Biases exist - this is a simple fact.  We need not review all of the civil rights movement to appreciate the fact that a lot of people harbored biases and prejudices based on race.  But what about motorcyclists?

Let's define what we are talking about.  An excellent definition of "bias" is 'a partiality that prevents objective consideration of an issue or situation.'  An excellent definition of "prejudice" is ' injury or damage resulting from some judgment or action of another in disregard of one's rights especially detrimental to one's legal rights or claims.'

So it appears that a bias is something that slants one's perspective from what it otherwise might be without the bias.  A person may or may not be aware that they are biased.  Biases are not necessarily bad.  For example I do not like oranges and prefer apples.  I am biased against oranges - so what - no harm no foul.

Prejudice, on the other, is the purposeful implementation of biases that casue some harm to another person.  I do not like ___________ fill in the blank characteristic - so far no harm - no foul.  But if you put that belief into action meaning to harm the person with that characteristic you are practicing prejudice.  Furthermore, if you engage in that prejudice to deprive some person of their legal rights you are practicing the worst kind of prejudice.

There is no doubt in my mind that biases and prejudices exist against motorcyclists in Utah.  For a quick glimpse into the minds of prejudiced people simply read the anonymous comments to a news article on the web discussing a motorcycle crash.

Not too long ago there was a crash on the freeway where a motorcyclist struck a recliner chair that had fallen off a truck.  The comments on my blog post are somewhat sympathetic to the motorcycle crash victim but the people making those comments are partial to motorcycle riders.  After all they are reading a post on a motorcycle lawyer's website.  The comments on the KSL article, although somewhat sympathetic, chastise the motorcycle rider for having a small child passenger, following a truck, being on the freeway at all etc. etc. If you keep reading the comments you would think the majority think it was the motorcyclist's fault for crashing at all.

There is also another bias and prejudice out there.  That against personal injury lawyers.  With all of the propaganda spewed by the insurance industry one might think that all personal injury lawyers are greedy callous people interested in nothing more than making themselves the most money they can.  I am a personal injury lawyer and I am damn proud of that.  People come to me having been injured by the negligent acts of others.  The doctor's job is to repair the person physically.  My job is to repair the person and their family financially.  We personal injury lawyers engage in battle with the best financed adversaries in the business - defense lawyers on insurance company payrolls.

Biases and prejudices can be overcome but it takes a tenacious lawyer and one willing to go to battle to fight the fights that must be fought.

Utah Bike Law is a law firm and its lawyers represent motorcycle riders and their families across Utah including the counties and cities of Beaver, Box Elder, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Emery, Garfield, Grand, Iron, Juab, Kane, Millard, Morgan, Piute, Rich, Salt Lake, San Juan, Sanpete, Sevier, Summit, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Wasatch, Washington, Wayne, Weber, American Fork, Beaver, Bountiful, Brigham City, Cedar City, Delta, Draper, Duchesne, Fillmore, Heber, Kamas, Kanab, Kaysville, Layton, Lehi, Logan, Moab, Murray, Nephi, Ogden, Orem, Park City, Price, Provo, Richfield, Riverton, Roy, Salt Lake City, Sandy, South Jordan, St. George, Tooele, Vernal, West Jordan, and West Valley City. Utah Bike Law and its attorneys are licensed to practice law only in the State of Utah and maintain offices in Salt Lake City, Utah. No attorney client relationship is established by simply visiting this website.

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