Mike's Blog

Spotting

Fri, 17/02/2012 - 10:39 — Mike Clarke

I am an enthusiastic browser of charity shops, especially for old books. A happy few hours harmlessly trolling among boxes of dusty hardbacks donated by the next of kin from grandad’s box room can unearth gems of long-out-of-print wisdom.

….as witness this little offering from 1976 or thereabouts…..

Bike Spotter
Mr C J Dibworth, our county correspondent writes:-

LIFE SAVING

Fri, 16/12/2011 - 12:13 — Mike Clarke

By the time I had my first motorbike, I had spent at least 9 years of my life on two wheels, pedal-powered.  I was fortunate enough to grow up in Norfolk, with plenty of space to cycle around in, nowhere near so much traffic on the roads as there is now, and a society that thought nothing of letting 11 year old kids cycle all day all over the place without supervision.

Petrol Economy

Fri, 18/11/2011 - 11:09 — Mike Clarke

My riding style has always been fairly sedate. I was never in the least bit taken with racing or scratching, except perhaps for the first few months of my very first bike. Decking it on a wet corner on lousy Jap tyres after 6 weeks cured me of grounding the footpegs and from then on, I was very much a touring-orientated rider. I like my motorcycling comfortable and civilized. High speed is fine and I like that too, but it just emphasises the need for long-distance comfort.

Bideford Motorcyclist Wins Pothole Compensation at Court

Thu, 20/10/2011 - 11:43 — Mike Clarke

A Bideford man who suffered back injuries in a motorcycle crash in February 2009 has secured compensation of nearly £40,000 at Exeter county court from Devon County Council. Graham Mills, a former member of the Parachute Regiment, who lives in Lanefield Road, was riding a Suzuki motorcycle along Abbotsham road, just by the former Grenville College. He rode through what he thought was a puddle, but which hid a large pothole, and was thrown from the bike.

contributory negligence

Mon, 17/10/2011 - 11:17 — Mike Clarke

This is the legal term for a claimant being held partly to blame for his motorbike accident. This basic legal concept can have a significant effect upon the value of a motorcycle accident claim, not just for personal injury, but for associated financial losses as well.

Highway authority liable for concrete deposit on road

Wed, 14/09/2011 - 10:20 — Mike Clarke

Road accident and motorcycle claims expert, Mike Clarke examines the latest case on local councils’ duties to maintain the highway

Motorbike Oddities

Thu, 25/08/2011 - 09:23 — Mike Clarke

We bikers, especially those of the 70’s/80’s like my goodself, are a rather
odd lot. Let’s face it, back in the late 70’s, you had to be a bit odd to actually relish spending a lot of time on certain motorcycles of that era.
Spaghetti frames, swinging arms apparently made out of the bits of Airfix plastic sprue, sparkly stainless disc brakes which simply didn’t work in relative humidity higher than 15%, front forks which went one way while the front wheel wanted to go the other……not to mention certain types of tyre with all the wet adhesion of gel soap; ah, happy days.

Thinking the Unthinkable - part 2

Thu, 04/08/2011 - 10:49 — Mike Clarke

Continuing on from the last offering, let’s look at the practicalities of being involved in a crash with another vehicle or, God forbid, more than one. If the consequences are serious, chances are you will be in no fit state to take much notice of what is going on, far less to collect relevant information and evidence at the scene, but if you are able to function, there are some things you must try to do before the police/ambulance arrive. If you can’t, see if someone will do it for you.

Motorcyclist loses leg in crash

Mon, 25/07/2011 - 09:36 — Mike Clarke

Mike Clarke, injury partner at Slee Blackwell, has just been instructed by a motorcyclist who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident in Vauxhall, London earlier last month. Paul Efayena lost control of his KTM when trying to avoid a car coming towards him on the wrong side of the dual carriageway in Nine Elms Lane. He hit a lamppost and his right leg was torn off above the knee. Mike says "This was a horrendous injury, apparently caused by a driver performing a U-turn on a split carriageway to get to a missed turn-off.

Pages