The Athlete's Lawyer

To Report an Aggressive Driving Incident that Occurred in the District of Columbia you have two options for reporting an aggressive driver to law enforcement. You can report an aggressive driver by dialing 311 and your call should be directed to the appropriate department. 311 is designed to help citizens report non-emergencies such as situations that are not serious, not life-threatening or not currently in progress. To report the incident after the fact, you must be able to identify the operator of the vehicle and provide a tag number, car make and model and be willing to serve as a witness.

NOTE: Each law enforcement agency has specific requirements and procedures for reporting traffic safety violations. It is up to each agency to respond to file reports.

Calling the cops may prevent others from getting hurt or killed by dangerous distracted drivers

Racing down a street where children are playing; scattering a peloton by aggressively driving; nearly causing accidents due to excessive speed and tailgating – I have called the local police to report all of these dangers to our Community.  In one instance, the teen age driver who was racing down our street was later picked up for another violation, and was prosecuted for his reckless behavior.  I would encourage other bikers, runners and athletes to start speaking up” and reporting dangerous drivers to the police.  Stop your bike or jog and call it in immediately.  Calling in a “BOLO” (“Be On the Look Out” for…) will cause the dispatchers to alert the local cruisers which may save lives.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the definition of aggressive driving is: “When individuals commit a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property.” Police will need to know the following information when you are reporting an aggressive driver:

* Description of Vehicle (color, make, model, license plate state, and license plate number).
* Description of driver (sex, race, age, hair color, height, weight).
* Location of incident.
* Date and time of incident.
* What happened?
* Would you be willing to serve as a witness? If yes, you must give your name, address and phone number.

I would encourage all reader to report unsafe drivers.  In the next three posts I will have how to do so for each of the three DC Metro area jurisdictions, starting with DC, then Maryland, Virginia and what to do about unsafe trucks and busses.  If you or someone you know has been injured by an aggressive, distracted or dangerous driver, e-mail or call us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd. (703-796-9555) at once.

With snakes and other animals still on the popular paths and trails of the DC Metropolitan area, cyclists at ABRAMS LANDAU were saddened to learn of the fatal crash of a Vienna Virginia bicyclist near Urbana, Maryland.  According to a witness, the Vienna man was traveling up to 30 mph downhill, and swerved to avoid groundhog when he lost control and crashed.  According to the Fairfax Times report, he was transported via helicopter to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.

The animal’s presence in the roadway, the biker’s speed and the slope may have all contributed to this fatal crash.  At the Landau Law Shop, we have seen instances where it takes longer for bikers and motorists to stop when they are going downhill.  This tragic case reminds us of the importance of watching for dogs, cats, squirrels and other animals that may “dart out” into  the road without warning.  Bottom line: Keep your head up, use all your senses (so no MP3s or cell phones), and ride defensively.

The Spotsylvania and Fredericksburg Virginia bike crashes remind us to "preview" triathlon and bicycle race courses for strategy AND safety

The cycling crashes during the summer’s triathlon in Spotsylvania remind us of the importance of participants’ “previewing” the course before a race. Putting on a running, cycling or triathlon race requires planning, manpower and money. Yet even the most thorough race committee cannot foresee every potential pitfall or weather pattern. In the Fredericksburg area race, rain had caused some sand to wash out onto the bike course. Several cyclists were caused to crash due to the combination of speed, sand and bike control. The injuries these bikers sustained by wiping out on the pavement were devastating.

One of the cyclists contacted us at ABRAMS LANDAU because the crash caused severe brain injury. However, racers are expected to be familiar with the course, and going out, for the first time, full tilt during a race, is problematic. In sports, participants Read the rest of this entry »

Bike and car crashes at the Mount Vernon, W&OD, Four Mile Run and other local Trails suggest that area drivers are not looking out for Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia cyclists, runners, skaters and walkers

The recent  in Alexandria underscores the importance of drivers looking BOTH ways when crossing DC area cycling, skating and running paths.  Too often motorists are looking to see vehicular traffic approaching in whatever direction is closest to their car or truck.  Northern Virginia drivers tend to pull out to the street without regard for cyclists or joggers.  The “Share the Road” goal is observed more in the breach Read the rest of this entry »

Landau with a new friend and fellow triathlete (and her cracked aero helmet)

Even the best prepared athletes find that their safety and injury prevention equipment is not “race ready.”  It is a terrible feeling to train for months, travel hundreds of miles and to arrive at the race venue only to find that a vital piece of safety gear is broken or missing.  Doug Landau has had goggles break, wetsuits rip and bicycles flat at major sports competitions, so he knows what it feels like to be physical ready, but unable to compete.

Last Friday, after the Herndon Reston sports injury lawyer picked up his bike and triathlon racing gear from Velocity Pro bicycle shop, he saw that another competitor had a cracked bicycle helmet.  Her damaged “aero” bike helmet would never pass the USAT officials’ inspection and she would not be permitted to race with such unsafe equipment, as her head gear would not protect her skull from impact and potentially severe brain injury.

As he has done before, Landau offered her a helmet, since he often travels with spare safety equipment.  The West Coast Athlete graciously accepted lawyer Landau’s offer, as was back in the race.  The next day her sister returned the Virginia bike safety lawyer’s helmet, and they cheered the other bicycle racers participating in the US National Triathlon Championships.  If you have room in your bike travel case, car, luggage, etc., consider bringing extra safety equipment.  You too may be alb to help out a fellow athlete and prevent unnecessary injury or disability.

Bicycle safety advocate Doug Landau managed to avoid crashing and injury on the wet, slippery hairpin turns at the US National Championships

The hotter the conditions, the better Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau races.  However, after hot races Saturday, Sunday morning was cold, wet and raining.  The USAT Sprint Triathlon Championship race started with a half mile swim in the river by the University of Alabama campus.  Then, triathletes had to run up the steps to Manderson Landing and jump on their bikes in order to start cycling down Warner Highway.  After a short straightaway, there was the first hairpin turn, and then the long ride, hilly ride out in the rain.  The  Landau was ringing his bell as he passed the faster swimmers, and though constantly on the brakes, he kept his heart rate high.  At the second hairpin, the bicyclist in front of him crashed to the pavement, but avoided serious injury.  The bike racers crossed the river, had another tight turn, and then headed home.  Bicycle advocate attorney Landau managed a 22.7 mph average for the 12.4 mile course, and after a 47 second transition, ran in soaked shoes to try to catch others in his age group.

Doug Landau off the bike and headed into the second transition at the USAT Sprint Triathlon Championships

Because the temperature was only in the 60′s, Landau could not muster much better than a 7 minute-per-mile pace for the 5 km run, however, he threw in a strong kick to break 72 minutes.  Copping 10th in the age group meant that Landau automatically qualified to represent the USA at the World Age Group Triathlon Championships in Beijing, China.  However, the ABRAMS LANDAU lawyer gave up his spot so that another racer could go and experience this international competition.  Due to his performance, Landau will again be a Sprint Triathlon All American and will likely compete at next year’s National Championships.  Upcoming races include the VTS Giant Acorn at Lake Anna in Spotsylvania Virginia next Sunday.  As always, Doug Landau welcomes clients, their families and friends who want to watch him “in action,” either at the races or trying cases. Call (703-796-9555) or e-mail the Landau Law Shop for details and his upcoming schedule of cases and races.

At the Olympic Distance National Championships, there were a number of crashes and “near misses” at the Bike Dismount zone (see biker in photo).  The course had been set up with bicyclists making a sharp right, downhill, and then being told to get off their bikes immediately before the red dismount line or be disqualified.  Because the cyclists could not see the red dismount line, many had to brake hard, going downhill out of their shoes, or even side-saddle !

Doug Landau saw several bikers fall to the ground, others lose equipment and a number of “near misses.”  When a racing cyclist drops a shoe, water bottle or other piece of equipment, they face penalties for “abandonment.”  So, running back to retrieve equipment not only cost National Championship triathletes precious time, but created additional safety concerns as they were going “against the flow of traffic” or standing still in the narrow bike dismount area.  Luckily, for the Sprint race the next day, where the bikers speeds could create even more danger and increase the likelihood of crashes and injuries, the race officials moved the red line up to the straight-away.  This action not only improved safety and bike race injury prevention, but probably improved times as well by removing dangerous congestion at the beginning of the second Transition area.

Biker AND bicycle safety lawyer Doug Landau in Old Town Alexandria (VA)

Bike racks do not have to be ugly metal masses in our city centers.  Rather, the places to secure one’s bicycle can be artistic, and even be incorporated into the overall look of the town.  While arguing Pre- Trial motions at the Courthouse in Old Town Alexandria, bike crash injury lawyer Doug Landau noticed the bike racks along King Street in front of the Courthouse Plaza – the original home of ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd.  Art and function in the same unit !  Landau salutes the Alexandria City planners, architects and artists.

Coach Ken Mierke enjoying the fare at the Irish Pub near the ABRAMS LANDAU "Law Shop" in Herndon, Virginia

Bumping into coach Ken Mierke after a Reston Bike Club ride was quite a surprise to Triathlon Trial Lawyer Doug Landau.  Mierke, of Fitness Concepts, was one of the first coaches in the area to use sound sports medicine science and regularly perform VO2 Max testing on athletes.

Ken is a champion athlete who carried the Olympic torch in Virginia.  The ABRAMS LANDAU lawyer has “put his money where his mouth is,” by sending his wife and son to attend one of Coach Ken’s “Evolution Running” Clinics.  Landau invited Mierke to visit “the Law Shop” after which they caught up at the Herndon Irish Pub.  They discussed injured athletes, bikes crashes, rehabilitation from injury and advances in athletic training.