokoro camp with the Navy Seals, training rides for RAW, or during RAW, all where you are required to endure all through night for days in a row without breaks… the best advice that has stuck with me is never make any decisions at night. If you feel like quitting then just wait until the sun comes again before you allow yourself to make that decision and you will feel a renewed sense of commitment and likely you will keep going. However, if you allow yourself to decide at night then you will always opt out. Wait for the sun to come up again and then reevaluate your decision and how you feel – you will probably push on.

Meditate. Yep, can’t do too much of this. It doesn’t have to be something like you see some monk doing in a movie (although kudos to you if you can do it that way!). Meditation is a powerful way to calm the mind and take control over negative thoughts. This is how you stay in control on long rides. Practice meditation techniques that work for you for prep leading up to your ride as well as techniques that work during your ride. You simply can’t meditate enough. Learn what works for you. For me simple breathing techniques are very effective. I personally love box breathing as taught to me by one of my Navy Seal mentors Mark Divine.

Conclusion:

There is simply much more out there we should discuss in greater detail. But as noted, this is a great little intro into ultra cycling and you will be better prepared for your first few ultra cycling adventures. In time we can discuss each of these topics in greater detail, but for now be mindful of your nutrition, clothing, gear, and mental preparation. These 4 basic principles will minimize your pain and discomfort during your ultra cycling adventures. Good luck, have fun, and I’ll see you out there on the road!

-Ben Dodge, Keep the rubber side down!

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. Ben can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West, 2016, he really knows what it is like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Selfies of Vehicle Driver Caught on Facebook Saves Legal Case!

Finally settled for full policy limits with an insurance carrier who for months has denied any and all liability. Said insurance company hit and nearly killed our client while riding his bicycle in his neighborhood. Our client, who was 13 years old at the time, was hurt so badly that he had multiple brain surgeries and extensive medical procedures done just to attempt to save his life over the course of about a year.

After months and months of treatment this young boy not only lives but has made a seemingly full recovery! He is literally an inspiration to me and to many others. His case on the other hand was complicated from the start. The insurance company quite predictably tried to blame the young boy for the accident and refused any liability even from the very beginning.

The mother had actually retained another law office prior to consulting with me as a member of the National Bike Accident Attorneys Network. I recall listening to her story of the frustration she encountered and the roadblocks set up immediately by the insurance carrier. I remember thinking to myself that this case was going to be difficult and that without a committed and experienced bicycle lawyer this family would likely be stuck with significant medical bills. I was right.

We had a great conversation and she instantly agreed that our firm was a much better fit as all we handle are bicycle crash cases. We accepted the case and immediately went to work. After reviewing thousands of pages of documents provided to us by our client’s diligent mother it became clear that we were facing potential medical bills well over a million dollars and an insurance carrier that refused all liability. This was going to be a tough case with a high probability of my firm not getting paid a cent.

The policy limits in this case ended up being around $120K. Even if were to be successful in proving liability we had a massive medical bill issue as the liens alone were close to a million dollars. This is when as an attorney you have to be committed to your client more than to making a buck. Ask yourself as a client this important question: How committed is my lawyer? Will he/she do everything in his/her power to protect my interest or will they give up when it looks like they won’t make any money? If you even sort of hesitate with your answer then run away, and run away fast. Sadly, the personal injury side of the legal industry is full of greedy attorneys that only look for the quick buck or the big cases.

 

Obviously I am committed. I have been told many times that I am the most committed and determined person that most people will ever meet. Here is how this story goes condensed for your reading pleasure:

  • We rolled up our sleeves and went to work. Inviting the mother who already proved to be a valuable asset to help us dig up anything we could on the driver. We were all convinced that this girl driving the car was very distracted or she couldn’t have possibly hit our client.
  • Face Book SelfieWorking closely with the mother, we uncovered some damning photos posted on social media (Face Book) where this driver not only like taking selfies of herself in the car, but she may even have been addicted to “driving selfies”. She had posted hundreds of selfies while driving on her FB account. We downloaded every single one of them for use with her insurance carrier. Some of these pictures are posted here with her face blurred out to protect her identity (notice one of them even while she had her infant son in her car – yikes!).
  • Finally after proving liability sufficiently to the insurance carrier (the FB pictures proved to be most helpful) they agreed to settle at full policy limits. So far, no other firm was able to even get this far or was even willing to work this hard knowing that the medical bills far outweighed the settlement at 11:1. With over $1,000,000.00 in medical bills/liens and only $120,000.00 to spread around for our clients we rolled up our sleeves and went to work knowing that at the end of the day we would be lucky to get the medical bills even half paid for our clients and all this for free as there was not enough money to even pay a fee to our firm. That didn’t matter. We were committed to our clients regardless of our eventual payout.
  • After months of head banging negotiations we succeeded in getting $1,000,000.00+ in medical bills and liens waived and reduced to a total of about $35K! Our client was able to know that not only did he not have to worry about bills he could never pay, but now he had some money left over for a college fund. Awesome day.

Thank you Face Book. Thank you for making this case possible. 😉

Moral of the story: 1) Don’t post stupid pictures or comments on FB; and 2) if you ever get hurt in a bicycle crash make sure you find a bicycle lawyer more committed to you than to his/her own pocket book.

How committed is your attorney?

-Ben Dodge, Keep the rubber side down!

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. Ben can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West, 2016, he really knows what it is like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and has founded a national network of independent bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Landscape Trailers: Fatal to Cyclists

In Arizona landscape companies are literally on every street and every corner with their large trucks and tow behind trailers parked in bike lanes, in traffic lanes, on top of sidewalks and just about everywhere you can imagine.

There is little regard for the safety of cyclists when these companies park their trucks and trailers. In fact, there is little regard for their own equipment as they just haphazardly and lazily park where it is most convenient for their landscaping tasks. Its as if they don’t want to walk “too far” when exiting their truck and trailers to jump on their sit down powered mowers or to trim some trees/bushes. Their trucks and trailers are littered through the streets, bike lanes, and sidewalks of Arizona making it very dangerous for cyclists. Bicycle accidents and crashes involving landscape trailers are sadly a common occurrence in Arizona.

Occasionally it is a landscape trailer or landscape truck that drives into or over a cyclist while turning or parking. And other times it can be dangerously parked landscape truck and trailer that proves nearly impossible for a cyclist to avoid crashing into it.

Landscape TrailerRecently we just finished our representation of a dear family who fatally lost a loved one in a bike crash with a dangerously parked landscape trailer. Initially the landscape company denied all liability trying to blame the cyclist for running into a parked landscape trailer. They played the blame game saying that it must be the cyclist’s fault since the trailer was parked and not moving. Of course they were wrong. After about a year they began to realize that their employees shouldn’t have parked so recklessly and dangerously in the traffic and bike lane. They began to realize that if so parked they really ought to have placed some traffic cones out or at least turned on hazard lights to warn other traffic (including cyclists) that they were dangerously parked there. They began to realize that they force cyclists into dangerous and compromising positions with oncoming traffic.

This was a difficult and sensitive case but eventually the landscape company agreed to settle out of court. Our clients, the family of a loved cyclist in town, were finally able to start to put this nasty and fatal wreck behind them. Moving forward we are eager to help put in place safer traffic laws and regulations to help protect cyclists against such reckless and intentionally dangerous parking practices of landscape companies.

Our advice, be safe out there and be alert to landscape companies because they are not aware of you.

-Ben Dodge

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. Ben can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West, 2016, he really knows what it is like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. Dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and can assist in representation in all 50 states.

What Do You Do When YOU The Cyclist Are at FAULT?

While I am a huge fan of pursuing every bicycle case I come across, there are a few times when as an experienced cyclists and bicycle litigation attorney you know you just have to pull the plug on a case and walk away. Just a few days ago I encountered one such example. Believe me, it is rare for me to walk away from a case. I truly feel that cyclists are under represented and that every case is an opportunity to make progress towards cycling safety and awareness, and for cyclists to be made whole in this prejudiced legal system. But in this case there was no other option. This bike wreck was sincerely the direct result of my own client’s negligence and not that of the driver. The full details of the facts of the case took quite sometime to compile and for a while I believed that my client was not at fault. Once in litigation (and through some serious depositions) more evidence came to light. It became so clear and convincing that my client the cyclist was at fault, that I had no choice but to walk away from the case. My most important duty became educating my client to help him/her understand what he/she had done wrong.

bicycle-race-accident_smallIn some cases it is absolutely clear from the beginning that you the cyclist are at fault for the bike wreck. You know it, and so does everyone else around you. So what do you do when you are involved in a bike wreck and you know you are at fault? Simple: follow these easy to understand steps.

  1. Take lots of pictures. Breathe, relax, collect your thoughts and start taking pictures. You can never take too many pictures. Seriously photograph everything.
  2. Cooperate with the others involved in the wreck. This may be a motorist or other cyclists. Either way, it is a good idea to keep your ego and all other emotional outrage in check. Cooperation goes a long way in true ownership of problems and helping make things right.
  3. Exchange contact information. It may become important for you to communicate with them directly at some later time.
  4. Take more pictures. Yep, you seriously can never take too many pictures.
  5. Report the wreck to you bicycle insurance carrier. What? What is bicycle insurance? YES. If you ride a bicycle you really ought to buy bicycle insurance. Its fairly cheap and covers you when you are injured or your bike is damaged whether you caused the wreck or not. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. The best bicycle insurance company in the United States is Velosurance.
  6. Be careful in your admissions of fault. Do not admit fault for the entire wreck, but just the part you may have caused. Usually there are multiple factors and variables that create the circumstances for a bike wreck. That means that other people may have contributed to part of the responsibility or fault of the crash. Be sure to be guarded in accepting responsibility for your own part and not the whole thing. Most attorneys would never tell you to take responsibility for any part of the wreck. Remember that I am not like most attorneys! One huge problem in this world is that people don’t take responsibility for their mistakes. This article is about what you do when you know you caused the bike crash. If you are not sure if you are fault then absolutely don’t accept responsibility! Not accepting responsibility is not the same as being rude or being a jerk to someone. It is simply not saying anything where you acknowledge you’re at fault. UNLESS of course you know you caused the wreck. In that case, suck it up and do whatever you can to help make it right. This is one of many reasons why you must have bicycle insurance. Bicycle insurance will help you make it right. We have all be there in a group ride and maybe had a few close calls to causing an accident because we weren’t paying attention (or any number of other reasons). If you did it then own up to it and do everything you can to make it right. If you are not sure then be careful in what you say but you should STILL do everything you can to be helpful and help make it right.

At the end of the day anyone of us may end up causing a bicycle crash. If that is the case then follow the 6 steps above to ensure that the fallout is minimized. Be safe out there. Take responsibility. Buy bicycle insurance. (mic drop).

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. Ben can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West, 2016, he really knows what it is like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Know When to Walk Away – Saving a Failed Mediation

I was sitting in a conference room just a few days ago with my clients, a now grieving widow and her devastated daughter when the Mediator finally walks into the room to convey the insurance company’s offer for the fatal bicycle crash case we were fighting for. A local landscape company with a 1$ million dollar policy and liable for the death of a local cyclist has denied even making an offer to the surviving family to this point in the case. He opens by saying, “Do not be insulted, they are only willing to pay $12,000.00.”

Do not be insulted? Are you kidding me? My clients are in tears now. This negotiation has to change and it has to change right now. After hours of discussing the strengths and weaknesses, the evidence, expert witnesses, etc., in this case with the Mediator – this is their offer to our 1 Million dollar demand. $12k? That doesn’t even cover a decent funeral. The mediator was smart enough to mention that he felt they would pay at least 6 digits… probably between $100k-$150k, but that “they wanted to send a message that they will never pay anything near 1 million.”

My response was swift and simple. I knew they were going to play games. I knew they were simply sending a message. I knew immediately what to do, I wanted to send a message of my own. I wanted them to know that I don’t play games. The value of this case to my clients far exceeds any dollar amount. This family doesn’t need any money. They are pretty well off enough without the money. This case was a case in principle for them. They want to make a difference for future wrecks such as this one. To be truthful, my clients would have walked away from the case entirely if the landscape company had simply apologized for the bike wreck in the beginning. Instead, they attempted to cover it up and dismiss any wrong doing on their part.

With this in mind, my response was not difficult to formulate. I stood up and pushed away from the table stating simply: “You can tell them we will happily see them in court.” End of story. Not interested in wasting another minute or putting my clients, now in tears, through any more of the “games” so often associated with this process. My intention was simple and straight forward, settle for policy limits or take it to trial and risk the jury awarding something less or something far greater than 1 million. That message was received loud and clear. As we were leaving the mediator came rushing in and asked for a counter offer assuring me that the insurance company is indeed willing to pay 6 digits, maybe even up to $300k. This of course is a vast improvement from the $12K they initially offered, but fell far short of the real value of the case.

Sometimes You Fight Best by Walking Away
Sometimes You Fight… Sometimes You Fight by Walking Away

The mediator insisted that I give them a counter offer. Perfect, I now had another opportunity to “send a message” to these clowns. I thought for a moment, looked at my clients whose eyes seemed to be pleading for me to honor their belief in this case, then I said: “Sure, please tell the insurance company that we can accept a full and global settlement on all of my clients’ claims for $1 million dollars minus $12K. I believe that would be a 6 digit figure of $988,000.00.” Looking at me in disbelief, the mediator said they will never go for that. “I know,” I said. Returning to the room he said they denied that offer and that there is nothing more for us to do here today. Wishing us well he ushered us out with a great interest in following our case. He mentioned he will keep track of this one as it is very unique.

Looking back on this mediation it occurs to me that an effective attorney will know not only what is best for the case and for his clients in terms of the strengths and weaknesses of his/her case, but will also know how to manage the clients’ hopes, fears, and desires. In this case, it was predictable that the insurance company would low ball us. While I expected an opening offer around $200k, it was shocking to get such a low ball offer of only $12k! My clients were pissed. It became instantly clear that no settlement would be reached today. My focus then turned on gathering as much information about their position and tactics as possible while ALSO making sure they received a like manner and equally shocking response. This case is not so cut and dry – and I am not at liberty to discuss the case details yet, but it is safe to say that the case can go either really well for my clients or really poorly. They already know this. I have spoken at great lengths with them regarding the pros and cons. The insurance company has been attempting to beat us up for about a year now on this and has yet to even make an offer. They clearly expected us to give into the intimidation and fear tactics of their negotiation strategy and hoped we would accept a little something as opposed to the nothing they feel would get at trial. This is exactly why a shocking response to them was required. Walking away and forcing them into court is exactly what it took for them to go from $12k to $300k. Our shocking response was well received and yet it is only the beginning.

I’m confident that in this case we will do even better given more time with them, and more opportunities for evidence gathering and depositions, etc. The mediator had been doing this for 40+ years and didn’t even feel we had a case at first. (Which undoubtedly influenced the insurance company). But by the end he was changing his opinion and very intrigued by our position, to the point of asking permission to follow the case closely to see how it develops.

The point of the story is, that even if you don’t think you have a good bike crash case you should consult with our office and determine whether not you in fact have a case. The other point is, that sometimes you just have to know when to walk away from a bad negotiation to actually make it into a good negotiation and ultimately get what you and your clients want.

-Ben Dodge

Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. Ben can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West, 2016, he really knows what it is like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Why Every Cyclist Should Ride with a Camera!

We all know someone who has been run off the road, or worse hit and the driver just carries on as if our lives as cyclist are infinitely inferior to those of the drivers. Of course cyclists lives matter! Yet, it doesn’t always seem so when a bike wreck actually happens. I often encounter drivers who fled the scene, or drivers who are absolutely certain it is the cyclists fault that their car(s) hit them. I have seen countless police officers inappropriately or unknowingly issue citations to cyclists when a car has struck the cyclist. I have seen an innumerable amount of cases where the insurance company fights to the death (no pun intended) defending the illegal and careless driving behavior of their clients. I have been involved with many bike crash cases where the cyclist has been struck unconscious and can’t remember what happened. Below is a sample video of a rear facing mounted bicycle camera (Cycliq Fly6):

These are just a small number of very good reasons to ride with a bike camera mounted to your bike. All of the above scenarios could have been resolved more effectively and more quickly had the cyclist been riding with a video camera. They say that the streets of any decent sized city are as close to a “jungle” as we can get when we ride our bikes through them. In fact, you will often hear it described as surviving the “urban jungle.” I believe that surviving the urban jungle comes down to several different issues that can each help protect us as cyclists. Some of them include knowing and following the traffic rules in the jurisdiction that you ride. It may be riding more defensively and more aware of others around you. It could also be important to dress in colors that are contrasting and easy to see. Another is to ride with bike lights day or night, and then of course be sure ot get the ones that blink with a non uniform pattern. All of these are important, but this article will focus on how helpful/important it is to ride with video cameras on your bike.

Fly12
Cycliq Fly12 1080p HD Action Camera and 400 Lumen Bicycle Light

A video camera canon your bicycle can clear up a ton of unanswered questions or misguided perceptions of what really happened if you get in a wreck. It can capture the bad behavior of both the cyclist and the motorist. In fact, I believe that riding with a video camera heightens your own sense of awareness as a cyclist and you are more inclined to follow the traffic rules. Even just recently I was reviewing some video footage form my rear facing video camera and back light combo unit (the Fly6 by Cycliq) and noticed that I was riding very close to the white line of the bike lane and that some of my friends were crossed over it. During our next ride I made more conscious efforts to be entirely inside the bike lane.

Traditionally the only camera really out there has been the GoPro. The GoPro has an incredible amount of features and capabilities that are certainly not limited to cycling. But then you have to know how to use them or you can end up wasting some money. The upside to the GoPro in my opinion is that it is so versatile in its uses and mounting locations that you can literally capture as much footage from as many different angles as possible. The downside, that every time you use a GoPro, or really any other video camera, you are mounting more and more cameras on your bike. This can add weight to your bike and significantly increase your drag and can be pretty costly.

If you are into effective and simple solutions like me then you would probably fall in love with my new favorite bike light + video camera combo unit. Cycliq has just released a pair of bike lights that are also video cameras. Yep, that’s right, your bike light can also be a video camera. No need for mounting a billion things to your bike. They have a forward facing 400 lumen light and 1080p HD camera unit called the Fly12. And then they have the rear facing 720p HD action camera and bike light called the Fly6. Together these bike lights have your back and your front! They are offer incredible video quality and astoundingly long lasting battery life.

Fly6
Cycliq Fly6 – Rear facing 720p HD Action Camera and Bicycle Light

My absolute favorite part about the Cycliq Fly 12 or Fly6 is that I just simply charge them and use them like bike lights. They just happen to also be recording everything as I ride. They have continuous loop recording technology so you never have to worry about your sd card maxing out on memory and your video footage just stopping. It simply starts recording the older footage and keeps going. This way you just charge it like your typical bike light and use it every ride like normal. Only remove your sd car or plug your light into your computer when you want to pull off the footage and review it.

The Fly12 forward facing light also integrates into strava and can display your speed, heart rate, and other info in the bottom of the video screen. Pretty cool. Plus the Fly 12 has an app for you to connect to it from your smart phone and edit settings or even preview footage. Just dang cool.

Now I ride with the Fly12 and Fly6 every ride as my bike lights. I simply charge them like my old lights and I’m off for my ride knowing that I have video footage in front and back. So cool.

You can review all of the facts, technical data, and even sample video footage on their website at: https://cycliq.com/

Arizona bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. Ben can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West, 2016, he really knows what it is like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Cervelo S3 Demo – First Impressions

Recently I had the great opportunity to demo a brand new Cervelo S3. Thanks to a local bike shop, Two Wheel Jones Gilbert Store, I enjoyed about 2 hard rides on a Cervelo S3. And yes, I “enjoyed” the experience. I Seriously doubted if I would ever be a Cervelo fan… and then I rode the 2016 S3 with Ultegra Di2.

My friend and owner of the Gilbert location of Two Wheel Jones bike shop, Larry DeMik, swore by this bike. He and his whole staff believe they are some of the best bikes ever built. He offered a demo opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I always secretly and often overtly hated Cervelo. I haven’t been the biggest fan of their color scheme, and then of course there is the glaring issue of everyone seems to have one. I started my love affair with bicycles in the triathlon scene. It seemed like the overwhelming percentage of bikes at Ironman were Cervelo. Those who know me know that I march to the beat of my own drum. Riding a bike everyone else has is not high on “my favorite things to do” list. So over the years I just grew this subtle and sometimes not so subtle resentment and disgust against Cervelo. I know they make good bikes. But to me that wasn’t the issue, it was they look ugly to me and everyone, and I mean everyone seems to have one.

So in some disbelief with myself I agreed to ride a demo. I was intrigued to see what all the buzz was about. My first ride was on a Saturday morning group ride in preparation for our upcoming LOTOJA race. There was probably about 25 people out on this group ride. It was a lot of fun and I found myself happy as a clam to be among such good friends. The ride itself was hard for me. I am still recovering from some injuries I sustained during the Race Across the West and only recently been able to bike at all. With my resulting fitness in the toilet, the hot Arizona summer sun beating the life out of any cyclist, and my new weightless/dieting habits of late, I felt like I was riding on an empty tank. Just had nothing left to give that Saturday. My HR was out of control even in the draft. I knew I was doomed when I didn’t have any fuel on board and our supposed “aerobic” training ride went anaerobic in the first few minutes.

Cervelo S3 TWJ
Cervelo S3 and the Bike Accident Attorneys Truck

Notwithstanding the personal setbacks that can make or break a ride, I was struck by this S3. The most prominent feature of the bike in my mind that Saturday was the electric shifting. Whoa! It was shifting like a hot knife through butter with extreme surgical precision. It was a difference I could immediately feel and fall in love with. I had never tried electronic shifting before. Every bike I had owned was mechanical with traditional cables, etc. Sadly, I have never experienced so much joy and satisfaction in shifting before this experience and I can confidently say I will never be satisfied with anything but electronic shifting in the future. I have heard the new SRAM eTap is pretty impressive… so far I have only tried Di2 and it was amazing.

I eventually abandoned the group ride and rode home solo trying to keep my HR under better control. In these moments I began to feel other aspects of the bike that I couldn’t notice before since I was so enamored by the Di2. The S3 is supposed to be a stiff and aero race bike with some level of comfort above and beyond it’s older and faster brother the Cervelo S5. According to studies, the S3 is only 4 watts slower in wind tunnel testing than the S5 and yet it offers more comfort. 4 watts? That is definitely a small enough number that the average cyclist can’t even tell a difference. To be honest, I didn’t notice the comfort part of the S3. It is a stiff and fast aero bike. Comfort is not really what a bike like the S3 is known for. I can imagine the S5 comparing out on the speed side of things as equally fast and more uncomfortable… Just a guess – I have not tried an S5 yet.

On Monday morning I took it out again for the last time. I did about a 40 mile ride with some hard interval work mixed in. Towards the end of the ride my coach had instructed me to do some seated sprinting drills. This is where I felt this bike excel. Even hurt, fat and out of shape I was able to keep up or beat other cyclists on the ride that day. This bike was undoubtedly fast. It was then that I realized Cervelo isn’t all that bad. 😉 But seriously, the first ride I felt horrible and was more enthralled with the Di2 than anything else. On the second ride I paid closer attention to the bike itself and what it could or couldn’t do. The S3 is definitely not your best climbing bike – although it can climb as good as you can pedal it; but rather the S3 is designed for speed work. It is a fast bike. It gets up to speed and stays up to speed seemingly easily. When combined with the Di2 you end up with a flawlessly shifting race machine. I admit, I must eat some crow here. The S3 was a great bike and a very fun bike to ride.

Not sure I would recommend a bike like this for long distance ultra cycling. But for the casual or semi enthusiastic cyclist who wants to be fast over shorter distances, this bike is likely one of the better bikes you can get for the money. I believe they are between $5k-$6k out the door at MSRP with Ultegra Di2. That is pretty impressive.

I will say this though, if I ever own a Cervelo, it will likely be the S3. But before it comes to my house that thing needs to be painted in a high vis or fluorescent yellow. The plain blakc with red accents is the only color that bike comes in and I am definitely into the bright neon colors. Overall, great bike! Two Thumbs up for sure. Thanks Larry and Two Wheel Jones Gilbert for the opportunity to demo an amazing bike.

Cervelo site/link to the S3 with product description and specs/details: https://www.cervelo.com/en/road/s-series/s3

Arizona bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben-&-BikeA bicycle crash is not always an accident. If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle crash or accident caused by a road hazard or dangerous road condition, hire a personal injury attorney who is experienced and has a successful track record. Ben Dodge, a licensed bicycle accident lawyer in Arizona, has dedicated his entire firm to one purpose: representing cyclists. Bicycle accident cases are the only cases Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC handles. Home based out of the great state of Arizona, Ben can still help cyclists in the entire United States. Ben also founded Bike Accident Attorneys Network, a national network of attorneys who focus on representing cyclists. Ben can find you help anywhere in the country.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. Having competed in 8 Ironman triathlons, numerous local and national cycling races, and a successful finish in the Race Across the West, 2016, he really knows what it is like to ride and race a bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

A consultation with experienced Arizona bicycle accident attorney Ben Dodge is free

In recent years there has been approximately 700 bicycle fatalities in the united states every single year. Approximately 2,000 bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. approximately 30 fatal bicycle accidents are reported in Arizona every year. Bicycle fatalities are terrible and horrific tragedies that affect the lives of too many families and friends to count. Understanding your rights and obligations as a cyclist can bring clarity to your specific accident situation. It will always be in your best interest to be represented by an attorney who knows the bicycle laws and has a successful track record of winning bicycle accident cases. The negotiation tactics and strategies of winning a case are extremely important but should always take a back row seat to the litigation experience and knowledge of court room rules, local, state, and federal rules of civil procedure that can have significant impact on your bicycle accident case. It is wise to be represented by someone well versed in bicycle accident law, local and state bicycle ordinances, rules, regulations, policies, and laws. You should hire someone very familiar with negligence and tort law, civil procedure, and the rules of evidence as they all relate specifically to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge always offers a complimentary in person consultation to all local cyclists and a complimentary phone consultation to any cyclist injured in a bike accident. Typically the consultations are schedule from 30-60 minutes depending on the severity of the accident. You can expect to get answers to questions, clarity, information, and reassurance of your personal bike accident liability and potential for recovery. In your free consultation you can generally expect to discuss such topics as:

  • your specific bike accident details, diagrams, and pictures from your perspective and then from the perspective of your bike accident attorney.
  • the applicable local, state, and federal laws underlying your case.
  • your cyclist’s rights, obligations, and any potential liability.
  • the process, procedure (in and out of court), and the time frame required to conclude your case.
  • the value of your case and what you might expect as compensation.

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922. Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

Call Ben Dodge, the Bicycle Lawyer today at 1.855.663.3922. Reach him by fax at 1.800.958.8902.

Mr. Dodge can also be reached by email at ben@bikeaccidentattorneys.com

His main Arizona offices are located at:

Mesa Arizona (home base office)
4824 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 124
Mesa, Arizona 85206

Phoenix Arizona office
2415 e. Camelback rd., suite 700
Phoenix, Arizona 85016

Tucson Arizona office
One South Church Avenue, 12th Floor
Tucson, Arizona 85701

Mr. Dodge represents cyclists in the entire state of Arizona including but not limited to mesa, phoenix, tucson, yuma, gilbert, peoria, glendale, scottsdale, ahwatukee, tempe, chandler, prescott, sedona, flagstaff, surprise, kingman, page, lake havasu city, payson, goodyear, buckeye, queen creek, paradise valley, show low, winslow, maricopa, nogales, globe, avondale, cave creek, fountain hills, apache junction, carefree, wickenburg, pinetop-lakeside, strawberry, anthem, safford, and more. Ben Dodge is currently involved with bicycle accident cases all over the country and can assist in representation in all 50 states.

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