Questions to Ask When Considering a Biker Group

You just started riding a motorcycle or you’ve been an avid biker for some time, but you’ve decided a biker group might offer some benefits—camaraderie, improved skills, a social network. You’ve looked around and are ready to learn more about some groups, so that you can find the one that’s right for you. Here are some questions to ask before you make a commitment:

• What are the requirements to become a full member with all privileges?—Different groups take different approaches. For many purely social clubs, you can immediately become a full member by paying your dues. Some clubs may, however, require that you go through a period of probation, often waiting months or years before you can get a patch.
• What’s the ratio of male to female riders? Many clubs are segregated by gender, but mostclubs are predominantly male.
• Can I go through the whole process and still be denied a membership? Many clubs have specific stages and criteria that must be met to become a member, but still reserve the right to deny you a membership based on a vote of the club.
• Are you a riding club or a motorcycle club? A riding club is just what the name suggests—a group of people who get together almost exclusively to get on the road. Motorcycle clubs often sponsor rides, but are typically involved in a wide range of activities, including fundraisers, social events, picnics and educational programs.
• What are your rules? Just about every club has its own set of rules. You want to know what they are before you join. If the club won’t share them with you, you don’t want to bea member.

Contact the Experienced Attorneys at Weber & Nierenberg

At Weber & Nierenberg, we have fought for the rights of injured people in California for more than 30 years, including men and women injured in motorcycle and scooter wrecks. To set up a free initial consultation, contact us by e-mail or call our office at 1-866-288-6010.

A Southern California man is trying to change the reality and the perception of the image of motorcycle clubs. Known simply as “Tombstone,” the man formed the SCCOC, or Southern California Confederation of Clubs, in 1988. He says, however, that the idea came a few years before that, after he grew weary of attending funerals and watching friends and family deal with constant clashes between clubs.

According to Tombstone, when he first proposed the idea, very few people were interested. There was little interest in sitting down and working out differences. That started to change in the mid-1980s, when federal officials began cracking down on motorcycle clubs across the country. SCCOC held its first meeting in Orange County in 1988, with 20 different clubs in attendance. The California group now has more than 100 clubs in its membership and has spawned more than 60 similar groups across the United States, including the National Coalition of Motorcyclists. There are also all-female groups within the SCCOC.

According to Tombstone, SCCOC spends most of its time and energy as an advocacy group for bikers, while keeping motorcyclists involved and informed about issues that affect them. He says that recent meetings have included discussions of lane-sharing and anti-profiling laws, and SCCOC has been proactive in the “Save the Patch” campaign, designed to prevent law enforcement officers from wrongfully seizing or confiscating a biker’s distinctive club patch.

Contact Weber & Nierenberg

At Weber & Nierenberg, our attorneys have fought for motorcycle accident injury victims in the San Francisco Bay area for more than three decades. We emphasize personal service and attention, taking the time to learn as much as we can about your case, so that we can formulate specific strategies to get the results you want. When you hire us to protect your rights after an injury in a motorcycle accident, you’ll work directly with Joe Nierenberg at all times.

To arrange a confidential consultation with an experienced California motorcycle accident injury attorney, contact Weber & Nierenberg by e-mail or call our office at 1-866-288-6010. There is no charge for your first meeting.