arizona bike accident attorney Archives

The Nuts and Bolts to Fat Adapting

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

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

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

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

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

PDFs & Handouts

becoming-fat-adapted-handout

time-restricted-eating-handout

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

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Bicycle crash and bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

Ben Dodge, Esq. Ultra Cyclist

Ben Dodge – Bicycle Lawyer

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

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

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

His main Arizona offices are located at:

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

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

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

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

Is it legal to ride my bike on the sidewalk?

By far one of the most frequently asked questions I get asked is: Is it legal to ride my bike on the sidewalk? The answer is is both simple and complicated. Don’t you hate that? Aren’t lawyers famous for not giving straight answers? Jeez. Here is the short and simple answer: Yes it is legal in Arizona to ride your bike on a sidewalk, sometimes, well it depends on what city you are in and if it is specifically prohibited by sign or statute. See what I mean? Its both simple and complicated.

To understand how this really works it is important to remember that under the Arizona Revised Statutes, cyclists operating on the roadway or shoulder must follow the same rules that apply to drivers (see A.R.S. 28-812). Yet, sidewalks ARE NOT part of the roadway or shoulder according to our statutes (see A.R.S. 28-601). And even further, drivers of motor vehicles are expressly forbidden from driving on sidewalks (see A.R.S. 28-904). That is the sum total of State Statutes on the topic. In short, there is no Arizona state law that prohibits or even mentions cycling on sidewalks.

HOLD ON – we are not done yet. Even though there is not a state law that prohibits cycling on a sidewalk, it can still be illegal. “How is that possible?” you ask… Our Arizona Revised Statutes specifically grant local municipalities to further regulate the operation of bicycles (see A.R.S. 28-627). “Oh come on!” you may be thinking… and “how am I supposed to know each little city’s local rules?” That is right. It is sort of a bum deal for the cyclist who rides in a metropolitan area such as Maricopa county which is literally covered by 24 cities and towns which in large part all connect. And to make it worse this doesn’t even account for the towns and cities that are in Pinal county that also border and connect to many of the cities in Maricopa county. It is very possible for a cyclist to go for a ride and cross through 4-10 different cities. And in each case they will have their own unique laws. Whats even more problematic, is that the local law enforcement is often mistaken about the local laws and will issue citations in error against the cyclist.

“Real Life” example – a cyclist in the east valley goes for a standard 25-40 mile ride with some friends starting in Gilbert Arizona. The small group rides through sections of Gilbert and up into Mesa Arizona briefly passing through the ASU area of Tempe Arizona before returning back home through Mesa and then into Arizona. Classic route and often traveled. While in Gilbert the cyclist may ride on the sidewalk so long as there isn’t a sign prohibiting it and may even ride in any direction he/she chooses on the sidewalk. When entering Mesa it is very different. In Mesa you may ride your bike on any sidewalk EXCEPT if a sign is posted prohibiting. The main difference is that the City Traffic Engineer is the only one authorized to erect the signs and only in a specific geographic area labeled the Pedestrian Overlay Area (or POA). Thus, when in Mesa Arizona have at on the sidewalks unless you enter the boundaries of the POA at which point you need to be on the lookout for any signs prohibiting the operation of bicycles on the sidewalks. Its good to know this section of Mesa to avoid any unnecessary citations. Then when headed to Tempe Arizona a cyclist may ride on the sidewalk so long as a sign is not erected which bans sidewalk riding – BUT the cyclist may only ride in the direction of traffic when riding on the sidewalk. Then this same cyclist (now firmly accustomed to the Maricopa county “sign” rules of the various local municipalities) drives down to Tucson to hit up Mt. Lemon or ride/race in the national famous El Tour de Tucson. The cyclist leaves his or her hotel and notices no signage prohibiting sidewalk riding, he/she rides via the sidewalk for a short stretch to get to the start of the route and gets immediately busted by the local cops. Why? Because Tucson simply and absolutely prohibits sidewalk riding UNLESS a sign expressly permits it (see Tucson Municipal code section 5-2). Tucson Arizona – backwards from the rest of the state. It gets confusing right? Yes. Best to know and understand every local community’s rules for operating a bicycle if you wish to avoid a citation, or more importantly to avoid any liability when a car hits you and the officer ends up citing you as the cyclist! When a cyclist is cited, even improperly, the insurance companies adamantly deny paying out any coverage for the accidents. It is an incredible process to get citations reversed or dismissed, police reports edited or amended, and insurance adjustors to change their opinion when they think the cyclist is at fault.

City of Mesa Arizona Pedestrian Overlay Area (POA) Map

How about the even bigger issue that some of you may be asking yourself: “Why wold you ride on the sidewalk anyways?” Great question! I highly recommend that you avoid riding on the sidewalk all together. You are actually far safer to ride in the street with the cars than on the sidewalk! In a 2010 bicycle collision summary report published by the City of Phoenix, it appears that in approximately 70% of the bicycle collisions the cyclist was riding on the sidewalk just before the collision. There have not been these same reports as widely published or produced since 2010. Yet the data seems to remain the same – riding on the sidewalk is far more dangerous than riding appropriately in the streets.

For now, lets just be safe out there on our bikes. Lets be extra cautious as we approach sidewalks, intersections, etc. When deciding to ride on the sidewalk in Arizona I would consult the local municipal codes first to ensure that you are not violating there laws. In Maricopa county you can almost rest easy to know that it is allowed unless there is a sign prohibiting it (with some exceptions of course). Be sure to travel in the right direction and not against the flow of traffic.

Arizona bicycle accident lawyer Ben Dodge

If you, or someone you know were injured in a bicycle accident caused by road debris, 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.

Ben Dodge has represented and assisted bicycle accident victims across the entire united states. As an avid and competitive cyclist himself, Mr. Dodge currently participates in national and local cycling events all over the country. It isn’t uncommon to spot him in early morning hours out riding his bike. The day he fell in love with his job was the day he devoted himself completely to bicycle accident cases.

Ben Dodge is a proud member of Bike Law. Bike Law is a national network of elite like minded bicycle accident attorneys founded in 1998. In concert with the mission of Bike Law, Ben represents cyclists injured in bicycle accidents, at the police station, with insurance companies, and in the courts. He advocates for the rights of all cyclists, not just his clients. He teaches the police about bike laws and bike safety, he educates drivers about the rules of the road, and he trains cyclists and clubs to ride more safely.

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

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

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

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

You can call Arizona bicycle lawyer Ben Dodge of bike accident attorneys, PLC at 1.855.663.3922 (855.one.ez.call). Mr. Dodge’s staff is standing and ready to accept your call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every single day of the year. Ben will personally return your call within 24 hours. there is never an obligation for a complimentary consultation with Mr. dodge. His passion is in representing cyclists and his entire office stands ready to serve with kindness and patience.

Bike Accident Attorneys, PLC

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

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

His main Arizona offices are located at:

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

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

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

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

National Cycling Advocacy on “The Hill”

Eric Post and Ben Dodge - D.C. 2015 — Eric Post and Ben Dodge – D.C. 2015

Every year at the national League of American Bicyclists summit cyclists from all over the country gather in a united cause for advocacy. Those in attendance are the who’s who of bicycle advocacy on both a national and state level. In short, the LAB Summit is an exciting week long event of bicycle centered advocacy.

I had the opportunity to head to Capitol Hill and meet with many of Arizona’s legislators in the house and the senate. Many of the senators and representatives were busy tasked with upcoming bills; however they did allow for meetings throughout the day with their staffers or legislative correspondents. It was incredible to be on “the hill” making our case for improved bicycle safety and bicycle funding. I loved every ounce of “the hill” and eagerly await another opportunity to return and advocate for cycling.

Senator John McCain's office - D.C. 2015 — Senator John McCain’s office – D.C. 2015

My first meeting was with Senator McCain’s staff. They were gracious and polite. I appreciated their willingness to meet with a few of us from Arizona. We were well prepared with our talking points and our “asks” – for example, we asked for Senator McCain to co-sponsor an upcoming bill related to continued funding for transpiration and the reapportionment of a percentage of those to the states thereby allowing Arizona as a state to dictate which cities should have access to those funds for improved bike paths, etc.

Right to Left: Arizona Bicycle Lawyer Ben Dodge, CEO League of American Bicyclists Andy Clarke, Colorado Bicycle Lawyer Brian Weiss.

Bike Accident Lawyer Ben Dodge on “The Hill” fighting for cyclists’ rights.

The meeting went well, but I could tell that the “staffer” was mostly nodding his head out of kindness and did a lot of listening to our points, etc. but not really offering any support or insight. It seemed as though they are burdened with accepting meetings such as this all the time; and that in a way they couldn’t wait for it to just be finished so they could grab lunch before their next meeting with some other group wanting to express concerns on any given issue and ask for the Senator’s support as well. I couldn’t help but wonder how effective it really is to head to the hill and make your case. Yet on the other hand, every voice counts and there is one certainty: no voice at all is easiest to go unheard.

The other meetings with other senators went all about the same. They each sent a staffer and we made our case, left behind some materials, and asked for their support. I look forward to going again and again and again to show the persistence and importance of these issues. It is real and unequivocally helpful to reach out to your Senator or Congressman with your concerns when you have them, otherwise those concerns have zero hope for redress.

Arizona Bicycle Lawyer Ben Dodge in front of the White House – D.C. 2015

Of course, Washington D.C. is like no other city on earth. It has a majestic and noble feel to it in every building and monument you see. This city is rich with American history and culture. The monuments in particular are very inspiring. On one afternoon a few of us jammed around on bicycles and saw as many national monuments as possible. It was a blast! I rode the Bike Law cargo bike and I’ll tell you what, that thing is squirrely at first! The front wheel and steering mechanism is impressive and eventually your bike handling skills improve along with your confidence to jam through traffic like its no big deal. But taking that cargo bike up hill is a completely different story. It easily weighs in at least 3x my Focus bicycle, but I wouldn’t trade my Washington D.C. biking experiences for anything – what an awesome way to see these breathtaking national sites.