Why Sidewalks Suck!

“Why can’t I just ride on the sidewalk and not even risk getting hit by a car?” great question. SO many reasons. Both the law and educated experience provide answers to this question. The data may not surprise you, but sidewalks suck and are much less safe than riding on the road.

Sidewalks Are Really SUCKWALKS

First, lets get a little story about sidewalks in. My 10 year old son is obsessed with roads right now. He loves the sound of the cracks as we drive over them, the overpasses and bridges, and the dedicated bike lanes we see all over our beautiful city. Almost every time I return from a ride he asks me what roads I went on. I tell him and then he gets frustrated and disappointed because it is “unfair” that I get to ride on the road and he has to ride on the sidewalk. He recently learned that term “this sucks”. He has now told me that sidewalks are really just “suck walks” because it sucks to ride on sidewalks. I busted up laughing at his newly coined word and how appropriate it really is in this context. He has no idea how right he is. I love it. I love everything about it. You’ll see him below when I took him out on a little field trip to teach him about bike lanes and sidewalks. He sat down in the bike lane (don’t worry, it was a little side street with no traffic whatsoever) and we just chatted all about the importance of bike lanes.

My 10yr Old Son & I On a Father-Son Field Trip to Discuss Bike Lanes

Why Does It Suck to Ride on a Sidewalk?

In a semi recent bicycle collision report published by the city of Phoenix in 2010, the conclusion was that approximately 70% of the bicycle collisions- the cyclist was riding on the sidewalk or had just left the sidewalk. It is legitimately more dangerous to ride on a sidewalk than on the street. For most motorists, the driveways or side streets with sidewalks on either side are points of entry or exits. In most cases the motorists is eagerly waiting for a break in traffic just to make the entry or exit that inevitably intersects the sidewalks. They don’t pay attention to pedestrians and cyclists on the sidewalk when they are looking for the momentary break in traffic. And when they finally see that break in traffic they almost floor it just to get in our out of where they are going.

That lack of attention from motorists is one major reason why it SUCKS to ride on sidewalks. But there are some legal issues here as well.

ARS 28-627 Grants Local Cities the Authority to Make Traffic Laws & It May Be Illegal in Your City!

While the State statutes do not address bicycles on sidewalks in Arizona, the local and individual cities can and often do enact their own rules for sidewalk riding. It can be legal or illegal depending on what city you are in or in some cases what part of a city you are in. For a more detailed article on this specific issue you can check our our other post: Is It Legal to Ride my Bike on the Sidewalk. The short answer is it can absolutely be illegal. For most cities however, they make an exception for smaller bicycles based on wheel size so as to not penalize children from riding on the sidewalk. Almost to encourage them to actually ride on the sidewalk instead of the road. Can you imagine little 4 year old Sally riding in the road? Probably not. I can’t either. Based on the speeds of most children and the fact they mostly ride in neighborhoods and not on busy commercial streets riddled with strip malls, sidewalks may be safer for them. I know I make my son ride on them when we ride together and we go much slower than when I roll with my racing team out in the roadways.

Sidewalk vs Bike Lane

Hands down there is a huge difference here. The bike lane is a dedicated part of the road way intended for use by bicycles. There are specific protections and traffic laws/rules relating to them intended to protect cyclists. If a cyclist was hit while legally riding in the bike lane his/her case of sharing some of the fault with the driver is much easier to win. However, when the cyclist is on the sidewalk the contributory negligence arguments get much harder to win. Often cyclists on sidewalks are riding against the flow of traffic. They often don’t have helmets. And they may be illegally on the sidewalk with an adult sized bike, or on a sidewalk where cycling is prohibited by local municipal code. Not to mention that sidewalks are shared by so many users and bike lanes are meant just for bicycles.

Final Conclusion: Avoid riding on a SUCKWALK.

Avoid riding on a suckwalk. They are far more dangerous, and present more tricky legal considerations that can harm your case. If you find yourself on a sidewalk be sure to monitor traffic from both directions as best as possible when you approach an intersection or driveway. Motorists seem to come from every angle and you don’t want to get hit. Sidewalks suck. They may be illegal and they definitely aren’t safe. Use the bike lane, or the shoulder, or even take the lane when you must.

Enjoy the ride! Hopefully you’ll never need us, but if you are ever involved in a wreck- we are here for you. My practice is exclusively for cyclists. I manage a national network of cycling attorneys who represent cyclists in every state. I ride. I race. I advocate. I choose to live and ride. #mylawyerdoesntsuck #arizonabicyclelawyer #bicyclelawyer #BAA

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 Arizona bicycle accident lawyer, 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, Bicycle Lawyer

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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

Ben Dodge, NITA Advocate with Advanced Trial Skills Training

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. Ben is certified through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) as having completed extensive litigation courses and has demonstrated these skills over and over again. Most lawyers are pencil pushers and shouldn’t be in a court room… not Ben Dodge. He is a gifted and aggressive litigator. 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 BikeAccidentAttorneys.com a National Network of independent and incredible bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Where You Must Legally Ride

“Do I have to ride all the way to the right? What if there is no bike lane, or zero shoulder? Where in the road is it legal to ride my bike? Where is it illegal to ride?” I get asked these questions fairly often. The short answer is “it depends.”

Why is there so much confusion among police officers, motor vehicle drivers, insurance adjusters and even some cyclists when it comes down to this question? Simple, most people are confused because they either don’t know the law and how to apply it, and/or they are blinded by bias.

“GET OFF THE F*ing ROAD” he screamed…

True story: car drives by and buzzes a cyclist within an inch or two. Yelling and screaming gout the window to get off the f*ing road. Cyclist is nearly knocked of his bike in the process and run off the road in what certainly amounts to very dangerous conditions. All because this driver couldn’t wait to pass, or pass with 3 feet of clearance between himself and the cyclist.

This is not an unfamiliar story to many of us who ride. You each likely have dozens of these experiences yourself. No doubt we can all share story after story of reckless and angry drivers who place our lives in danger out of their own impatience.

This raises the major question of where exactly are we legally obligated to be and allowed to be? They are different. Lets look at Arizona bicycle laws. Arizona is where our Bike Accident Attorneys National Network is headquartered. Arizona bicycle laws and traffic laws are very similar to many other states:

Bicycles Can Use the Roadway

Arizona Revised Statutes 28-812 expressly grants cyclists the right to use the road when it states that a person riding a bicycle is “granted all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties” that apply to a driver of a vehicle. In its simplest intent this statute says bicycles can use the roads. The very same roads that cars use. It is from this statute that the conflict between cyclist and driver seems to be born, both having equal rights and duties on the roadways. Most states have a similar statute wherein cyclists are granted express permission to use the roadways as well as express duties that for the most part mirror that of drivers.

So why then do drivers get so mad at cyclists on the roadways? Good question. Too much to address here in this article, but my personal belief is our culture in America is so different towards cycling as a means of transportation that tend to view cyclists as annoying pests instead of equals. And that culture has a lot of contributing factors, from our impatience to the sheer number of people who commute via car rather than bike, etc. and so much more.

So Where On the Roadway MUST We Ride? To the Right?

In general, the law requires a cyclist who is riding “at less than the normal speed of traffic” to ride “as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway” (ARS 28-815). This the Arizona law that many other states also have. Note that this only applies if the cyclist is riding at less than the normal speed of traffic. And even then the statute further specifies that it is “less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing.” One great example is a downhill descent. It is often much safer to take the lane when you can reach speeds comparable to that of traffic under the conditions, time, and place then existing.

Essentially, as cyclists we are REQUIRED to stay to the right. However, there are a list if exceptions: (ARS 28-815)

  • If passing another bicycle or vehicle going in the same direction as you on your bike
  • If prepping for a left turn into an intersection, private road, or driveway.
  • If reasonably necessary to avoid conditions like fixed or moving objects, parked cars, bicycles, pedestrians, animals, or other surface hazards.
  • If the lane you’re riding in is too narrow for a bicycle and vehicle to travel safely, side by side.

That last point is the one we must really clarify. When is it unsafe for a vehicle and a bicycle to ride side by side? Simple, in a state like Arizona where we have a 3 foot passing law (see ARS 28-735 and/or this article) then any lane where you can’t pass a cyclist with 3 feet then the cyclist can take the lane. Period. End of story. Or is it…?

The exception to the exception: if you are riding your bicycle slower than the normal flow of traffic on a 2 lane highway where passing is unsafe (i.e. curvy mountain roads, etc.), AND 5 or more vehicles are all waiting behind you; then you are now impeding traffic. You must pull over to let them pass you (ARS 28-704).

Final Conclusion: Ride to the Right or Take the Lane, Both Seem to Work!

Cyclists: At the end of the day you should ride to the right except when it isn’t safe or impracticable to do so. Then you should occupy the lane. When taking the lane just take the right 1/3 or 1/2. Proceed cautiously and take the lane after confirming it is safe to do so with any oncoming traffic, etc. Pay attention to curvy two lane highways or other roadways where due to the lack of a bike lane you end up causing 5 or more cars to stack up behind you. If that happens pull over and let them pass. Also be wise, be safe, don’t take the lane just because you think you can. ONLY take it when necessary for your safety.

Drivers: Be careful and cautious. The cyclists out there have the same right to use the roads that you do. Do not pass them unless you can do so with at least 3 feet of distance between you and the cyclist. At times you may see a cyclist out in the lane. This is normal. Most likely there is debris in the road that the cyclist can see more clearly than you. Avoid honking as you drive by as this can often cause a crash. Be wise, be patient and chill out. Stay off your phone and pay attention to your surroundings.

***

Enjoy the ride! Hopefully you’ll never need us, but if you are ever involved in a wreck- we are here for you. My practice is exclusively for cyclists. I manage a national network of cycling attorneys who represent cyclists in every state. I ride. I race. I advocate. I choose to live and ride. #mylawyerdoesntsuck #arizonabicyclelawyer #bicyclelawyer #BAA

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 Arizona bicycle accident lawyer, 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, Bicycle Lawyer

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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

Ben Dodge, NITA Advocate with Advanced Trial Skills Training

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. Ben is certified through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) as having completed extensive litigation courses and has demonstrated these skills over and over again. Most lawyers are pencil pushers and shouldn’t be in a court room… not Ben Dodge. He is a gifted and aggressive litigator. 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 BikeAccidentAttorneys.com a National Network of independent and incredible bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

The Parking Fee Shenanigans at Usery – What Every Mountain Biker Must Know

For those of you who love the dirt and park outside your local state park but ride your bike into the park on some other connecting trails- you may get a ticket! It seems to make sense that if you find that magical parking spot outside of the state park that you somehow figured out a clean way to skirt the system. You may learn the hard way that you might just be wrong and a ticket will show up on your parked vehicle. Here’s what you need to know…

State Park Fees are for Entrance into the park not for Parking

Oddly enough some out door enthusiasts and mountain bikers believe that the fees they pay are for parking. However, typical sate park fees across the country are considered entrance fees and just include parking. Some other state parks have an additional fee for parking, but that is less common.

When you understand that an entrance fee is not a parking fee then you may start to realize why some Park Rangers are getting away with writing tickets and leaving them on your windshield. When you return it looks and feels like a parking ticket. But in reality it is a user/entrance fee of the state park.

Local Example: Usery Mountain Regional Park

Here in Arizona a local park full of decent mountain biking and hiking trails is located east of Phoenix. While it’s official name is Usery Mountain Regional Park, we all just refer to it as Usery. There is also a ton of road cyclists who make the paved climb and the decent a regular part of their weekly training.

Like many other state and regional parks, Usery has a main entrance staffed with some park rangers. They collect your entrance fee there at the gate before you’re allowed inside. Once you’re all paid up and parked, you are free to use the many hiking, biking, or horseback trails available to you. There is even some camping sites built around the park.

And like many other state and regional parks, there are numerous trails that start outside the park and lead into the park. One such famous entry point at Usery is the corner of W. McKellips and N. Crismon Road. This is an official entrance to the park, however there is no ranger station built there and you will never see a ranger standing there to collect your entrance fees. Most weekends this corner is full of vehicles parked all over the dirt section. Most of them are mountain bikers.

E. McKellips Road and N. Crismon

We actually called the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office to confirm whether or not that section of dirt on the North and East side of those two roads is privately owned rather than park property. That dirt section is in fact owned by Maricopa County. After a conversation with Maricopa County Parks and Recreation we learned that they intentionally cleared out more of that dirt section to make more parking available for users of the park. It is not an official parking lot by any stretch of the imagination but it is widely known as a great parking spot for this entrance into the park and the park itself supports parking there by their own actions.

I get reports from frustrated cyclists that they are getting tickets for parking in the dirt area which has been clearly supported for parking by the park. I always love supporting our cycling community so I start looking into it. Turns out that the park is not writing parking tickets at all but rather writing tickets for non payment of the usage fee into the park. After speaking with a ranger, we learned that they are assuming that whoever parks there is using the park. If someone is parked in that dirt area north and east of McKellips and Crismon roads without a usage permit then you will get ticketed.

The annual pass permit is only $30 and can be purchased in several areas around town but NOT at this dirt lot entrance. If you purchase and display an annual pass then you can park there without any tickets. There is also an option for a day pass of $2.00 per vehicle which you can purchase there in order to gain lawful entry into the park. The $2.00 user fee for a day pass is an “on your honor” type system where you leave your money in an envelope type deal there onsite and take a pass for your windshield. Ironically, the $2.00 fee doesn’t allow entry into the main gate. That is a much higher fee.

Maricopa County Parks and Recreation: Park Rule 104

THE FOLLOWING ACTS ARE PROHIBITED IN MARICOPA COUNTY PARKS:
R-104 ENTRY, USE, OCCUPANCY, FEES

  1. Entering, using, or occupying of a Maricopa County Park or its facilities, designated trails or waterways under the supervision and control of the Department for any purpose when said parks or areas are posted against such entrance, use, occupancy or where barriers exist.
  2. Entering upon or using for any purpose, the land, water or facilities within the boundaries of Maricopa County Parks when a fee, rental, admission or other consideration has been established for such land, water or facilities, unless the person entering or using such land, water or facility has paid said fee, rental, admission or other consideration.

So 104(1) doesn’t apply to the McKellips/Crismon parking issue because there is no barrier there as intended by this rule. However, Rule104(2) does specifically states that you are not allowed to enter or use the land without paying the use/entrance fee. And in this scenario the use/entrance fee is clearly posted at the entrance with means to leave your money and claim your permit right there.

Conclusion

For sure ride your bike more! When riding in regional or state parks be sure to understand what permits/usage fees are required to gain lawful entrance. Regardless of where you park make sure you have obtained the correct permit to lawfully ride. Most state and regional parks require one. Support local, regional, federal, and state parks as much as possible by paying the appropriate fees to use them.

Enjoy the ride! Hopefully you’ll never need us, but if you are ever involved in a wreck- we are here for you. My practice is exclusively for cyclists. I manage a national network of cycling attorneys who represent cyclists in every state. I ride. I race. I advocate. I choose to live and ride. #mylawyerdoesntsuck #arizonabicyclelawyer #bicyclelawyer #BAA

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 Arizona bicycle accident lawyer, 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, Bicycle Lawyer

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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

Ben Dodge, NITA Advocate with Advanced Trial Skills Training

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. Ben is certified through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) as having completed extensive litigation courses and has demonstrated these skills over and over again. Most lawyers are pencil pushers and shouldn’t be in a court room… not Ben Dodge. He is a gifted and aggressive litigator. 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 BikeAccidentAttorneys.com a National Network of independent and incredible bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Bicycle Lawyer Skillz

It’s important your bicycle lawyer have some basic skillz (as they say these days). Recently when I interviewed cyclists about what they expect their lawyer to know and do I was not shocked to learn the following expectations. Proudly, I can say “I got this” to my clients.

Be A “Badass” in The Courtroom

Not surprised and I can’t agree more! Of course you want your bicycle lawyer to be able to go toe to toe with the largest and meanest of insurance companies and their army of attorneys. Would you ever really hire someone who isn’t the most incredible trial lawyer and total bad ass in the courtroom? No one wants to show up to war with an untrained, nervous, and awkward soldier. Yet law school does absolutely nothing for people who want to learn how to be incredible attorneys. How do you know your bicycle lawyer is even good as a lawyer in the court room? When is the last time they were even in trial? What do they intentionally do to keep up on their skillz?

The deep dark secret is that law school only teaches you how to think differently, not how to be a lawyer. This is a huge problem. A true Trial Attorney is a dwindling breed in a subset of our profession. I’ll be blatantly honest and bold in this following comment and I don’t mean to intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings, but on the hand I also don’t care if other lawyers find this offensive: 95% of lawyers have no business representing clients in court. Most lawyers don’t have the gumption, the skill, the tactics, the strategies, the persuasiveness, the mind, the courtroom presence, etc. to ever effectively be a trial attorney. It is a dwindling breed. When more and more cases settle there is less of a need for the development of true trial attorneys. A law degree doesn’t mean crap. A trial lawyer is more of a “reputation” thing that only trial lawyers earn over time, especially the good ones. The rest of everyone else I affectionately call Pencil Pushers. They belong behind a desk somewhere thinking about how to draft some legal document, but never should they actually go argue it in court.

Recently I attended an advanced trial skills clinic in Washington D.C. with some of the best trial attorneys currently in our country. Some of the federal judges in attendance all agreed that trial lawyers are a dwindling breed. Clinics and courses like these are not widely attended by my peers because they take too much time and cost too much money. What shame. Especially when many of those same lawyers have zero court room skillz.

My clients expect an amazing lawyer and that is what I give them. I’m all in. I seize every opportunity to be better and learn more. I take professional and personal development seriously. I have even been known to hire professional actors and theater personalities to provide training on court room verbal and physical presentation skills. “Refine your craft. Hone your skillz. Be better today than you were yesterday.” All words I live by. Besides, have you noticed the subtle (or maybe not so subtle) 3 letter designation for our national racing team: BAA Racing. Bike Accident Attorneys, or one with a little imagination could see: BAA for an entirely different meaning. A meaning our clients understand, bad ass attorneys. 😉 See our 2020 racing team jersey:

Have Integrity

Lawyers need to be brutally honest with their clients. I hate it when a client comes to me who spoke to another lawyer prior to hiring me and told me what that lawyer said. It usually involves something along the lines of a lie about the real case value or process of the case in hopes of getting that client to hire them.

Maintaining integrity with our clients is a HUGE part of our culture. We speak plainly and frequently to our clients. If we think the insurance company or opposing attorneys are jerking our clients around then we tell them. We don’t try and make it look like their low ball settlement offer is the “best you will likely get.” Instead we take the gloves off and take those jerks to court. Period.

Our clients here from us every couple of weeks at most. I insist that they get regular updates on how their case is going even if the news isn’t always good. Constant and frank communication is necessary for anyone who practices law with integrity. I prefer it and so do most human beings.

Ride Bicycles

Seriously, how many accident lawyers and personal injury lawyers do you know that actually bicycles? How in touch can they be with what you’re experiencing as a client? I know most personal injury lawyers try to get as many accident cases as possible and they treat them all the same. It is usually NEGLIGENCE and they just run a bicycle accident case through their standard negligence injury formula of:

  1. Duty
  2. Breach
  3. Causation (& proximate cause)
  4. Damages

They simply rely on their experience of classic motor vehicle style accidents: red car hits blue car, blah blah blah. They look at you as a bicycle client and say the car had a duty to drive in a safe manner and not to hit you. The car breached that duty when it made an unsafe turn through the intersection. Your client’s unsafe turn was the cause and proximate cause of my bicycle client’s injuries her car hit my client on his bicycle in that turn. My client in fact suffered physical damages to his body/person with documented medical injuries as well as property damages to his bicycle.

Looking at a bicycle law case like a car case may be legal malpractice. The typical personal injury lawyer will treat it like a car case and miss important issues that can change the outcome of the case and limit the ability of the lawyer to effectively represent the cyclist. For example, they overlook any mention of a “sun glare” in the police report and as to why the investigating officer felt it was really reasonable for any driver not to see the cyclist. Therefore no citation was issued. They over look that the cyclist wasn’t in just a shoulder but a designated bike path affording some privileges and protection. They over look the issue that the cyclist had day light lights on his bike. They don’t understand how to extrapolate the cyclist’s garmin data, and they may not even know what a garmin is. They over look the similarities and frequencies of the cyclist’s chosen route as can be demonstrated in Strava, Gamrin Connect, and other apps like map my ride, etc. that all show how the cyclist safely proceeds through that intersection hundreds of times before. They look at bicycle damages in awe not understanding what comprises a drive train or how micro cracks around a bottom bracket must be X-rayed to positively ID.

In short, they just miss too much and then accept a laughably low settlement offer because they don’t understand what they are missing. They don’t understand what they don’t know. Then like any other typical personal injury lawyer who is not a cyclist, they move onto the next car case they have and continually focus on volume rather than quality.

BAA Founder and Bicycle Litigation Lawyer Ben Dodge

Be a Human

In fact – most lawyers are total douche bags. Have you ever heard the old joke about “How many lawyer jokes actually exist? Answer: Only 3, the rest are true.” Sadly lawyers earn their horrible reputations and the jokes about our profession are less and less a joke and more often than not true statements. Another classic lawyer joke with far too much truth about the character of lawyers is: “What happens if you give a lawyer Viagra? He gets taller.” Hinting that lawyers are just jerks. They don’t truly respect their clients and often talk down to them with a big ego and considerable condescension. People wan to be treated kindly, especially when they are paying you to represent them.

I still can’t wrap my brain around the fact that many lawyers could care less about treating their clients with kindness, they only care about making the money. They never connect the fact that the client’s trusting you and their choice to keep you hired is the only way you continue to make the money. And the benefit of a referral far outweighs some ridiculous marketing strategy to get new clients.

We get it. Legals matters can be sensitive and complicated. We make sure to empathize and sympathize with our clients. We understand that our clients are people and that they would have rather not ever even needed a lawyer, but now that they do we are here for them. We have their back. We protect them. We love and appreciate them. One simple way we show this is to spontaneously send hand written cards to our clients throughout their case, and even after their case has concluded. We thank them for doing a great job in court that day, or acknowledge a birthday their child may have had, or simply tell them that we are thinking of them and hoping they have a great day. With our fatality cases we will even set up meals, assist setting up child care arrangements, and on the anniversary of the death date we will usually set up some sort of memorial or some other meaningful event to honor them. We understand the importance of being bad ass lawyers as well as being incredible humans in meeting our clients needs.

Make sure you find a bicycle lawyer with skillz. We are here for you. My practice is exclusively for cyclists. I manage a national network of cycling attorneys who represent cyclists in every state. I ride. I race. I advocate. I choose to live and ride. #mylawyerdoesntsuck #arizonabicyclelawyer #bicyclelawyer #BAA

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 Arizona bicycle accident lawyer, 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, Bicycle Lawyer

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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

Ben Dodge, NITA Advocate with Advanced Trial Skills Training

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. Ben is certified through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) as having completed extensive litigation courses and has demonstrated these skills over and over again. Most lawyers are pencil pushers and shouldn’t be in a court room… not Ben Dodge. He is a gifted and aggressive litigator. 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 BikeAccidentAttorneys.com a National Network of independent and incredible bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

#1 Group Ride Tip

The group ride is a hallmark of cycling and a major reason many cyclists enjoy riding their bikes. Most of our routes and daily rides take the shape of some version of a group ride. It could be a handful or less of your closest friends planning something the night before on a text thread. Or it could be a regularly schedule local group ride you want to hop on.

Fact is we all LOVE group rides. They are fun, social, and often can push us to a physical effort level we may not reach on an individual ride. Whatever your reason for joining a group ride, make sure you CLEARLY UNDERSTAND the #1 One Tip. Knowing this can build trust between your fellow riders, ensure your safety and theirs, and boost confidence.

The #1 Group Ride Tip is:

Point out hazards. It sounds easy, and even lame to some people. But it is hands down the number one group ride tip out there. There are hundreds of suggestions and even unwritten group riding rules of etiquette related to group riding. There are rules on how to properly wear your sunglasses and the proper length of your socks. There are really important tips related to drafting and wheel overlapping. Not sprinting from the middle of a pack, and more. All of these are incredible and worth learning. Why is pointing out hazards the #1 tip? Because pointing out hazards can not only save you but can save the group from devastating crashes. It takes no bike handling skill. It requires no real experience. And yet it can help avoid gnarly bike crashes. ANYONE can do it. EVERYONE should do it. You can show up to your first group ride and be an expert at it simply by learning what is expected of you without having ridden much at all. Plus, some of us more experienced riders get to casual in our hazard pointing. We get too comfortable thinking “surely everyone behind me can see this…” – when in fact, rarely can your fellow cyclists see anything in front of you, or even next to you. Call it out. Point it out. Nail this down or get nailed out there.

Everyone appreciates the cyclist who points out hazards. Do your part in the group and ensure everyone sees what you are pointing out. Make sure if you see another cyclist pointing something out that you also gesture, and make your gesture big. Ensure the message is received all the way down through the group. It creates a feeling of safety, security, and trust. Be the cyclist that points out hazards. Don’t be the cyclist not paying attention, or not effectively pointing out hazards. No one wants to ride behind or with the careless cyclist. We all have been in group rides where we instantly mark the guy to avoid.

What Hazards?

There may be too many to list them all. However, anything that poses a risk to you and/or your group is a hazard. Especially when you are in the front of the group you may be able to easily avoid a bump, dip, crack, pothole, etc in the road but in the middle of back of the group it may be much more difficult to see. Hazards may include:

  1. Road defects such as cracks, potholes, uneven surfaces, dips, bumps, and more.
  2. Construction issues such as cones, metal plates, ditches, incomplete road surfaces, signs, and more.
  3. Traffic Signals and stop signs and other road signs and indicators.
  4. Traffic issues such as heavy traffic, car up ahead, car back, passing cars, parked cars, big trucks, cars at intersections.
  5. Intersections and directions such as right and or left turns, slowing, and stopping.
  6. Road debris such as branches, rocks, gravel, sand, bits of car tires, the million weird things that fall out of cars and end up in the bike lane (one time I had to avoid hitting a refrigerator!), etc and more.
  7. Dogs, runners, pedestrians, and other living things. ;-0 Seriously – so many possibilities here that must be called out. Stray dogs, or even dogs on a leash in the sidewalk that get too close to your bike lane can be a disaster.
  8. Even other cyclists or other cycling groups you come upon that are slower than you. They must be called out and provided plenty of room when passing (3′ at a minimum).

There are seriously more. This is just a quick list of the basics. Every town, and country will likely have its own unique set of “hazards” you may encounter. Point them out!

Proper Hazard Pointing

Not every cyclist points out hazards, and many don’t even do it the right way. Lets discuss how you can do it the right way. The general principle here is that small gestures are hard to see, especially when dark. Think big. Think big gestures (except for verbal cues can be over done – see below). Be certain your pointing is seen. When done right many cyclists behind you can see. When done wrong the cyclist immediately behind you may not even see you point.

If you’re thinking it is unsafe to remove your hand from your handle bar longer than a nano second then you’re wrong. This fear based mindset will only allow you to make short, quick, and small gestures. The people who crash behind you because you’re uncomfortable riding with one hand won’t appreciate your lack of bike handling skills. And yes, if you ride in a group of other cyclists and hop on “the group” ride then you better be able to demonstrate some basic bike handling skills such as pointing out hazards. Others are depending on you doing it. I have a good friend and local cyclist named Saul who only has the use of his left arm. His right arm had been damaged and is permanently in a sling. He rides his bicycle with one hand at all times. And yes, he is COMFORTABLE pointing out hazards. Not only is he comfortable, he is one of the safest cyclists in a group ride I know. What’s your excuse? Saul can do it and ride momentarily long enough without any hands on the handlebar to ensure the safety of those he rides with.

Get comfortable pointing out in big gestures. Make sure you have some basic bike handling skills nailed down. Your comfort level needs to be there before you put others at risk.

Finger Pointing & Hand Gestures

I’ll start with a personal pet peeve of mine. The cyclist who pints something out with a finger but holds his/her hand so close to their body that unless you’re on that side of the cyclist you stand no chance of seeing it. Even if you are right behind him you may not see the gesture. Especially if it is dark! It’s as if the cyclist is trying to not allow any air space between his arm and his body. While it is great that this guy at least points something out, it is a very ineffective way to do so. The guys riding directly behind him may not see him, and you know the guys in the middle and back of the group can never see such a gesture. It’s simply ineffective.

When it comes to finger pointing and hand gestures, it is best to exaggerate your movement and your pointing. Instead of keeping your arm tight along side you, point by holding your arm directly extended all the way out perpendicular to your body. Also – some motion is even more effective. Not only will the cyclists directly behind you see you, but even many of the cyclists in the back of the group may still see it. This is the proper way to point hazards regardless of where your position in the pack/group. Even if you are in the very back, you never know when someone or some other group may be coming up behind you. Plus it is good to make it a habit. Point out hazards even in the back.

Another common hand gesture worth making big is the “slowing” or “stopping” hand gesture. Make sure to emphasize this big like all hand gestures. Ensure the guys behind you see it. In this case you may also want to call it out verbally as we discuss later in this article.

Bad example. Too small a gesture. Too close to the body. Too hard to see.
Good example. Big gesture. Hand stretched out perpendicular to the body. Easy to see.

Verbal Calling Out

This is often best accompanied with literal finger pointing. The two combined are unmistakable. However, on it’s own verbal calling out may be effective when warning of an approaching car. A classic example, is someone in the back yells out “Car Back” – indicating that a car is coming from behind. This is fine. It is best when like the old telephone game when you hear it you repeat it. This way you ensure the warning makes it’s way through the peleton. “Car up”, “Slowing”, “Stopping”, “Right Turn”, “Left Turn” are all common verbal calls. All of which are also best accompanied with some hand signals as well.

Remember hand gestures are hard to see unless they are big movements. Imagine you are on a stage and performing in a theater production. How will you guarantee the people in the back of the theater can still see and understand what you are conveying? Simple, by over exaggerating. This is what actors must do, even down to their stage makeup. We ought to do it as well. Their very facial expressions and body movements must be exaggerated or they are missed and their production was ineffective at conveying the message they intended. So it is with group cycling. Again, especially in the dark.

Verbal call outs can at times be over exaggerated. One important thing to bring up here is that the temptation to scream out some word like “debris” or “hole” can sometimes scare the hell out of the other cyclists in your group. Often they can’t hear exactly what you are yelling. And if it sounds like you’re about to die and all you intended was to point out a stick next to you then you must be mindful of the risks. Don’t over yell. Screaming like your about to die is not necessarily helpful. This is the one example if how over exaggeration doesn’t fit. A calm and controlled strong tone is important. Screaming for your life is scary. Remember what it feels like when a car drives by and honks unexpectedly at you. Scary! It is the same when you hear someone over yelling. Be safe. Be smart. Be calm and controlled in all of your gestures, call outs, and in all things bike handling.

Pre Ride Call Outs

Last but not least, before a ride starts is an awesome time to draw attention to anything in the route you already know is a hazard. Many of our routes are common. If we remember some construction, or a particular hole, etc. bring it up to the group before you even start. This could likely save someone a lot of pain.

Don’t be afraid to call/point out hazards. Be comfortable with your bicycle before joining a group ride. Be the cyclist everyone can trust. Regardless of your experience as a cyclist, we are here for you. My practice is exclusively for cyclists. I manage a national network of cycling attorneys as well. I ride. I race. I advocate. I choose to live and ride. #mylawyerdoesntsuck #arizonabicyclelawyer #bicyclelawyer

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 Arizona bicycle accident lawyer, 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, Bicycle Lawyer

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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

Ben Dodge, NITA Advocate with Advanced Trial Skills Training

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. Ben is certified through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) as having completed extensive litigation courses and has demonstrated these skills over and over again. Most lawyers are pencil pushers and shouldn’t be in a court room… not Ben Dodge. He is a gifted and aggressive litigator. 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 BikeAccidentAttorneys.com a National Network of independent and incredible bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

People Don’t Care: The Arizona Cycling Bias

I am a local Arizona cyclist and a nationally known bicycle lawyer. I have been representing cyclists since 2006. What I’m about to describe is real world experience handling countless cycling cases in our legal system. The scary truth is that people don’t care about cyclists. When I say people, I mean almost everyone. The drivers on the road. The police officers investigating bicycle accidents. The insurance companies handling bicycle accident claims. The jury in a trial listening to the cyclist’s plea for help. And the list goes on and on.

Motorists: All the Hate…

I’m constantly engaged in the representation of cyclists. And in so doing I am always encountering what seems to be the worst in people. I know not all people are bad. I know not all drivers are bad.

However, there is almost a tangible disdain between motorists and cyclists. It feels like almost every motorist believes that cyclists shouldn’t be riding their bicycles on the same roads as cars. In many cases this feeling shows up in road rage and outright anger. I have been personally run off the road a great number of times. I have seen and helped cyclists who were aggressively and intentionally hit by a motorist.

Recently in Glendale Arizona, 4 cyclists were hit by a vehicle making an unsafe left turn. (See story here: https://www.azfamily.com/traffic/several-bicyclist-struck-by-car-in-goodyear-police-say/article_508b506a-d567-11e9-b209-4b178c294596.html?fbclid=IwAR1Xnqtc7_ObmOoo51C1ZCljekb3muVgato1zMjVHnvUX-GMzTXXctzFcj4). The news reported that the driver indicated sun glare was an issue and that is why the cyclists were not seen.

In a thread relating to this article on our own Arizona Bike Accident Page, the bias between motorists and cyclists was in full force. The anger manifested by one such driver is below. I apologize for the constant swear words (and this one is even a mild one):

I believe the point this person is trying to make is cyclists need to be careful while riding. However, note the insane amount of wear words and angry tone. This person is very frustrated towards cyclists. In this particular case in Goodyear there is no fault whatsoever to the cyclists based on the facts we have. It was simply a left turn by a driver who couldn’t see, and turned anyways! These cyclists are lucky to not have been killed.

The problem is that this BIAS is real. It influences many of the drivers. The very same drivers we encounter as insurance adjusters, police officers, and members of our juries.

The Police: Bias & Pity for Drivers

This is by NO MEANS a bash on police. Our police officers put their lives on the line to protect and to serve their communities. It is an honorable profession deserving of recognition.

However, there is room for much improvement. A classic example is the same set of circumstances for the Glendale Arizona bicycle accident described above. And how the police failed to fully investigate and failed to issue any citations to the driver.

Arizona Bicycle Lawyer Case:

Bike Accident Attorneys client: J.P. was riding westbound on Baseline Arizona in the morning hours. The sun was rising in the east. The driver made a left turn without being able to see if the path of the vehicle was clear and safe. This resulted in her hitting and nearly killing J.P. Our client, J.P. suffered major injuries. J.P. was not from Arizona and was only here for a brief vacation. J.P. was unable to return home for several months while the necessary medical care was administered before J.P. was recovered enough to travel.

The driver who hit J.P. cited sun glare as a factor for not being able to see the cyclists. The police involved in the investigation agreed with the driver and felt like it would have been hard to see a cyclist given the sun glare. No mention was made that when turning the driver must make sure it is safe to do so before proceeding with the turn. No citation was issued to the driver. There easily two citations which could have easily been applied:

  1. A.R.S. 28-754(a). Unsafe left turn. A person shall not turn a vehicle at an intersection unless the vehicle is in proper position on the roadway as required in section 28-751, or turn a vehicle to enter a private road or driveway or otherwise turn a vehicle from a direct course or move right or left on a roadway unless and until the movement can be made with reasonable safety.
  2. A.R.S. 28-772. Failure to yield right of way while making a left turn. The driver of a vehicle within an intersection intending to turn to the left shall yield the right-of-way to a vehicle that is approaching from the opposite direction and that is within the intersection or so close to the intersection as to constitute an immediate hazard.
  3. A.R.S. 28-701(A) and (D). Failure to Drive at a Reasonable and Prudent Speed through and Intersection. (A) A person shall not drive a vehicle on a highway at a speed greater than is reasonable and prudent under the circumstances, conditions and actual and potential hazards then existing. A person shall control the speed of a vehicle as necessary to avoid colliding with any object, person, vehicle or other conveyance on, entering or adjacent to the highway in compliance with legal requirements and the duty of all persons to exercise reasonable care for the protection of others… (D) The maximum speed provided in this section is reduced to the speed that is reasonable and prudent under the conditions and with regard to the actual and potential hazards then existing, including the following conditions: 1) Approaching and crossing an intersection or railroad crossing. 2) Approaching and going around a curve. 3) Approaching a hillcrest. 4) Traveling on a narrow or winding roadway. 5) A special hazard exists with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions.

I have had a number of cases with this exact scenario. Yet, in a car on car accident the driver who made this same exact unsafe left hand turn with sun glare would get at least one or more of the citations above. Yet, in a cycling case the police officers seem to take pity on the driver agreeing in some sort of twisted and biased way that cyclists must be so hard to see that they are excused from the law when hitting one.

I can’t help but wonder what the police will do with this most recent “sun glare” infraction up in Glendale Arizona. 4 cyclists were hit. Not seeing one cyclist is bad enough, not not seeing 4 cyclists is crazy. Will the police even cite the driver? In my experience the safe bet is bet on no, the driver will likely walk away without any real infraction.

In our Arizona bicycle accident case with J.P. we were able to successfully win the case in spite of the lack of liability determination by the investigating officers. J.P. was fully compensated and able to return to cycling making a full recovery. We continue to write police departments with training and instructions on bicycle crash investigations. We are proactive in helping the Arizona cyclists locally. We are home based here in Arizona. This is our home. These are our roads. We are here for you.

Insurance Companies: Total Ignorance

I won’t spend much time here. The bias with insurance companies is all too real. It is OBVIOUS that they make money by not spending money on your injury claims. What is only obvious to a handful of us professionals in the country who exclusively represent cyclists is that insurance companies are supremely ignorant in all things cycling related.

They are so used to auto accidents and homeowner’s claims that they are literally clueless with most cycling cases. Think about it for a minute, the whole industry is geared towards auto accidents. Not long ago my wife was involved in a motor vehicle accident. Another driver rear ended her. We were instructed to take her vehicle to a local insurance agent to work up a damages estimate. When we arrived we noticed that the address we were given contained 3 business all in the same exact building. The insurance adjust maintained a desk there, along with an auto body repair shop, and a rental car business. We literally walked in and 30 minutes later we drove away in a rental car with a promise to return in a few days to pick up our damaged car all fixed up brand new again.

BUT no where did I see a bike shop, or rental bikes available. And with the lack of these types of professionals the lack of knowledge is blatantly obvious. The insurance adjusters have no clue how to properly value a bicycle. They have no idea what it is like to ride a bicycle on the roadways with vehicles. The insurance company really has zero understanding of the local bicycle laws as well. This bias is real and it affects how they undervalue many bicycle cases.

The ignorance of the insurance industry is evident in their processing of bicycle claims. It takes an experienced bicycle accident lawyer to help with these issues. Be careful out there when dealing with an insurance adjuster. They probably have no idea what a derailleur is, or how Dura Ace is better than Ultegra. And forget it if you have Di2 – they’ll think you’re cracking a Star Wars joke.

The Jury: Never a Cyclist

As you can imagine, you will never get a cyclist on your jury. It will be a jury full of drivers. And like many other jury members, they are already angry that they got selected to be on jury duty and that their excuse for getting off was denied by the judge.

This is an uphill battle for sure. Yet, it is an issue that an experienced litigator who is also a cyclist can overcome. Most people on a jury have ridden a bicycle. Or they have a child or spouse or friend etc. who they would not want to see get hit by a giant 2,000lb vehicle. Relating with them is a skill. It is something a normal attorney will probably fail at. A cyclist and a national litigator on the other hand has the best chance at bridging this gap. That is why I get hired so often, I know intimitely what it is like to be a cyclist on these roads. I also know how to reach people on a normal human level – not on some stuff suit legal approach which most jurors meet with disdain.

Don’t leave your fate in the hands of less experienced advocate. Contact us today and we will help you.

This Bias Can be Defeated – You Can Do Something

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can’t make any difference. This is not how this word has to be. Cyclists don’t have to be considered a plague. Drivers can actually gain more awareness. People can care more. First they must know more. People need to learn more about cyclists. We all need more protection as vulnerable users of these roadways.

Arizona needs better cycling laws. Arizona needs more advocates, more people willing to make a change. I know of several wonderful groups here locally that you can be a part of in Arizona. Each of these cycling organizations are non profits. Each of them are making real changes in our cycling community. Donate to them or sign up with them to get involved in their many many projects. Check them out:

  1. Greater Arizona Bicycle Association (GABA).
  2. Look Save A Life Arizona.
  3. Rob Dollar Foundation.

On a national note you can support and be a part of many great organizations. USA Cycling even holds a list of the most notable organizations. Some may even be close to you, the list is here: USA Cycling – Advocacy Division. Some of them include:

  1. People For Bikes
  2. League of American Bicyclists
  3. Team Share the Road
  4. World Bicycle Relief

Regardless of your experience as a cyclist, we are here for you. My practice is exclusively for cyclists. I manage a national network of cycling attorneys as well. I ride. I race. I advocate. I choose to live and ride. #mylawyerdoesntsuck #arizonabicyclelawyer #bicyclelawyer

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 Arizona bicycle accident lawyer, 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, Bicycle Lawyer

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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

Ben Dodge, NITA Advocate with Advanced Trial Skills Training

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. Ben is certified through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) as having completed extensive litigation courses and has demonstrated these skills over and over again. Most lawyers are pencil pushers and shouldn’t be in a court room… not Ben Dodge. He is a gifted and aggressive litigator. 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 BikeAccidentAttorneys.com a National Network of independent and incredible bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

LOTOJA Must Knows

The longest one day sanctioned USAC race in America!

LOTOJA is the longest one day sanctioned USAC race in America. And it is rad! beautiful course, lots of cyclists, and of course great racing. With just over 200 miles of racing you have to be extra prepared to finish at your best. We have raced this event for years now and will happily share some of our pro tips on prepping for LOTOJA.

Lets tackle nutrition first.

Any endurance event requires well planned and properly executed nutrition strategies. Many good cyclists fall short of their LOTOJA goals because they screw up their nutrition.

Eat and drink often. It is commonly understood that you will be able to absorb 250 calories per hour (give or take). Set an alarm on your watch or garmin device for a 20 minute reminder. Every time you hear that alarm beep make sure you are eating and drinking.

Test and sample every possible form of nutrition you think you may like. And do so long before the race. Everyone has different stomachs and can tolerate different things. I prefer to stick with a liquid form of fuel as chewing on the bike is sometimes hard when breathing to fast, etc. It bugs me. So I stick with all liquid nutrition. I’ve tried virtually every form of drink mix known to man for cyclists and endurance athletes and have changed several times over the years. Find what you like, and what you can tolerate by practicing on your regular rides leading up to LOTOJA.

Pro Tip– The first 1-2 hours of the race are fairly fast but easy and flat. Many cyclist screw up during this time by not drinking and eating enough during this time period. Your effort is markedly lower this first part of the race and so its easy to think you don’t need to drink. ESPECIALLY when the weather is typically cooler to down right cold in September at the start of the race. When it is cold you really don’t want to drink. But be warned, what you do the first couple of hours will make a significant impact on your last couple of hours that day…

Salt: I am still surprised at how many athletes still don’t take salt during their rides. Electrolytes are a very important part of your performance, your cramping, and your eventual bonking. Be mindful of your sweat rate. Pay attention to what is in your drink and fuel mixes so you know what additional electrolytes you need to use during the race. I like salt chews that are tangy orange. They taste like candy and are therefore so easy to get down. I used to do electrolyte pills, but have moved away from the pill floating in my stomach and moved on to chews or drops in my water bottle. Salt Stick makes a great “chew” tablet that is tangy orange and highly effective. I used it all through Race Across France, and the Race Across America with zero bloating or other stomach issues. Also never a cramp. They are effective.

What about those amazing Feed Zones?

In LOTOJA there are neutral and manned feed zones. The feed zones are your opportunity to stock up on water and fuel. The neutral ones are feed zones where your crew is not allowed to be. These are usually stocked with some water, bananas, GU gels (or something like it), and sometimes Gatorade etc. It is a good opportunity to grab some extra fuel of you are running short. I typically skip the neutral feed zones as I am trying to race and don’t want to stop and waste time. However, I have definitely taken full advantage of these precious neutral feed zones several times over the years when I was struggling or plain short on nutrition. They also often have volunteers stationed here who are eagerly on the side of the road with hand ups. The hand ups are usually the bananas, the GU gels, and water.

The Manned Feed Zones are the ones that you can send your crew to. Here you can have them hand you what you have already planned out. I typically have an ice chest or two at each one with our teams nutrition ready to roll. They are often in drawstring style nylon bags and labeled with each racer’s name. When we roll through we get our specific bags handed to us by the crew. I keep my stops to less than 60 seconds. I hand them my old bottles and grab new ones from them. Then sling my draw string bag on my shoulder and keep pedaling. While rolling out of the feed zone I empty the contents of my bag into my pockets and then ditch the bag in the appropriate trash zone as marked. This style of feed zone efficiency allows for much saved time over the course of the race. Also, if you are in a good group of cyclists you will not want to lose them because you stopped too long. Typically a group rolls in and there is some verbal negotiations wherein everyone meets up at the end of the feed zone in 1-2 minutes. Then you don’t miss out on a good draft and a good group. Be fast in teh feed zones. It is much better.

Also, make sure your nutrition is planned out with everything you need. Put other things in there you MIGHT WANT just in case. Then if you don’t need it you can leave it in the bag and ditch it in the trash zone. Some teams even have spare tires and tubes, or even spare wheels at one or two of the feed zones for a quick change if necessary. Extra Co2 is sometimes a good idea as well. If you put any of these items in your bags, then make sure you tell your crew to go collect your stuff out of the trash zone so you can get your spare tires, tubes, and Co2 back.

Finally, if you have 1-2 family members who will be your crew and they are attempting to go to every feed zone for you… then you are in trouble. It is physically impossible to get from each of the Manned Feed zones in time. The route that the crew must take to get to the feed zones makes it impossible for just 1 vehicle to continually sag for you at each zone. You will beat them to the feed zones and then you’re stuck waiting for them or riding on without any of your nutrition. Some people cheat and drive on teh course to make sure they get there in time. If you are caught doing this you will be disqualified and will likely never be allowed back to this event. So make sure you get enough people to help where you can split up the feed zones.

The Condom Catheter…

Yes, that is what it is called. Several of us race with a condom catheter. It is an amazing way to not ever have to stop and pee. You can lose your group over your need to stop and urinate. To avoid that we race with condom catheters. It is exactly what it sounds like. It is a condom that connect to a tube so you can put it on and run the tube down your leg. It is tucked away so discretely that you can’t tell we even have them. We will slip to the back of the group and untuck the tube out of the bottom of our bibs and then pee. It takes some getting used too. But wow – so wroth it. Take time to measure properly and get the right size. But worth every effort.

In the first 1-2 hours of the race there has been a negotiated pee stop every year. What is a negotiated pee stop? Basically everyone in the main peloton is so uncomfortable with the urge to urinate that they all start talking about it, and then negotiate a stop by shouting out that we are all going to stop and pee. These are wonderful but can’t be counted on after this first one. Once the climbing begins the group breaks up so much that the pee breaks seems to be on your own. Without a catheter you will have to stop on the side of the road or at a porta potty and then light some matches to catch up. It is a waste of energy and effort. We vote the condom catheter. Sold on Amazon.

p.s. Not everyone on our team uses them… yet.

Bike Plate Number Holder

This is an awesome race and you actually get a legit race number that is stiff and designed to be mounted on a plate holder. They are inexpensive and can also be bought on amazon. Here is such a link: https://www.amazon.com/Thinvik-Number-Plate-Holder-Cycling….

LODGING

Get your hotels early. If you have the time and means then stay an extra day or town in Jackson Hole. It is beautiful. It is also nearby to so many attractions. But be prepared, the hotels in Jackson Hole are not cheap. And the hotels in Logan Utah (at the start) sell out early. We recommend booking early.

There is definitely more we can talk about, but for now lets leave the rest for another post. Have fun, train hard, and get ready for an awesome ride. We will most definitely see you out there!

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, Bicycle Lawyer

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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

Ben Dodge, NITA Advocate with Advanced Trial Skills Training

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. Ben is certified through the National Institute of Trial Advocacy (NITA) as having completed extensive litigation courses and has demonstrated these skills over and over again. Most lawyers are pencil pushers and shouldn’t be in a court room… not Ben Dodge. He is a gifted and aggressive litigator. 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 BikeAccidentAttorneys.com a National Network of independent and incredible bicycle lawyers that can assist in representation in all 50 states.

Strength Training for Endurance Athletes

So many of us know deep down that we would be better cyclists, runners, swimmers, triathletes, etc. if we hit the weights in addition to our sport specific training. Yet when it comes down to it we never really make the time or we go so sporadically that we don’t experience any gains from it. Or worse, we do it so completely backwards that we experience unusual fatigue and or injury instead of gains. Enough is enough. Lets understand these principles in an easy way so that anyone can begin adding strength training to their routine for legitimate and improved results.

I’ll start with a little background into my personal experience and history. I started out in 2010 with triathlons. I have competed in 8 Ironman Triathlons and countless 70.3, Olympic, and sprint distance triathlons. I eventually transitioned into CrossFit towards the end of my triathlon experience. I became a certified CrossFit Endurance Coach. My last 3 Ironman triathlons I completed in the top 1/3 of the finishers and only ever did crossfit (i.e. strength training). While I don’t recommend that approach it was an experiment that proved strength training (and cardio through crossfit W.O.D.s) was sufficient to get me across the Ironman finish line with a “decent” time. No one will ever be Kona bound without sport specific training, period, end of story. However, the crossfit endurance strength training proved to be very effective. I later moved into a weird period of strength and endurance training that was 100% geared towards the Navy Seal Kokoro program. That was incredible! After that I moved into ultra running for a short spell mixed with crossfit endurance. Then I moved into 100% cycling with no strength training at all. And most recently I have transitioned into ultra cycling with zero strength training.

My endurance and cycling is better than it has probably ever been. Yet I feel weak. My core strength is gone. My neck, shoulders and back can often fatigue, and by fatigue I mean start to really hurt. I have suffered from Shermer’s neck and more. I know I am missing out on the benefits of strength training. Over the past 8 years I have been on and off again with my strength training. I have felt the difference between over training with weights and not training at all with weights. The results or lack there of are easily noticeable.

I have signed up for a 2 person Race Across America (RAM) team with my amazing friend Tommy Liddell. We race in June for 2019. The winter season is quickly approaching and I for one want to better utilize this season to help increase my power, strength, and balance as an athlete, especially in light of the significant challenge of RAAM. With this in mind I began devouring everything I could get my hands on in regards to proper strength training for endurance athletes. There are so many different schools of thought floating around out there. I can say that the internet is full of advice, and not all of it is even remotely good. The old school way of dealing with strength training is really whacked.

Lets break it down into simple to understand terms and principles. FYI – of all the internet, books, and personal experiences I have had there are 3 stand out articles I will draw from. They are cited below.

Strength

In it’s most simplest sense, strength is the ability of your muscles to move stuff. In the case of endurance athletes it is your ability to move yourself. Move yourself with your own two legs running, or move your pedals in a way to produce speed on a bicycle, or your arms in a way to swim.

For some old school thinkers muscle is just extra bulk. Just wasted watts. We have all heard that we “need to lose a few lbs and get down to race weight.” In many cases that is simply wrong. At a certain point there is a such thing as too much bulk where your VO2 Max per kilogram of muscle caps out. There is a ceiling so to speak. Studies have demonstrated that aerobic capacity peaks out at 180 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of arm and leg muscle mass (see Ben Greenfield article).

But beware, muscle mass isn’t always equal to what we know as strength. I know first hand what it is like to carry around extra weight. It sucks. It makes me much slower than I need to be on any climbing section of a race. However, my body fat % is the first culprit of this offense, not my muscle mass. In general, most all of us endurance athletes can stand for a bit more lean muscle mass. Or at least more strength in the lean muscles mass we already have.

It is important to note that we we talk about strength training we don;t mean that you should bulk up or even increase your muscle fibers (build new muscle). While for those of you who are skinny little rails that may be true, for those of us who have decent muscle mass the goal is actually to train our bodies to recruit multiple muscle motor units regardless of whether they are fast or slow twitch (see Ben Greenfield article and How to Strength train for Cycling).

So strength can be more muscle, and it can be a better trained signal to recruit more of our muscle motor units like they are on tap or on instant demand. This translates to more explosive force, more long term endurance with prolonged fatigue when your competition or buddies start dropping. Strength is not necessarily Arnold Schwarzenegger (although he is certainly strong!) – as an endurance athlete it is tapping into and recruiting multiple motor units. For some of us that means we must also build these muscle motor units. yes, I am talking to you skinny little guys who fly up those hills. You can be faster and go longer with more strength… and possibly a bit more muscle mass.

Dealing With Fatigue

This is by far the most common fear many of endurance athletes face. “How do I go and crush my workouts on my bike (or running, swimming, etc.) and have energy to lift weights?”

Or, “How can I actually get quality results from my specific workout on my bike (or my run, or in the pool, etc.) if I am too tried from my lifting session?”

I get it. I remember when I hired my first cycling coach I was told not to lift at all. So I stopped it right then and there. My coach told me that I would be robbing myself of my workouts that were panned for my growth if I started also lifting weights. I was told that I wouldn’t get the quality of the workout and I would just fatigue and maybe even get injured for over doing it. I was reassured that the strength training I needed I could just complete while on the bike. I was curious as to how that would work so I gave it a shot. Short story, it didn’t work at all.

I know the coach meant well, and frankly, the timing of when you do your strength training is critical to it’s effectiveness. If I hammered all of those cycling workouts and then added my own strength training on top of it I may be over doing it and then I would surely suffer from fatigue and my growth would be caped. In that sense the coach was absolutely correct. Yet I knew something was off. It just didn’t feel right. I have been used to serious strength training and for a significant period of a couple of years it was almost exclusively what I had done for any sort of fitness. When I cut it out all together I felt the effects immediately. I began to lose strength pretty immediately. My coach would have been better to coach me in the timing of my strength training carefully knowing what endurance training to cut back and when to add my weight training. Most coaches and endurance athletes still struggle with old school thoughts centered around the fatigue issue of strength training and therefore completely miss the benefits or misapply them. Keeping weight lifting as a routine would have helped my over all progression immensely.

Some important and landmark research back in 1999 shows that maximal strength training on top of an endurance cycling training program had zero negative physiological effects on the athletes’ endurance factors such as maximum oxygen consumption and lactate threshold. In fact, it showed that contrary, improvements all around from strength training (see the How to Strength train for Cycling). Over doing it is still a potential problem, and every coach knows this. The study shows that you must know when to add your strength training and what volume to add in order to experience proper growth and performance without impairment.

So When Do I Do My Strength Training?

The short answer is always. That is right. Strength training should be done all year. The magic is to know when to adjust the volume – this depends on when you have an off season and when you are in season, and what your primary race is versus all the other less important races.

By far the biggest gains you can experience is during an off season. Yes an off season. Just the words “off season” used to sound like a weak excuse not to ride my bike. I have never really taken an off season. But this year is different. I intend to fully execute an incredible off season with intentional and well planned out strength training mixed in with my on going endurance training; the endurance training of course will be cut back a bit. The Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology” found that strength training for 3x per week for 5 weeks was an excellent starting point. That amount of strength training means you will have to reduce your regular sport specific endurance training – meaning that an off season is the optimal time to build your strength without impairing your endurance performance (How to Strength train for Cycling).

In 2009 the “Journal of Strength and Conditioning” concluded that replacing a portion of a cyclists’ endurance training with strength training yielded increased power and better time trial performance (How to Strength train for Cycling). In other words, during your regular season the proper amount of strength training is still highly recommended.

In summary, the experience of the great endurance coaches out there (not the ones who say you shouldn’t strength train at all during season) agree on the following:

  • Off Season: 2-3 times per week.
  • In Season: 1-2 times per week.

A well written summary on the proper timing of strength training is here:

“Now that you have a basic idea of the yearly overview of strength training for endurance athletes, it will be important to understand how to integrate strength training into a typical week of endurance training, and there are three basic timing rules to follow as you set up your week:

  • Timing Rule #1: Prioritize endurance training such as swim, bike and run workouts. If you’re pressed for time, you simply must train as specifically as possible. Therefore, if your day calls for a swim, bike or run session and a strength training session, perform the swim, bike or run session first, followed by the strength training session, either immediately after, or later in the day (14). There are additional benefits to this rule. The first benefit is that you will engage in better biomechanics because your muscles will not be pre-fatigued or broken down by strength training. The second is benefit is that research has shown a higher calorie-burning response when strength training is preceded by cardio, rather than vice versa. The only exception to this rule is the occasional need to train in a pre-fatigued state, in which case a short, tempo swim, bike or run session could be performed immediately after a strength training session.
  • Timing Rule #2: Space strength training workouts that target the same muscle groups by at least 48 hours (12). Muscles will take at least 48 hours to recover between strength training sessions, so if, for example, a session includes barbell squats, and a subsequent weight training session includes dumbbell lunges, then space these sessions by at least 48 hours since they train similar muscle groups. This is only necessary if the workouts actually contain exercises that target the same muscle group. Otherwise, you can do strength training for different muscle groups on consecutive days.
  • Timing Rule #3: Perform short and frequent or long and infrequent strength training workouts. In an a frequent scenario, two to three 20-45 minute weight training workouts can be performed on a weekly basis (3). In an infrequent scenario, a single, 50-70 minute full body strength training session can be performed on a weekly basis. There is absolutely no need to for an endurance athlete to strength train more than three days per week, especially if you’re following the Ancestral Athlete rules of performing HIIT and Greasing the Groove. But if you’re weak and need to build strength, I recommend you incorporate three strength training sessions per week, and then 1-2 sessions per week for continued maintenance.”

-(see Ben Greenfield article)

What Lifting Should I Do?

Great question. Hands down the best thing you can do is learn the proper lifting techniques for using free weights. Free weights will engage the entire body and other muscle groups in a way that can improve balance, increase strength, and more. A few coaching sessions with a good trainer can create an opportunity for you to be independent for ever more on lifting free weights the right way. I highly recommend it.That being said here are the exercises that have been found to benefit the endurance athlete the most. Notice there are some plyometric and body weight recommendations as well for building that power:

  1. Dead Lift
  2. Box Jump
  3. Roman Dead Lift (Barbell Row)
  4. Back Squat
  5. Front Squat
  6. Bench Press
  7. Pull Up
  8. Push Press
  9. Lunges (can also add weight and lunge with a barbell)

(see the Lifting for the Endurance Athlete article)

The old school philosophy of low weight and higher reps has been refuted by all the latest research as well. The best recipe is as follows:

For Strength 1-5 reps per set, 3-5 sets.

  • Longer rest periods, heavier weights
  • No lifting to failure or for burn/pump
  • Best for endurance athletes seeking to build strength

(see the How to Strength train for Cycling article).

IN SUMMARY

Strength training is absolutely necessary for improvement. Do it all year. Know how much to do and when to do it, but DO IT. Take an off season and use it wisely to maintain your current level of endurance fitness as best you can while building your endurance base and adding strength at the same time. During your season hit the weights 1x per week to keep the strength maintained going. Lower reps, higher weights, and 3-5 sets is the magic formula.

Get out there and crush it!

Articles Cited:

  • https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/fitness-articles/workouts-exercise-articles/strength-training-for-endurance/
  • https://www.trainingpeaks.com/blog/heavy-lifting-for-the-endurance-athlete-part-1-learning-the-7-key-exercises/
  • https://www.bodybuilding.com/content/how-to-strength-train-for-cycling.html

 

 

 

 

 

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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.

Why Do You Ride? By Chris Hopkinson

Hoppo as some of us know him, is an incredible ultra cyclist. Recently he was feeling thoughtful on FB and penned a long list of reasons why we all ride bikes. Surely one or more of these will align with you. But have you ever stopped to think why? Why do you ride? Enjoy this from one of the most epic ultra cyclists and multiple world record holder out there:

“You ride because you love it. You ride because you need it. You ride because you want it. Sometimes you ride because you don’t love, want or need it, you just do it because that is what you do. You ride because it helps with your weight, you ride because it makes you well, you ride because you need the therapy, you ride because you need the escape. You ride because she rides. You ride because she doesn’t. Or he does. Or he doesn’t. Or you ride because they do. Or because they don’t. You ride to find God. You ride because there is no God and because everything is futile and yet that matters so much and you may as well ride anyway because your time here is finite. You ride because you love the earth. You ride because sometimes you don’t like your self and heck can you ride fast when you are angry.

You ride because you kinda secretly enjoy shaving the pins and because you love taking an age to get your bar tape perfect. You ride because you love the sound of a freewheel thrumming on a summer’s day, love even more the sound of a hundred of the things humming together in the quiet moments of a race. You ride because when the sunlight comes through the trees above and dapples the road and the rays catch the spokes, you almost think, however fleetingly, that you might just understand this entropic and essentially unknowable universe. You ride because it needs no language to be on a bike with someone and to look over to them and to smile and to get one back, and you ride because the bike is our language and you ride because no one who does not ride can fully understand why the f*ck you ride.

You ride because this is our brotherhood, our togetherhood.

You ride because you miss the hurt.

You ride because you don’t fit in anywhere else.

You ride because you dared once to dream and you don’t ever want to stop.

You ride because you fell in love with the most beautiful, the most epic, the daftest, the most furious, the most poetic, romantic, brutal, life-affirming and soul-destroying sport of all, the sport that drives its flawed geniuses to destruction and its devotees to distraction. You ride because this is the love affair of human with machine and itʼs the one toy from childhood we get to keep, that grown men and women still get to play with, all over the world, no matter how old, no matter what culture, race, creed or ideology. You ride because itʼs the thing that gave you the freedom to leave your neighborhood and to explore the world around and when we ride, all grown up and adult, itʼs the same barnstorming thrill you had when you sped down your block, racing home from school against your best friend to see who could get back first. You ride because you still feel that same rush, that same freedom, the same breath of Sheer and Unadulterated Life. You ride because the bike connects this you to that you.

You ride because you are you.

You ride because you ride”

-Chris Hopkinson

You can learn more about Hoppo at this website: http://www.ultrahoppo.com/. Thank you Hoppo for your insightful writing. I already feel more connected to my bike than before. You rock my friend.

 

 

 

 

 

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 competed in the first ever Race Across France – 2018. This was a non stop 1500+ mile race across the entire country of France. He and his teammate finished 3rd. He is registered for a 2 man Race Across America (RAAM) team as well in 2019.

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.

Race Across France

Not sure where to even start with this. Racing my bicycle across France was on so many levels beyond incredible. The scenery, the culture, the iconic mountain climbs, the weather, the crew, my teammate. Everything was incredible. Incredibly hard, incredibly beautiful, simply incredible. Words can’t adequately describe what I was blessed to see. Everything from the majestic Alps, to the medieval villages across France. This race was hands down one of the most beautiful and challenging races I have ever been blessed to be a part of.

Huge shout out to the two men responsible for this race, Arnaud Manzanini and Loïc Guenot. These two men designed and hosted an amazing race course. I know they had many volunteers and other staff members who contributed greatly, in fact too many to name. However, I can name these two. They were present at every moment. They were intentional about every aspect of this race. One of the more touching moments for us as an American team was immediately upon finishing the race we were discussing the beauty of the roads, and the course. Arnuad then described and explained to us that he specifically and intentionally chose small and narrow roads through small towns and villages throughout the country so the racers can feel France, can experience France. In fact, he mentioned that after our American team signed up he intentionally created the course to go through the famous Omaha Beach of D-Day fame from WWII. It was a special night to pedal through there and feel of those sacrifices of so many of our country men there on that hallowed beach. In fact, I looked for opportunities to always STAY on the bike and to only rest when my shift was over, but that sacred night I stopped and took a moment at the memorial to honor those brave men and women of WWII. It is a memory I’ll always have with me. Thank you Anruad and Loïc for an incredible course, and incredible hospitality.

Last shout out before I recap the race from my perspective. Having a teammate and a crew is the only way these races are even possible. Many a times we would comment to each other as teammates and crew how this race “was no joke.” The difficulty was real. The course challenging. The lack of sleep, etc. is all legendary and expected. In spite of all of these challenges I was blessed with a crew who gave all. They turned themselves inside out for us. Their never ending sacrifices on our behalf will always be a part of me now, a part of my very being. Dear crew, you inspire me. I am moved by you. Your efforts on our behalf literally bring me to tears of gratitude. Thank you Bob, Del Ann, Cecily, Ray, and Sonja. And to my teammate Jason, I couldn’t have done it without you. Your efforts and time in the saddle helped make this finish a reality. I honor you for showing up to a race of this magnitude.

Now, lets get on with the race! Some critical background info about the distance and elevation gain for this race is as follows:

Total Distance 1,573.19 Miles
Total Elevation Gain 104,350’
Total Time 5:11:03:15 (5 days, 11 hours, 3 min etc.)

After a few days of early arrival settling, and eating like kings (make no mistake about it – I live to eat and love food more than just about anything including my precious bicycles) – our race day was upon us. Not many of us had slept good as it was hot and our Air B n B didn’t have A/C. Lots of mosquito bites and sleepless nights led to the start.

Our strategy was to rotate as teammates on a 1-2 hour basis during the day and up to 4 hours during the middle of the night. This was to encourage better effort output during the day and better recovery and sleep at night. For the most part we did this. As was pretty expected, anytime you have a plan you must be prepared to adapt it completely once you have boots on the ground and can better see the needs of the team, race, route, weather, and crew needs. But in general, this was the schedule we kept to.

This race is essentially a TT race with zero drafting allowed. As teammates we couldn’t even draft each other, but we could of course take turns. So we did. I started out the first hour on the first day. It was immediately apparent that we would be in for some absolutely beautiful climbs. My first leg was about 14 miles and 2,000’ of climbing right off the bat. It never really let up. The Race Across France is a climber’s race for sure.

It was also immediately apparent that as Americans we would struggle with directions, and map issues for likely the entire race. In the first 10 minutes we took our first wrong turn. The race map and printed turn by turn directions were simply not that accurate. The GPS file provided to us was something we only learned later how badly we truly underutilized it. Our poor crew was stuck trying to make very quick turn by turn directions in small little villages and cities with what felt like billions of “round a bouts” as opposed to straight roads with street lights and clearly labeled street signs. After the race was over I looked back on the map issue with some reflection and can’t honestly remember a single leg on the bike that I did where we didn’t get lost a handful of times, or at least have to come to a complete stop a handful of times just to figure out which way we were supposed to go. From a racing perspective the minutes lost turned into hours over the course of a long endurance race such as this. In fact, there was several times that we were in fact lost so badly that we were stopped for 1-2 hours. In a nonstop race, that is just killing your finish time. HOWEVER, I can say that our crew did their very best and that is all that anyone can do. Missed turns, wrong directions, and getting lost just became a “normal” part of our race just as never ending climbs were already a part of it. We just dealt with it the best we could and kept rolling.

The first day and night were one of the toughest time cut offs to make. There was more breathing room in the rest of the race, but by the middle of the first night we were supposed to be at the summit of the iconic Mount Ventux. I remember taking the first 4 hour night shift on the bike and our crew chief Bob telling me that I needed to keep a certain pace to try and at least get to the bottom of the climb for Jason to have enough time to get to the top of it during his shift so we can make the time cut off. I took this request as seriously as I could. I hustled. I put it out there and upped the watts both in my climbs and during my descents. My whole mantra was “I can rest later when I am off the bike, no need to coast now.” And it worked beautifully. In the past my ultra cycling racing has always been solo. This was the first time I tired an ultra race with a teammate. With a teammate I could enjoy the “off the bike” time as best as I could and recover and stretch, and fuel, etc. the best I could during my off the bike time. This led me to greater watt output capacity on the bike. I pushed hard during the night to get to the bottom of Mount Ventux. When we finally arrived at the bottom I had plenty of time still in my shift so I kept rolling up the mountain to get as far up as possible for my teammate and for the cut off time. I am not certain how far up I got but it is somewhere between 1/3 and 1/2 way up the mountain. It was a great relief to get further than the goal and build that padded time for our team effort. Proud moments.

The next few days and nights all seem to merge together for me. I can say that we kept pedaling and kept moving closer to the finish. Soon we were squarely in the Alps. And I have to say, that these Alps are breathtaking. There really isn’t any words for the beauty and sheer majesty of them. They are kingly. Also, pedaling up them was no joke! Holy cow. They are often 9% sustained climbs. In fact, in France along this race route it seemed pretty lucky to catch anything less than about 6%. If you were on a 4-5% grade we called it flat. For those of you in Arizona, Mt. Lemmon is an average of about 5%. That would have been flat to us compared to the sustained grades in the Alps.

The hair pin turns of Alp d’huez were amazing. The iconic and legendary atmosphere was just awesome. The names of the pro cyclists who had just raced up that mountain last month in the Tour de France were still painted on the roads. SO AWESOME! It was evening and then nighttime as we climbed Alp d’huez. It was also raining and cold. And for anyone wondering, once you summit Alp d’huez there are more 3-4 more summits within riding distance of this amazing climb AND of course this course made us go through all of them. Alp d’huez for me will always be the gift that kept on giving. By this time is was early in the morning (1a-3a) and I was still riding a couple of hours longer than my expected 4 hour shift since our RV was a bit lost trying to get down the mountain an alternate and safer route. So I kept pedaling. I ran out of dry and warm clothes of any kind. With a few more summits to hit and being wet and freezing cold it began to just be funny. Ray Ray was in the follow car. I had asked him to scrounge up whatever he could find. I kept my bibs on and threw some rain pants on over my bibs and was ready to go without a jersey all together as there was no coat at the time. I figured shirtless and somewhat dry was better than a wet jersey. Luckily Ray found an old t-shirt so I put that on. It was a funny sight to see such a ghetto looking cyclist climbing through those Alps that night. But hey, I kept the climbing and the pace alive. I think that night I stayed out about 6 hours and climbed over 10,000 feet in just 46 miles. It was a rough, cold, wet, and STEEP night in the Alps. Lol

We also climbed and summited several other iconic and classic Tour de France mountains over the next day or two. All of them still freshly painted with pro tour team and cyclist names by loyal fans. It was amazing. Each time, the descents were equally amazing. I am HUGE fan of very fast descents. I will say this, on this course I took it easy. Many of them were at night for me and I couldn’t see, or it had been raining and was just wet and dark. My shermer’s neck was no joke as well and the pain from it would significantly increase on any aggressive descending position. But let me tell you my friends, the descents were still rad! Hair pin turns in the Alps are fun to climb but a lot more fun to descend! So cool. So fast. SO sketchy! A few times I locked up the brakes and had some rear wheel slippage. Scary for sure.

During the days we also saw so many of the Alps and the little ski villages nestled all over them. They were simple. They were beautiful. Life up there seemed slower and more simple. I found myself instantly connected to the whole country and culture though my bike. The journey was more than a race now. It seemed to create a connection in me to the culture and country of France. I’d be the first to go back into some of those smaller towns in the Alps or even in the French countryside and just vacation for a week or so. They seemed to just draw you in. They are like a magnet for the soul. I loved it. Just loved everything about it. A piece of me will forever be there. And a piece of it will now forever be with me.

The next few days were crushing it after the Alps. We tried to hustle as we were under the impression that our cut off time was Friday morning at 9:00a. We hustled. We all gave a lot. We rolled through many French towns and villages. Each so unique and beautiful. Fresh bread baking in the background, fresh flowers hanging from pots, cobblestone roads. The whole thing was just magical.

What wasn’t magical was the pain in my shoulders and neck. It began creeping in just as it had in Race Across the West 2 years ago. It became just so bad. A few times when I finally got off the bike I would collapse or fall into the side of the RV and beg for a crew member to just dig into my back, shoulder, and neck with their elbow. These elbow massages kept me alive and kept me going. The pain was so severe that at times I would just lean into the massage and tears would stream down my face. But hey, that is part of Ultra Cycling. Dealing with pain is always a priority. This pain crept in after the 2nd day or so. By the end I couldn’t even really squeeze the brakes that well and would sometimes seize up in my shoulders with a massive spasm while pedaling, It would stand me straight up non the bike and I would grunt in pain and stretch it the best I could. Then turn it off the best I could and keep pedaling. I am proud to say I never took a break just to stretch or rest from pain. My rest and my pain stretching was entirely off shift. I kept going at all costs. It was a personal best and an awesome thing to look back on with gratitude for the strength I had built leading up to this race. I am not sure where I heard this, but I 100% believe it: Hardship doesn’t build character – it reveals it. I was blessed to experience this race and all of its adversity with character that made the hardship easier to bear.

One of the biggest hardships in these ultra races is the total lack of sleep. We had rented an RV hoping to get some sleep in it. But I am not one that can sleep in a moving motorhome. Holy cow those tight and narrow roads along with the hair pin turns and round a bots everywhere made sleep a precious commodity. I estimate somewhere between 4-6 hours of total sleep during those 5.5 days of racing. Just had to deal with it like any other challenge and keep pedaling.

One huge highlight for me was when my sweetheart of almost 18 years now flew out to France and surprised me on the course. Things were hard. She knew it. She got in touch with Ray and jumped on a plane and surprised me the last two days of racing. It was awesome to have her with me. I got off the bike and I knew something was up as our camera man was out there with the camera on me and this little black car rolls up behind the RV and she steps out. SO cool. We embraced, and cried a bit. I was and still am so grateful to have her out there. She brings a strength that I can appreciate. She gets me. She knows me. She is my better half for sure and I am incomplete without her. Having her there was beyond amazing. She then jumped right into crew rotations and provided some much needed crew relief the next two days and nights. So epic.

As Friday morning neared it became evident that we would miss the cut off time. After we had pushed so hard and we ended up missing it I was disappointed. I remember calling Bob over as crew chief to have a discussion with him and the crew to gauge where their interest level was in finishing despite we missed the cut off. I felt I didn’t have anything to prove to anyone, yet I didn’t feel like I could demand we keep racing after the official cut off time without their support and buy in as crew and even more importantly the official nod so to speak from the race director. The last thing I wanted to do was to be some selfish and stubborn American deciding to race in spite of the fact that they may have only purchased permits for a certain time period, etc. We decided as a team to keep racing and in the meantime to get permission from the race director to also keep racing.

To my great surprise Bob came back to me sometime later (maybe only a few minutes, I really don’t recall) and informed me that we were mistaken on the official cut off time and that instead of Friday at 9:00a it was Saturday at 9:00a. WHAT A RELIEF! Now we knew we would be official finishers! Such a happy moment!

We kept racing. We finished sometime that late afternoon. As Jason and I rolled across the finish line we were both probably a bit in shock as we were literally and legally official finishers of the first ever Race Across France. So grateful to be a part of this first one. We had a blast. We raced hard. It was epic. Now on to the next one… 😉

My finish stats from my Garmin:

Total Miles Raced 896.97
Total Feet Climbed 69,101’
Total KJs burned 34,347
Average Power 162 watts
Average HR 146 bpm
Average Speed 15.12 mph
Moving Time 60:22:13

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.

Return to Top