The dangers of following too close while riding a motorcycle

by | Feb 2, 2016 | Contributors


Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez at Sturgis 2015
Biker Lawyer Norman Gregory Fernandez at Sturgis 2015

I have been a personal injury attorney for almost 20 years. I have been riding motorcycles over 40 years. The one thing I can say for certain is that a motorcycle with 2 wheels, has much less traction than a car with 4 wheels.

Further, a motorcycle wheel has much less traction than a car wheel, because the motorcycle wheel is rounded, whereas a car tire l is flatter and has more area of rubber on the pavement.

With that being said, it’s very important for motorcycle riders to not tailgate, and to keep a safe distance and speed from the car in front of them, so they can stop in case the car comes to a sudden and unexpected stop.

I know of many instances where individual riders, groups of riders, and even motorcycle clubs have had mass accidents, because the people in the front are tailgating or riding to close to the cars in front, the car suddenly braked, causing a chain reaction crash.

I just gave a consultation to a gentleman who in his mind thought he was not at fault, when he had to lay his motorcycle down on a freeway on-ramp because the car in front of him came to a sudden stop.

Apparently there was a crosswalk on the on-ramp, and a pedestrian was within 20 feet of the crosswalk when the car stopped. In the biker’s mind, the car should not have stopped for the pedestrian. It never occurred to him that he should have kept a safe distance from the car in front of him so that in case the car stopped he could stop.

I had to tell him that it was he, the motorcycle rider, that was at fault in that instance.

Not only do motorcycles take more time to stop in an emergency situation than a car because of less traction area on the pavement, but the consequences of crashing can be catastrophic to motorcycle riders.

Basically it’s not worth your life. I know guys who tailgate when they ride. It dries me crazy to ride with these guys, but I absolutely will not stay with them I will stay back so that in case the cars brake they’re going to eat the back of the car not me.

Ensure that you keep a safe distance and speed from the car in front of you, and anticipate that the car may slow down or suddenly stop. If you ride with this in mind you will be a safer motorcycle rider.

By Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., © February 2, 2016

The post The dangers of following too close while riding a motorcycle appeared first on Biker and Motorcycle Accident Lawyer Blog.

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Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq. Founder and Attorney at Law
Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., is a top rated, nationally recognized Senior Attorney at Law, and the founder of The Law Offices of Norman Gregory Fernandez & Associates, a California personal injury law firm. He is the proud father of two adult daughters, and four grandchildren. Mr. Fernandez is an aggressive trial lawyer who has almost 3 decades of experience handling Personal Injury, and other types of legal matters, throughout the State of California. Mr. Fernandez has been made a member of the Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers, by the National Trial Lawyers Association. He was also named one of the 10 Best by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys for the year 2016-2017. He handles cases which include but are no limited to: car, bus, and other motor vehicle accidents, slip and fall, trip and fall, traumatic brain injury, medical malpractice, and physical torts such as assault and battery, wrongful death, and many other types of personal injury and civil litigation cases. Being an avid motorcycle rider himself, Mr. Fernandez is intimately familiar with the special problems related to motorcycle accidents. Mr. Fernandez has successfully handled thousands of personal injury cases over the years. He has also handled many types of premises liability cases, (slip and fall, trip and fall, etc.) which are known as in the personal injury world as the most difficult types of personal injury cases to litigate. He earned a Juris Doctor Degree from The University of La Verne College of Law, and is licensed to practice law in the State of California by the California Supreme Court. Mr. Fernandez has also been admitted to practice law before The United States Federal Court, Central District, The United States Federal Court, Eastern District, and The United States Federal Court, Northern District. Mr. Fernandez is or has been a member of The California State Bar, The American Bar Association, The Los Angeles County Bar Association, and the Beverly Hills Bar Association. Norman Gregory Fernandez is a past member of the American Bar Association Advisory Panel. Norman Gregory Fernandez was asked to speak at the Sandra Day O’Conner School of Law, at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, by the American Bar Association’s “Legal Rebel’s” project, on April 6, 2011. Mr. Fernandez was asked by the American Bar Association to speak at their annual convention on August 5, 2010, in San Francisco, California. He has been in the media and in legal publications. Attorney Fernandez was featured in NBC News, CBS News, and Fox News in November, 2021. Norman Gregory Fernandez, Esq., appeared on CBS News on July 18, 2013 An article about Norman Gregory Fernandez appears in the American Bar Association Journal magazine, February 1, 2011. Mr. Fernandez appeared on NBC news on October 19, 2010. Norman Gregory Fernandez was interviewed and quoted in the Press Enterprise newspaper on August 24, 2010. Mr. Fernandez appears in the American Bar Association online Journal, August 5, 2010. Norman Gregory Fernandez was mentioned in a Los Angeles Times article on May 5, 2009. Norman Gregory Fernandez was featured in the San Fernando Valley Business Journal, March 3-16, 2008 edition. Mr. Fernandez wrote a legal article that was published in The Reporter, a general circulation publication based in Long Beach, CA, December 12, 2008. An Interview of Norman Gregory Fernandez appears in the January 2001, edition of Managing Partner Magazine. An extensive interview of Mr. Fernandez was published in the January 2000 issue of California Lawyer Magazine. Mr. Fernandez was quoted in the December/ January 2000 issue of Law Office Computing. Mr. Fernandez wrote an article which was published in the April/ May 1999 issue of Law Office Computing Magazine. An article was written about Mr. Fernandez which was published in the May 1999 issue of Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine. Avvo, a premier attorney rating service has given Mr. Fernandez a perfect 10 out of 10 rating. Mr. Fernandez is an aggressive lawyer who enjoys getting results for his clients. He can be reached at 800-816-1529.

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