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Car Accident Glossary Of Terms
Includes terms such as assigned risk, bodily injury liability, common negligence, damages, hit and run, misdemeanor, personal auto policy (PAP), and other legal definitions related to car accident litigation.
Truck Accident Glossary Of Terms
Provides definitions for words related to tractor trailer accidents, including: air ride suspension, blind spot, commercial drivers license (CDL), driveline, exempt carrier, fixed tandem, truckload carrier, and other terms.
Motorcycle Accident Glossary Of Terms
Provides definitions for words related to motorcycle accidents, including: ABS, Affidavit, Damages, Default Judgment, Engine Cut Off Switch, Hearing, Hell”s Angels, MSF, Negligence, Nuisance, Shaft Drive, Sport Bike, Wind Triangle, Wrongful Death Statutes.
Car Accident Glossary Of Terms
A
Action: Proceeding taken in a court of law. Synonymous with case, suit, lawsuit.
Additional Insured: A person other than the named insured or covered person who is protected under the named insured’s auto policy.
Adjudication: A judgment or decree.
Adversary System: Basic U.S. trial system in which each of the opposing parties has opportunity to state his viewpoints before the court. Plaintiff argues for defendant”s guilt (criminal) or liability (civil). Defense argues for defendant”s innocence (criminal) or against liability (civil).
Affidavit: A written declaration under oath.
Affirm: The assertion of an appellate court that the judgment of the lower court is correct and should stand.
Allegation: A declaration of a party to an action made in a pleading, stating what he expects to prove.
Alleged: Stated; recited; claimed; asserted; charged.
Answer: A formal response to a claim, admitting or denying the allegations in the claim.
Anti-Theft Device: Devices designed to reduce the chance an auto will be vandalized or stolen, or assist in its recovery. Includes car alarms, keyless entry, starter disablers, motion detectors, parts of the vehicle etched with the Vehicle Identification Number, and recovery systems.
Appeal: Review of a case by a higher court.
Appearance: The formal proceeding by which a defendant submits to the jurisdiction of the court.
Arbitration: The hearing and settlement of a dispute between opposing parties by a third party whose decision the parties have agreed to accept.
Assigned Risk: A risk not ordinarily acceptable to insurers which is, according to state law, assigned to insurers participating in a plan in which the insurers agree to accept their share of these risks.
At issue: The time in a lawsuit when the complaining party has stated his claim and the other side has responded with denial and the matter is ready to be tried.
Automobile Insurance: A form of insurance that protects against losses involving autos. Examples of coverage types include: bodily injury liability, property damage liability, medical payments, and collision and comprehensive coverage for physical damage to the insured”s vehicle.
B
Basic Limits of Liability: The least amount of liability coverage that can be purchased. In determining rates, a carrier will use the basic limits to develop the base rates. If an insured person wants higher limits, the carrier applies an increased limits factor to the base rate in calculating the new premium for the increased coverage.
Best Evidence: Primary evidence; the best evidence which is available; any evidence falling short of this standard is secondary.
Bodily Injury Liability: Legal liability for causing physical injury or death to another.
Brief: A legal document, prepared by an attorney which presents the law and facts supporting his client”s case.
Burden of Proof: Measure of proof required to prove a fact. Obligation of a party to probe facts at issue in the trial of a case.
C
Calendar: List of cases arranged for hearing in court.
Caption: The caption of a pleading, or other papers connected with a case in court, is the heading or introductory clause which shows the names of the parties, name of the court, number of the case, etc.
Case: Any proceeding, action, cause, lawsuit or controversy initiated through the court system by filing a complaint, petition, indictment or information.
Caseload: The number of cases a judge handles in a specific time period.
Cause of Action: A legal claim.
Certiorari: Procedure for removing a case from a lower court or administrative agency to a higher court for review.
Challenge for Cause: A request by a party that the court excuse a specific juror on the basis that the juror is biased.
Citation: Summons to appear in court. 2. Reference to authorities in support of a legal argument.
Civil Law: All law that is not criminal law. Usually pertains to the settlement of disputes between individuals, organizations or groups and having to do with the establishment, recovery or redress of private and civil rights.
Claim: The assertion of a right to money or property.
Clerk of the Court: An officer of a court whose principal duty is to maintain court records and preserve evidence presented during a trial.
Closing Argument: The closing statement, by counsel, to the trier of facts after all parties have concluded their presentation of evidence.
Collision Insurance: This covers loss to the insured person”s own auto caused by its collision with another vehicle or object.
Code: A collection, compendium or revision of laws systematically arranged into chapters, table of contents and index and promulgated by legislative authority.
Commit: To lawfully send a person to prison, a reformatory or an asylum
Common Law: Law which derives its authority solely from usage and customs of immemorial antiquity or from the judgments and decrees of courts. also called “case law.”
Comparative Negligence: Negligence of a plaintiff in a civil suit which decreases his recovery by his percentage of negligence compared to a defendant”s negligence.
Competency: In the law of evidence, the presence of those characteristics which render a witness legally fit and qualified to give testimony.
Complaint: In a civil case, it is the initial document entered by the plaintiff which states the claims against the defendant.
Contempt of Court: Any act that is meant to embarrass, hinder or obstruct a court in the administration of justice. Direct contempt is committed in the presence of the court; indirect contempt is when a lawful order is not carried out or refused.
Continuance: Adjournment of the proceedings in a case from one day to another.
Corroborating Evidence: Evidence supplementary to that already given and tending to strengthen or confirm it.
Costs: An allowance for expenses in prosecuting or defending a suit. Ordinarily does not include attorney”s fees
Counter Claim: Claim presented by a defendant in opposition to, or deduction from, the claim of the plaintiff.
Court: Place where justice is administered.
Court Administrator: Manager of administrative, non judicial affairs of the court.
Court Commissioner: A judicial officer at both trial and appellate court levels who performs many of the same duties as judges and justices.
Court of Appeals: Intermediate appellate court to which most appeals are taken from superior court
Court Superior: State trial court of general jurisdiction.
Courts of Limited Jurisdiction: Includes district, municipal and police courts.
Comprehensive Coverage: Covers damage to a vehicle caused by an event other than a collision or overturn. Examples include fire, theft, vandalism, and falling objects.
Criminal Law: Body of law pertaining to crimes against the state or conduct detrimental to society as a whole. Violation of criminal statues are punishable by law.
Cross Examination: The questioning of a witness by the party opposed to the one who produced the witness.
D
Damages: Compensation recovered in the courts by a person who has suffered loss, detriment or injury to his/her person, property or rights, through the unlawful act or negligence of another.
De Novo: “Anew.” A trial de novo is a completely new trial held in a higher or appellate court as if the original trial had never taken place.
Declamatory Judgment: A judgment that declares the rights of the parties on a question of law.
Decree: Decision or order of the court. A final decree completes the suit; an interlocutory decree is a provisional or preliminary decree which is not final.
Deductible: The amount an insured person must pay before the insurance company pays the remainder of each covered loss, up to the policy limits.
Default: A failure of a party to respond in a timely manner to a pleading; a failure to appear for trial.
Defendant: In a civil case, such as an car accident lawsuit, the defendant is the person against whom a civil action is brought.
Defense Attorney: The attorney who represents the defendant.
Deposition: Sworn testimony taken and recorded in an authorized place outside of the courtroom, according to the rules of the court.
Direct Examination: The questioning of a witness by the party who produced the witness.
Discovery: A pretrial proceeding where a party to an action may be informed about (or “discover”) the facts known by other parties or witnesses.
Dismissal with Prejudice: Dismissal of a case by a judge which bars the losing party from raising the issue again in another lawsuit.
Dismissal without Prejudice: The losing party is permitted to sue again with the same cause of action.
Disposition: Determination of a charge; termination of any legal action.
Dissent: The disagreement of one or more judges of a court with the decision of the majority.
Docket: Book containing entries of all proceedings in a court.
Due Process: Constitutional guarantee that an accused person receive a fair and impartial trial.
E
En Banc “On the Bench”: All judges of a court sitting together to hear a case.
Enjoin: To require a person to perform, or abstain or desist from some act.
Evidence: Any form of proof legally presented at a trial through witnesses, records, documents, etc.
Exception: A formal objection of an action of the court, during the trial of a case, in refusing a request or overruling an objection; implying that the party
excepting does not acquiesce in the decision of the court and will seek to obtain its reversal.
Exhibit: Paper, document or other object received by the court as evidence during a trial or hearing.
Expert Evidence: Testimony given by those qualified to speak with authority regarding scientific, technical or professional matters.
F
Fact-Finding Hearing: A proceeding where facts relevant to deciding a controversy are determined.
Fair Preponderance: Evidence sufficient to create in the minds of the triers of fact the belief that the party which bears the burden of proof has established its case.
Felony: Crime of grave nature than a misdemeanor.
Fine: A sum of money imposed upon a convicted person as punishment for a criminal offense.
File: “To file” a paper is to give it to the court clerk for inclusion in the case record.
H
Hearing: An in-court proceeding before a judge, generally open to the public.
Hearsay: Evidence based on what the witness has heard someone else say, rather than what the witness has personally experienced or observed.
Hit and Run: An accident caused by someone who does not stop to assist or provide the required and necessary information.
I
Inadmissible: That which, under the established rules of evidence, cannot be admitted or received.
Induction: Writ or order by a court prohibiting a specific action from being carried out by a person or group.
Injure: Hurt or harm; violate the legal rights of another person.
Instruction: Direction given by a judge regarding the applicable law in a given case.
Interrogatories: Written questions developed by one party”s attorney for the opposing party. Interrogatories must be answered under oath within a specific period of time.
J
Judgment: Final determination by a court of the rights and claims of the parties in an action.
L
Lapse in Coverage/Policy Lapse: A point in time when a policy has been canceled or terminated for failure to pay the premium, or when the policy contract is void for other reasons.
Lawsuit: A civil action; a court proceeding to enforce a right (rather than to convict a criminal).
Lawyer: A person licensed to practice law; other words for “lawyer” include: attorney, counsel, solicitor and barrister.
Litigant: One who is engaged in a lawsuit.
Litigation: A law suit.
M
Misdemeanor: Criminal offenses less than felonies; generally those punishable by fine or imprisonment of less than 90 days in a local facility. A gross misdemeanor is a criminal offense for which an adult could be sent to jail for up to one year, pay a fine up to $5,000 or both.
Mistrial: Erroneous or invalid trial. Usually declared because of prejudicial error in the proceedings or when there was a hung jury.
Mitigating Circumstances: Those which do not constitute a justification or excuse for an offense but which may be considered as reasons for reducing the degree of blame.
Motion: Oral or written request made by a party to an action before, during or after a trial upon which a court issues a ruling or order.
Moot: Unsettled; undecided. A moot point is one not settled by judicial decisions.
N
Negligence: The absence of ordinary care.
P
Parties: Persons, corporations, or associations, who have commenced a law suit or who are defendants.
Personal Auto Policy: The most common auto insurance policy sold today. Often referred to as “PAP,” this policy provides coverage for liability, medical payments, uninsured/under insured motorist coverage, and physical damage protection.
Personal Injury Protection: Personal Injury Protection (PIP) usually includes benefits for medical expenses, loss of income from work, essential services, accidental death, funeral expenses, and survivor benefits.
Petition: Written application to a court requesting a remedy available under law.
Petition for Review: A document filed in the state Supreme Court asking for a review of a decision made by the Court of Appeals.
Perjury: Making intentionally false statements under oath. Perjury is a criminal offense.
Physical Damage: Damage to your covered vehicle from perils including (but not limited to) collision or upset with another vehicle object, fire, vandalism and theft.
Plaintiff: The party who begins an action; the party who complains or sues in an action and is named as such in the court”s records. Also called a petitioner.
Plea: A defendant”s official statement of “guilty” or “not guilty” to the charge(s) made against him.
Pleadings: Formal, written allegations by the parties of their respective claims.
Policy: The written documents of a contract for insurance between the insurance company and the insured. Such documents include forms, endorsements, riders and attachments.
Polling the Jury: A practice whereby the jurors are asked individually whether they agreed, and still agree, with the verdict.
Precedent: Previously decided case which is recognized as an authority for determining future cases.
Preponderance of Evidence: The general standard of proof in civil cases. The weight of evidence presented by one side is more convincing to the trier of facts than the evidence presented by the opposing side.
Presiding Judge: Chief or administrative judge of a court.
Proceeding: Any hearing or court appearance related to the adjudication of a case.
R
Record: 1. To preserve in writing, print or by film, tape, etc. 2. History or a case. 3. The word-for-word written or tape recorded account of all proceedings of a trial.
Rebuttal: The introduction of contradicting or opposing evidence showing that what witnesses said occurred is not true, the stage of a trial at which such evidence may be introduced.
Redirect Examination: Follows cross examination and is carried out by the party who, first examined the witness.
Remand: To send back. A disposition by an appellate court that results in sending the case back to the original court from which it came for further proceedings.
Reply: Pleading by the plaintiff in response to the defendant”s written answer.
Respondent: Party against whom an appeal is brought in an appellate court. the prevailing party in the trial court case.
Restitution: Act of giving the equivalent for any loss, damage of injury.
Rests the Case: When a party concludes his presentation or evidence
Reversal: Setting aside, annulling, vacating or changing to the contrary the decision of a lower court or other body.
S
Service: Delivery of a legal document to the opposite party.
Set Aside: Annul or void as in “setting aside” a judgment.
Settlement: Conclusion of a legal matter.
Settlement Conference: A meeting between parties of a lawsuit, their counsel and a judge to attempt a resolution of the dispute without trial.
Statute: A law created by the Legislature.
Statute of Limitations: Law which specifies the time within which parties must take judicial action to enforce their rights.
Stay: Halting of a judicial proceeding by order of the court.
Stipulation: Agreement by the attorneys or parties on opposite sides of a case regarding any matter in the trial proceedings.
Subpoena: Document issued by the authority of the court to compel a witness to appear and give testimony or produce documentary evidence in a proceeding. Failure to appear or produce is punishable by contempt of court.
Subpoena Duces Tecum: “Under penalty you shall take it with you.” A process by which the court commands a witness to produce specific documents or records in a trial.
Suit: Any court proceeding in which an individual seeks a decision.
Summons: Document or writ directing the sheriff or other officer to notify a person that an action has been commenced against him in court and that he is required to appear, on a certain day, and answer the complaint in such action.
T
Testimony: Any statement made by a witness under oath in a legal proceeding.
Transcript: The official record or proceedings in a trial or hearing, which is kept by the clerk.
Trial: The presentation of evidence in court to a trier of facts who applies the applicable law to those facts and then decides the case
Tort: A private wrong or harm committed against another, resulting in legal liability. A tort is either intentional or accidental. Automobile liability insurance is purchased to protect one from suits arising from unintentional torts.
Tortfeasor: One who commits a tort.
V
Venue: The specific county, city or geographical area in which a court has jurisdiction.
Verdict: Formal decision made by a judge or jury (trier of facts).
Voir Dire: “To speak the truth.” The process of preliminary examination of prospective jurors, by the court or attorneys, regarding their qualifications.
W
Willful Act: An intentional act carried out without justifiable cause.
Witness: Person who testifies under oath before a court, regarding what he/she has seen, heard or otherwise observed.
Writ: A special, written court order directing a person to perform, or refrain from performing, a specific act.
Truck Accident Glossary Of Terms
A
ABS (Antilock Braking System): Computer, sensors and solenoid valves which together monitor wheel speed and modulate braking force if wheel lockup is sensed during braking. Helps the driver retain control of the vehicle during heavy braking on slippery roads.
AFV (Alternative Fueled Vehicle): Vehicle powered by a fuel other than gasoline or diesel.
Air Ride Suspension: Suspension which supports the load on air-filled rubber bags rather than steel springs. Compressed air is supplied by the same engine-driven air compressor and reservoir tanks which provide air to the air brake system.
ATC (Automatic Traction Control): Usually an optional feature based on ABS, it prevents spinning of the drive wheels under power on slippery surfaces by braking individual wheels and/or reducing engine throttle. Also called ASR, an acronym sometimes loosely translated from the German as anti-spin regulation.
ATV (All Terrain Vehicle): Vehicle designed for any type of terrain.
AVI (Automatic Vehicle Identification): System combining an on-board transponder with roadside receivers to automate identification of vehicles. Uses include electronic toll collection and stolen vehicle detection.
AVL (Automated Vehicle Location): Class of technologies designed to locate vehicles for fleet management purposes and for stolen vehicle recovery. Infrastructure can be land-based radio towers or satellites.
Axle: Structural component to which wheels, brakes and
suspension are attached.
- Drive axles are those with powered wheels.
- Front axle is usually called the steer axle.
- Pusher axles are unpowered and go ahead of drive axles.
- Rear axles may be drive, tag or pusher types.
- Tag axles are unpowered and go behind drive axles.
B
BBC: Distance from a truck’s front bumper to the back of its cab.
Bill of Lading: Itemized list of goods contained in a shipment.
Blind Spot: Areas around a commercial vehicle that are not visible to the driver either through the windshield, side windows or mirrors.
Bobtail: Tractor operating without a trailer. Also refers to straight truck.
Bogie (Also Spelled Bogey): Assembly of two or more axles, usually a pair in tandem.
Brake Horsepower (BHP): Engine horsepower rating as determined by brake dynamometer testing. (see Horsepower)
Bridge Formula: A bridge protection formula used by federal and state governments to regulate the amount of weight that can be put on each of a vehicle’s axles, and how far apart the axles (or groups of axles) must be to legally carry a given weight.
C
Cabover (Cab-Over-Engine, COE): Truck or tractor design in which the cab sits over the engine on the chassis.
Cargo Weight: Combined weight of all loads, gear and supplies on a vehicle.
Cartage Company: Company that provides local (within a town, city or municipality) pick-up and delivery.
Cast Spoke Wheel: Wheel with five or six spokes originating from a center hub. The spoked portion, usually made of cast steel, is bolted to a multiple-piece
steel rim (see Demountable Rim; Disc Wheel).
CB (Citizens Band Radio): Two-way radio for which no license is required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Long beyond its heyday in the ’70s, CB is still used by truckers and motorists for everything from traffic condition reports to emergency calls to idle chatter.
CDL (Commercial Driver’s License): License which authorizes an individual to operate commercial motor vehicles and buses over 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight. For operators of freight-hauling trucks, the maximum size which may be driven without a CDL is Class 6 (maximum 26,000 pounds gross vehicle weight).
CE (CF, LP): Distance from back of a truck’s cab to the end of its frame.
CFC: Chlorofluorocarbon.
CG (Center of Gravity): Weight center or balance point of an object, such as a truck body. Calculated to help determine optimum placement of truck bodies on chassis.
Chassis Weight (Curb Weight, Tare Weight): Weight of the empty truck, without occupants or load.
CNG: Compressed natural gas.
COFC (Container On Flat Car): Method of moving shipping containers which involves transporting them on railroad flat cars.
Common Carrier: Freight transportation company which serves the general public. May be regular route service (over designated highways on a regular basis) or irregular route (between various points on an unscheduled basis).
Compensated Intracorporate Hauling: Freight transportation service provided by one company for a sister company.
Container (Shipping Container): Standard-sized rectangular box used to transport freight by ship, rail and highway. International shipping containers are 20 or 40 feet long, conform to International Standards Organization (ISO) standards and are designed to fit in ships’ holds.
Containers are transported on public roads atop a container chassis towed by a tractor. Domestic containers, up to 53 feet long and of lighter construction, are designed for rail and highway use only.
Container Chassis: Single-purpose semitrailer designed to carry a shipping container.
Contract Carrier: Company that transports freight under contract with one or a limited number of shippers.
Converter Dolly (Dolly): Auxiliary axle assembly equipped with a fifth wheel (coupling device), towed by a semitrailer and supporting the front of, and towing, another semitrailer.
Cube (Cubic Capacity): Interior volume of a truck body, semitrailer or trailer, measured in cubic feet.
D
Dead-Heading: Operating a truck without cargo.
Demountable Rim: Multi-piece steel wheel rim assembly which is bolted to a spoke hub. Demountable rims are still in use, though they have been replaced in many applications by the simpler disc wheel. (see Cast Spoke Wheel)
Disc Wheel: Single-piece rim/wheel assembly of stamped and welded steel or forged aluminum, anchored by 8 or 10 nuts to a hub. A “Budd wheel” is a ten-hole, stud-piloted disc wheel; a design originated by the Budd Corporation.
Displacement (Piston Displacement): Sum of the volumes swept by an engine’s pistons as they travel up and down in their cylinders. Based upon bore (diameter of cylinder) and stroke (distance traveled by piston). Expressed in liters or cubic inches.
Doubles (Twins, Twin Trailers): Combination of a tractor and two semitrailers connected in tandem by a converter dolly.
Driveline: All the components which together transmit power from the transmission to the drive axle(s). These consist of at least one driveshaft (propeller shaft) with a universal joint at each end.
Drivetrain (Powertrain): All the components, excluding engine, which transmit the engine’s power to the rear wheels: clutch, transmission, driveline and drive axle(s).
DRL (Daytime Running Lights): System that automatically turns on a vehicle’s low beam headlights when the parking brake is released and the ignition is on.
E
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange): The business-to-business interconnection of computers for the rapid exchange of a wide variety of documents, from bills of lading to build tickets at auto plants.
Exempt Carrier: Company which transports commodities exempted from Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) economic regulation.
EV (Electric Vehicle): Vehicle powered by electric motor(s) rather than by an internal combustion engine. Most common source of electricity is chemical storage batteries.
F
Fifth Wheel: Coupling device attached to a tractor or dolly which supports the front of a semitrailer and locks it to the tractor or dolly. The fifth wheel’s center is designed to accept a trailer’s kingpin, around which the trailer and tractor or dolly pivot in turns.
Fixed Tandem: Assembly of two axles and suspension that is attached to the chassis in one place, and cannot be moved fore and aft.
For-Hire Carrier: Company in the business of transporting freight belonging to others
G
GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating): Maximum weight an axle is rated to carry by the manufacturer. Includes both the weight of the axle and the portion of a vehicle’s weight carried by the axle.
GCW (Gross Combination Weight): Total weight of a loaded combination vehicle, such as a tractor-semitrailer or truck and full trailer(s).
Geared Speed: Calculated vehicle speed at the engine’s governed rpm in each transmission gear, or (commonly) in top gear.
Gear Ratio: Number, usually expressed as a decimal fraction, representing how many turns of the input shaft cause exactly one revolution of the output shaft. Applies to transmissions, power takeoffs, power dividers and rear axles. Example: If 2.5 revolutions of an input shaft cause one revolution of the output shaft, the gear ratio is 2.5:1.
Grade: Steepness of a grade, expressed as a percentage. Example: A vehicle climbing a 5% grade rises 5 feet for every 100 feet of forward travel.
Gradeability: Vehicle’s ability to climb a grade at a given speed. Example: A truck with a gradeability of 5% at 60 mph can maintain 60 mph on a grade with a rise of 5%.
GVW (Gross Vehicle Weight): Total weight of a vehicle and everything aboard, including its load.
GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): Total weight a vehicle is rated to carry by the manufacturer, including its own weight and the weight of its load.
H
Hazmat: Hazardous materials, as classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Transport of hazardous materials is strictly regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Headache Rack: Heavy protective barrier mounted behind the tractor’s cab. Designed to prevent “headaches” caused by load shifting forward from the trailer and crushing the cab.
HCFC: Hydrochlorofluorocarbon.
Horsepower (hp): Measure of power (the amount of work that can be done over a given amount of time). One horsepower is defined as 33,000 foot-pounds of work in one minute. Example: Lifting 33,000 pounds one foot in one minute, or lifting 3300 pounds ten feet in one minute.
Horsepower, Gross Laboratory: Tested horsepower of a “bare” engine without fan, water pump, alternator, exhaust system or any other accessories.
Horsepower, SAE Net: Horsepower capability of an engine with full accessories and exhaust system. Test procedures per standards of Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).
Hours-Of-Service: U.S. Department of Transportation safety regulations which govern the hours of service of commercial vehicle drivers engaged in interstate trucking operations.
I
Independent Trucker: See Owner Operator.
ITS (Intelligent Transportation Systems): See IVHS.
IVHS (Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems): Blanket term for a wide array of technologies, including electronic sensors, computer hardware and software and radio communications. The purpose of IVHS is to increase efficiency of use of existing highways, reducing travel time, fuel consumption, air pollution and accidents. There are five functional areas:
- Advanced Public Transportation Systems (APTS) Advance Traffic Management Systems (ATMS)
- Advance Traveler Information Systems (ATIS)
- Advanced Vehicle Control Systems (AVCS)
- Commercial Vehicle Operations (CVO)
A more recently coined term, Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), encompasses both IVHS and modes of transportation other than highway, such as rail.
J
Jackknife: To place the trailer at a very sharp angle to the tractor.
JIT (Just-In-Time): Manufacturing system which depends on frequent, small deliveries of parts and supplies to keep on-site inventory to a minimum.
K
Kingpin (Axle): Pin around which a steer axle’s wheels pivot.
Kingpin (Trailer): Anchor pin at the center of a semitrailer’s upper coupler which is captured by the locking jaws of a tractor’s fifth wheel to attach the tractor to the semitrailer.
L
Landing Gear: Retracting legs which support the front of a semitrailer when it is not coupled to a tractor.
LCV (Long Combination Vehicle): In general, vehicles longer than a standard doubles rig (tractor and two 28-foot semitrailers). Examples of LCVs which are permitted in some U.S. western states and eastern toll roads: Twin 48-foot trailers; triple 28-foot trailers.
Lessee: Company or individual which leases vehicles.
Lessor: Company which leases vehicles.
Lift Axle: Extra, unpowered axle needed only when the vehicle is loaded, allowing it to meet federal and state vehicle weight standards. The lift axle is mounted to an air spring suspension that raises the axle when it is not required.
LPG: Liquid propane gas.
Load Range (Tires): Letter code system for the weight carrying capacity of tires. Comparable ply ratings are shown below.
LR
PR LR PR A
…. 2 E …. 10 B ….
4 F …. 12 C …. 6 G …. 14 D ….
8 H …. 16 (LR = Load Range PR = Ply Rating)
Logbook: Book carried by truck drivers in which they record their hours of service and duty status for each 24-hour period. Required in interstate commercial trucking by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
Lowboy: Open flat-bed trailer with a deck height very low to the ground, used to haul construction equipment or bulky or heavy loads.
LTL (Less-Than-Truckload): A quantity of freight less than that required for the application of a truckload (TL) rate; usually less than 10,000 pounds.
LTL Carrier: Trucking company which consolidates less-than-truckload cargo for multiple destinations on one vehicle.
O
Overdrive: Gearing in which less than one revolution of a transmission’s input shaft causes one turn of the output shaft. The purpose of overdrive is to reduce engine rpm in high gear for better fuel economy. Example: A transmission with an overdrive top gear has a ratio of 0.70 to one. Turning the input shaft 0.7 revolutions causes 1.0 revolution of the output shaft.
Owner-Operator: Trucker who owns and operates his own truck(s).
P
P&D: Pickup and delivery.
Payload: Weight of the cargo being hauled.
Peddle Run: Truck route with frequent delivery stops.
Pigtail: Cable used to transmit electrical power from the tractor to the trailer. So named because it is coiled like a pig’s tail.
Piggyback: Semitrailer built with reinforcements to withstand transport by a railroad flatcar.
Pintle Hook: Coupling device used in double trailer, triple trailer and truck-trailer combinations. It has a curved, fixed towing horn and an upper latch that opens to accept the drawbar eye of a trailer or dolly.
Ply Rating (PR): Relative measure of tire casing strength. (see Load Range)
Private Carrier: Business which operates trucks primarily for the purpose of transporting its own products and raw materials. The principle business activity of a private carrier is not transportation. (see For-Hire Carrier)
PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch): In trucking, unit of measurement for tire air pressure, air brake system pressure and turbocharger boost.
PTO (Power Takeoff): Device used to transmit engine power to auxiliary equipment. A PTO often drives a hydraulic pump, which can power a dump body, concrete mixer or refuse packer. Some designs mount to a standard opening on the transmission, while others attach at the front or rear of the engine.
Pull Trailer: Short, full trailer (supported by axles front and rear) with an extended tongue.
Pup Trailer: Short semitrailer, usually between 26 and 32 feet long, with a single axle.
R
Relay (Relay Driving): Common practice in the less-than-truckload industry, in which one driver takes a truck for 8 to 10 hours, then turns the truck over to another driver, pony express style.
Reefer: Refrigerated trailer with insulated walls and a self-powered refrigeration unit. Most commonly used for transporting food.
Retarder: Device used to assist brakes in slowing the vehicle. The most common type of retarder on over-the-road trucks manipulates the engine’s valves to create engine drag. (This type is commonly referred to as “Jake Brake” because the predominant manufacturer is Jacobs Vehicle Equipment Co.) Other types of retarders include exhaust retarders, transmission-mounted hydraulic retarders and axle-mounted electromagnetic retarders.
RFG (Reformulated Gasoline): Gasoline blended with pollution reducing additives.
RoadRailer: Semitrailer specially designed to travel both on highway and on rails. Manufactured by Wabash Corp.
Rolling Radius: Tire dimension from center of the axle to the ground; measured with tire loaded to rated capacity. Used in calculating geared speed.
RPM (Revolutions Per Minute): Measure of the speed at which a shaft spins. Most often used to describe engine crankshaft speed. Indicated by a tachometer.
Runaway Truck Ramp: Emergency area adjacent to a steep downgrade that a heavy truck can steer into after losing braking power. Usually two or three lanes wide and several hundred feet long, the ramp is a soft, gravel-filled pathway which absorbs the truck’s forward momentum, bringing it to a safe stop. Depending on the surrounding terrain, the ramp may be level or run up or down hill.
S
Semitrailer: Truck trailer supported at the rear by its own wheels and at the front by a fifth wheel mounted to a tractor or dolly.
Setback Axle: Front steering axle moved rearward from the generally accepted standard position. Advantages: Shorter turning radius and more of a vehicle’s weight shifted to front axle.
Shipping Weight: “Dry” weight of a truck including all standard equipment, but excluding fuel and coolant.
Single-Source Leasing: Service in which companies can lease drivers and trucks from the same source, rather than having to procure them from different companies.
Sleeper: Sleeping compartment mounted behind a truck cab, sometimes attached to the cab or even designed to be an integral part of it.
Sleeper Team: See Team.
Sliding Fifth Wheel: Fifth wheel mounted to a mechanism that allows it to be moved back and forth for the purpose of adjusting the distribution of weight on the tractor’s axles. Also provides the capability to vary vehicle combination lengths.
Sliding Tandem (Slider): Mechanism that allows a tandem axle suspension to be moved back and forth at the rear of a semitrailer, for the purpose of adjusting the distribution of weight between the axles and fifth wheel.
Speedability: Top speed a vehicle can attain as determined by engine power, engine governed speed, gross weight, driveline efficiency, air resistance, grade and load.
Spoke Wheel: See Cast Spoke Wheel.
Spread Axle (Spread Tandem): Tandem axle assembly spaced further apart than the standard spacing of 54 inches. The U.S. federal bridge formula favors trailer axles with an eight or nine foot spread by allowing higher weight than on tandems with standard spacing.
Straight Truck: See Truck.
SUV: Sport/utility vehicle.
Synchronized Transmission: Transmission with built-in mechanisms to automatically “equalize” the speed of its gears to allow smooth shifting without the need to double-clutch.
T
Tag Axle: See Axle.
Tare Weight: See Chassis Weight.
Tandem Axle (Tandems): Pair of axles and associated suspension usually located close together. (see Spread Axle)
Team (Driver Team): Team of two drivers who alternative driving and resting.
TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit): Standardized unit for measuring container capacity on ships, railcars, etc.
TL (Truckload): The quantity of freight required to fill a trailer; usually more than 10,000 pounds. (see LTL)
TL Carrier: Trucking company which dedicates trailers to a single shipper’s cargo, as opposed to an LTL (Less Than Truckload) carrier which transports the consolidated cargo of several shippers and makes multiple deliveries. (see LTL Carrier)
TOFC (Trailer On Flatcar): Method of moving cargo which involves transporting semitrailers on railroad flat cars. (see Piggyback)
Tractor: Truck designed primarily to pull a semitrailer by means of a fifth wheel mounted over the rear axle(s). Sometimes called a truck tractor or highway tractor to differentiate from it from a farm tractor.
Tractor Trailer: Tractor and semitrailer combination.
Tri-Axle: Truck, tractor or trailer with three axles grouped together at the rear. (see Tridem)
Tridem: Group of three axles on a truck, tractor or trailer. Tridems are most common on European semitrailers.
Trip Leasing: Leasing a company’s vehicle to another transportation provider for a single trip.
Trip Recorder (On-Board Computer): Cab-mounted device which electronically or mechanically records data such as truck speed, engine rpm, idle time and other information useful to trucking management.
Truck: Vehicle which carries cargo in a body mounted to its chassis, rather than on a trailer towed by the vehicle.
Twins (Twin Trailers): See Doubles.
U
ULEV: Ultra-low emissions vehicle.
Upper Coupler: Load bearing surface on the underside of the front of a semitrailer. It rests on the fifth wheel of a tractor or dolly and has a downward-protruding kingpin which is captured by the locking jaws of the fifth wheel.
V
VIN (Vehicle Identification Number): Assigned by the manufacturer, this number is unique to each vehicle and appears on the vehicle’s registration and title.
VMRS (Vehicle Maintenance Reporting Standards): Set of codes developed to facilitate computerized tracking of parts and labor used in equipment repair. Established and maintained by the American Trucking Associations.
W
Walking Beam Suspension: Type of truck and tractor rear suspension consisting of two beams, one at each side of the chassis, which pivot in the center and connect at the front to one axle of a tandem and at the rear to the other axle.
WIM (Weigh-In-Motion): Technology for determining a vehicle’s weight without requiring it to come to a complete stop.
Y
Yard Jockey: Person who operates a yard tractor.
Yard Tractor (Yard Mule): Special tractor used to move trailers around a terminal, warehouse, distribution center, etc.
Motorcycle Accident Glossary Of Terms
A
ABS: Antilock Brake System. A component added to the braking system that detects wheel lock up. The system then modulates the brakes at that point with the idea of stopping you faster than you could yourself.
AHRMA: Sanctioning body for vintage motorcycling competition, it”s a member-owned non-profit association dedicated to enhancing the sport of historic motorcycle racing for the enjoyment of riders and spectators.
AMA: American Motorcycle Association.
Affidavit: A written statement under oath.
Aftermarket: Any items or accessories you buy that are not from the Original Equipment Manufacturer.
Agreement: Mutual assent between two or more parties; normally leads to a contract; may be verbal or written.
Answer: Pleading filed by the defendant that responds to a complaint, petition, or motion.
Antil-drive System: A front-end suspension component that reduces how much the forks compress under braking, popular in the late 1980s, but seldom used now.
Ape Hangers: Handlebars that are very high and often raise the rider”s hands above his shoulders.
Appeal: A request to the higher court for review of the lower court”s decision and to request a reversal of the judgment.
Apex: The middle or center point of a turn.
Arbitration: The procedure by which a dispute may be resolved by a person who is not a judge. Arbitration is often used to limit legal costs to both parties.
Arbitrator: A person who conducts an arbitration.
Armor: Armor is protective padding you can attach to your clothing, that absorbs energy on impact.
Asphalt Sealer: Asphalt sealer is a tar-like substance used by road maintenance crews to fill cracks in the pavement. It can be very slick and should be avoided by motorcycles.
Assumption of Risk: A doctrine that states if the plaintiff has knowingly accepted the danger of doing something, recovery from the defendant in an action brought for negligence will be barred.
Automatic on Headlamp: An automatic-on headlamp, or a daytime running lamp (DRL), is a motorcycle”s headlamp that automatically turns on when the bike is started. It”s mandatory on all street bikes in North America because it”s proven to be effective in improving visibility of a motorcycle by other vehicles.
B
Bagger: A motorcycle with touring accessories like saddlebags, top box, a trunk, etc.
Balaclava: A is a thin pull-over head and neck cover with eye slits for winter usage under a motorcycle helmet.
Bench Trial: A trial without a jury. The judge rules on facts and evidence presented to him.
Big Twin: Any Harley Davidson brand motorcycle that is not a Sportster.
Boxer: Refers to the BMW R-Series engine that has two horizontally opposed cylinders.
Boxer Twin: A horizontal engine configuration with the two pistons opposing each other, commonly found on BMW twin-cylinder motorcycles. The term comes from the resemblance of fists coming towards each other.
Brag: Buell Riders Adventure Group.
Brake Horsepower: Although theoretically equal to standard horsepower, “brake” horsepower specifies that a specific engineering process was used to arrive at that horsepower number. (See also: Horsepower and Torque)
Burden of Proof: The obligation of one party in a suit to prove all the requirements necessary to show entitlement to recovery. If the burden is not met, the party with the burden will lose the issue or the case.
C
Cafe Racer: A Cafe Racer is a style of bike popularized in London in the ”50s where bikers wanted a fast, personalized and distinctive bike to travel from cafe to cafe. Many Cafe Racer bikes have distinctive small low-cut fairings.
Cam: A metal shaft with oval “lobes” that rotates to open the valves in a four-stroke engine.
Carburetor: A mechanical device found on the intake side of the engine which mixes fuel and air to create the volatile mixture that gets ignited in the engine.
Casualty: A loss of property due to fire, storm shipwreck or other casualty, which is allowable as a deduction in computing taxable income.
Cause of Action: The plaintiff”s legal claim against the defendant. There is often more than one cause of action in a lawsuit.
Chaps: Chaps are a great clothing accessory designed for protection. They”re usually made of leather and are fastened around the waist, with an open back. They snap at the ankles and zip down the legs.
Chopper: A cruiser style bike that has a lot of the pieces of the bike “chopped off.” The riders of the ”60s did everything they could to customize their bikes and make them go faster. Thus, much of the existing bikes they bought were chopped off. The bikes in the movie “Easy Rider” are examples.
Civil Law: That part of the law which governs relationships between people where there is no criminal activity involved.
Clip Ons: Handlebars that are clamped around the top of the fork tubes, rather than bolted to the top triple-tree. This lowers a rider”s upper body on the front of the motorcycle for a racier body position.
Co-Defendant: A defendant joined together with one or more other defendants in the same case.
Common Law: Body of law that has grown based on the decisions of courts long ago. It originated in England and has since passed to the United States. It is always changing to reflect the current needs society.
Comparative Negligence: A defense to negligence used when it is believed that the plaintiff”s negligence contributed to his or her injuries. Based on the amount of negligence by each party, the amount of damages is adjusted accordingly.
Complaint: A pretrial document filed in a court by one party against another that states a grievance, called a “cause of action.”
Contingency Fee Agreement: An agreement between an attorney and their client, which allows the attorney to be paid only if the client prevails in a lawsuit and collects monetary damages. The lawyer then receives a percentage of the damages, generally 1/3 of the award.
Contributory Negligence: A defense to negligence, which points out that the plaintiff”s negligence contributed to his or her injuries. Contributory negligence is an absolute bar to the plaintiff”s recovery against the defendant.
Co-Rider: An enclosure on the front of the bike containing the windshield and affording wind protection to the rider. Can be attached to the frame and not move or be attached to the fork and move as the handlebars are turned.
Counterbalancer: A weight in the engine that spins with the rpm to smooth out engine vibrations.
Counterclaim: A demand by the defendant against the plaintiff asserting an independent cause of action in the same lawsuit.
Countersteering: The input a motorcyclist gives to the handlebars in order to steer: push the right handlebar to go right, or push the left handlebar to go left.
Crotch Rocket: A term some people use to describe a high performance sport bike motorcycle.
Cruiser: A style of motorcycle generally equipped with a low seat and pullback handlebars. This style of bike predominantly stems from the customizing of standard American motorcycles in the ”60s and ”70s.
Custom Motorcycles: For many motorcyclists, the choices provided by the motorcycle manufacturers do not provide enough variety to match the personalities of the riders. For this reason, many customize their bikes or hire customizers to do the work for them. Many of these customs are entered in shows and win prizes. Customs can easily cost twice the selling price of the original bike.
D
DOHC: Dual Over Head Cams. Two camshafts found in the head or top of the engine that open and close the valves. Two cams allow more precise control than one.
DOT: Each country has its own separate DOT. It”s a government agency that regulates all phases of transportation, including all types of vehicles, as well as roads and highways. A DOT rating on a motorcycle helmet indicates that it”s passed DOT testing and a DOT sticker can be found inside the helmet.
Damages: The sum of money awarded to the injured party in a personal injury lawsuit.
Daytona: The famous Daytona Bike Week held in late February to early March.
Default Judgement: A judgment issued when the defendant offers no defense by not responding to the complaint. A judge may issue a judgment without the necessity of a trial.
Defendant: The person against whom a claim is brought.
Deposition: A pretrial discovery device in which one party verbally answers questions from the other party.
Deponent: The person who testifies at a deposition.
Discovery: Methods and procedures by which information is made available to each party prior to trial. Discovery may include depositions, interrogations, requests for production of documents, and demands for independent medical examinations
Displacement: The size of the engine; specifically, the total volume found in the cylinders. This is usually expressed in cc (cubic centimeters) or ci (cubic inches). Generally, the larger the displacement, the more powerful the motor.
Docket: A summary system kept by the clerk”s office which contains a record of all pleadings, court orders and other important activities in a case.
Dresser: Normally a large fully equipped bike with fairing, saddlebags, and a trunk.
Dual Sport: Street legal motorcycles that provide varying levels of off-road capabilities. Not as focused as pure off-road or pure street motorcycles. Also known as dual-purpose.
E
Easy Rider: The famous motorcycle movie, released in 1969, starring Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, and Jack Nicholson.
EFI: Electronic Fuel Injection.
Emotional Distress: Mental anguish.
Engine Cut Off Switch: Usually located on the right handlebar switch housing, this switch allows the motorcyclist to turn off the engine without removing his or her hand from the handlebar. Also known as the “kill switch.”
Ergonomics: The study of body posture, and the positioning of instruments, to create a good human-to-machine interface. “Good ergonomics” refers to how well a motorcycle fits a rider for its intended use.
Equitable Remedies: Remedies that do not include monetary settlements. Examples include injunctions and restraining orders.
Evidence: The body of law concerning the manner of presentation of information to a judge or jury in a trial.
Exhibit: Any piece of physical evidence used at a trial.
Expert: A witness who may give an opinion in court based on the particular competence of that witness.
F
FMVSS 218: This stands for the U.S. DOT”s Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218, a requirement for all motorcycle helmets. It outlines the minimum standard requirements for all motorcycle helmets. Manufacturers must submit their helmets for compliance testing.
Fairing: An enclosure on the front of the bike containing the windshield and affording wind protection to the rider. Can be attached to the frame and not move or be attached to the fork and move as the handlebars are turned.
Final Judgement: The written ruling on a lawsuit by the judge who presided at trial. This completes the case unless it is appealed to a higher court. Also called a final decree or final decision.
Flickable: Used to describe the agility of a motorcycle, or how quickly a rider can “flick” the bike from side to side in turns.
Forks: The sprung metal tubes that connect the front wheel to the motorcycle triple-tree.
Four Stroke Engine: This is the most common engine design found in street motorcycles today. It refers to the number of times a piston moves up and down through each power cycle. 1) A downward stroke brings in the fuel/air mixture; 2) an upward stroke compresses the fuel/air mixture; 3) a downward stroke results when that mixture is ignited and expands, and finally; 4) an upward stroke expels the exhaust gases.
Fraud: Occurs when intentional false statements are made to entice a victim to give up something of value.
Fuel Injection: A device that serves the same function as a carburetor, but uses computer-controlled jets to inject atomized fuel and air into the air stream going into the engine.
G
Garnishment: A proceeding whereby a debtor”s money, or other property, which is under the control of another is given to a third person to whom the debtor owes a debt.
Gross Negligence: Failure to use even the slightest amount of care in a way that shows recklessness or willful disregard for the safety of others.
Gypsy Tour: A current touring term that came from the early days of motorcycling, when riders all over the country suited up for a day-long ride to a favorite destination. The implication is that you are traveling without time or distance constraints.
H
Hearing: A proceeding usually without a jury.
Hell”s Angels: A cruiser style bike that has a lot of the pieces of the bike “chopped off.” The riders of the ”60s did everything they could to customize their bikes and make them go faster. Thus, much of the existing bikes they bought were chopped off. The bikes in the movie “Easy Rider” are examples.
High Side: A type of crash resulting when the rear wheel starts to slide in a turn, then suddenly grips, flipping the bike sideways.
Holeshot: In racing, the drive from a standing start up to racing speed. Generally, the rider who makes the strongest start is said to have gotten the “holeshot.”
Horsepower: A unit of measurement used to describe an engine”s strength. Typically, the more horsepower an engine produces, the faster the motorcycle can potentially go.
Hurt Report: The Hurt Report is a study done in the late 1970s of 900 motorcycle crashes. The published report, released in 1981, is known as the “Motorcycle Accident Cause Factors and Identification of Countermeasures”, and consists of 55 conclusions pertaining to crashes, including the effect of motorcycle riders wearing helmets.
I
Impeach: Attacking the credibility of a witness.
Injunction: A court order requiring a person to do, or to refrain from doing, a particular thing.
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress: Intentionally causing severe emotional distress by extreme or outrageous conduct.
Interrogatories: A written set of questions sent from one party to the other during the discovery process.
Impaneling: Selecting a jury from the list of potential jurors.
J
Jockey Shift: A shift lever that is actuated by a rider”s hand and whch sits either behind the rider”s leg or is mounted on the fuel tank.
Judgment: A court”s decision.
Judgment Notwithstanding the Verdict (n.o.v.): An order by the trial judge entering a judgment in a manner contradictory to the jury”s verdict. This is granted only when the verdict is unreasonable and unsupportable.
Jurisdiction: The power of a court to act in particular case.
Jury: The panel of people who decide the facts in a lawsuit.
L
Lane Splitting: Lane-splitting is practiced by some motorcycles riders. It consists of driving between two lanes of traffic at a greater speed than the other vehicles. Although there are times when this could be dangerous, it”s actually legal in many countries. It”s illegal in most U.S. states, but California allows it if it”s done in a safe manner.
Line: The predicted or preferred path a motorcycle will make through a turn.
Loss of Consortuium: Damages awarded to a family member (usually a spouse) for loss of companionship.
Low Side: A crash that results from a wheel losing traction, allowing the bike to fall sideways.
M
MSF: Stands for The Motorcycle Safety Foundation that sponsors motorcycle training courses.
Mental Anguish: Mental suffering. In some cases, damages may be awarded for mental anguish even though no physical injury is present.
Motion: An application to the court requesting an order or rule in favor of the applicant.
Motorcross Bike: A light-weight motorcycle specifically designed for racing on a track. As compared to off-road bikes, the suspension is able to handle harder hits, the power delivery is more explosive, and the gear ratios are different for riding on motocross or other closed-course tracks.
N
Naked Bikes: Sport or standard motorcycles with minimum bodywork, fairings or windshields.
Negligence: Failure to exercise reasonable care to avoid injuring others or their property. Negligence includes both actions and failure to act.
Nuisance: An unreasonable or unlawful use of one”s real estate that results in injures to another or interferes with another person”s use of his real property.
O
OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer.
Off Road Bike: A motorcycle designed for use in the dirt or off-pavement. They are typically not street legal, but sometimes they have lights and larger gas tanks.
One-Off: A product or part that is not designed to be mass produced. It can refer to a one-of-a-kind bolt-on or a fully customized motorcycle.
One Percenter: Many years ago, the AMA stated that 99% of motorcyclists are law abiding people and only 1% cause trouble. Those riders who felt they were in that 1% assumed the name One Percenters and started wearing patches denoting themselves as One Percenters.
Opinion: An explanation written by the judge explaining his decision
Ordinance: A law passed by a local or municipal government.
Original Jurisdiction: The first court to which a legal dispute is referred.
Overrule: In a trial, to overrule means to reject an objection.
P
PMS- (Parked Motorcycle Syndrome): A condition suffered by male or female when they can”t ride their motorcycle due to bad weather.
Peremptory Challenge: A challenge to a particular juror that requires no reason. Normally an attorney has a limited number of these challenges.
Personal Property: Defined by the law as “things movable.” This is distinguished from the term “real property,” which includes things such as trees, buildings and land.
Petcock: The fuel valve, usually found on the side of the gas tank.
Petition: A formal request that the court take some action; a complaint.
Pillion (or P-Pad): A small cushion designed for carrying a passenger mounted behind a solo saddle.
Plaintiff: The party bringing the case against another.
Pleading: The process of making formal, written statements by the litigants. All papers filed with the court are collectively referred to as “pleadings.”
Precedent: The value that a completed case has on deciding future cases.
Process Serving: The method by which a defendant in a lawsuit is notified that a plaintiff has filed a suit against him.
Product Liability: A type of strict liability in which the manufacturer or seller is strictly liable for injuries caused by defective products.
Pro Se: On one”s own behalf; not using an attorney.
Punitive Damages: Damages given for the purpose of punishing the defendant.
R
Rake: The angle the forks are from perpendicular, usually expressed in degrees.
Rat Bike: A motorcycle that”s been kept running by any means possible, usually with mismatched parts and minimal maintenance
Reasonable Care: The standard of care in negligence cases; the duty to act reasonably so as to avoid harming others.
Redline: The maximum number of revolutions per minute an engine can run before damage occurs. The name is derived from the actual red line manufacturers typically put on the tachometer.
Remand: The decision of an appellate court to send a case back to the trial court with instructions on how to correctly decide the case; often used with the term “reversed.” Reversed means that the appellate court overturned the trial court”s decision.
Remedies: Relief that the plaintiff receives from the defendant in a lawsuit. Often this will include monetary damages or equitable relief (i.e. injunctions).
Respondent: The party that won at trail.
Road Rash: A term used to define injuries to the skin when a rider falls or is thrown from the motorcycle and lands or slides on the pavement. One reason riders wear full-face helmets, gloves, leather jackets, chaps, and boots is to minimize Road Rash. Let the leather suffer the Road Rash.
Roost: The debris kicked up by a spinning rear wheel. Used as a verb, to leave someone behind.
RPM: Revolutions per minute. A term used to describe how fast a motor is spinning. Also known as “revs.”
RUB (rich urban biker): Rubies are the newly-emerged sector of over-40 bikers.
S
Service of Process: Providing a formal notice to the defendant that orders him to appear in court to answer plaintiff”s allegations.
Shaft Drive: A final drive system on some motorcycles that utilizes a shaft to transmit power to the rear wheel, as opposed to a chain.
SOHC: Single Over Head Cam. A single cam shaft found in the head or top of the engine that activates the valves.
Sport Bike: A focused motorcycle designed for speed and handling. These machines are usually equipped with aerodynamic bodywork.
Sport-Tourer: A motorcycle that combines some of the handling and power of a sport bike, with some of the amenities of a touring bike, like saddlebags, comfortable ergonomics, etc. Not as focused as either a pure sport bike or a pure tourer.
Squid: A term generally associated with a new or reckless motorcyclist seen riding erratically and/or beyond his or her capabilities.
Snell Rating: A foundation formed in 1957, is the world”s most popular independent motorcycle helmet testing organization. A Snell rating on a helmet, indicated by a sticker inside the helmet, states that the helmet has passed performance tests.
Standard: A motorcycle intended for general, all-around street use, typically with an upright seating posture and higher handlebars.
Standard Bike: Tends to be a motorcycle without frills such as saddlebags, windshield, radio, or trunk. It is the cheapest to buy and usually has small rake and trail.
Statue of Limitations: The time period within which a plaintiff must file his action against the defendant. This time frame varies by state. In North Carolina, the statute of limitations is three years.
Stretch: Used by those that customize motorcycles; an expression of how much a tank or frame has been elongated from its stock design.
Strict Liability: The defendant is liable to the plaintiff regardless of fault.
Subpoena: A form issued by the court requiring someone to appear in court and/or bring documents. (Also referred to as a “Summons.”)
Supermotto: Generally, a style of motorcycle usually built around, and looking like, off-road machines with street tires. They tend to be very light, flickable machines, and are used in a new genre of racing that usually encompasses riding on a mixture of pavement and dirt surfaces.
Sushi Wagon: An import motorcycle of Japanese origin.
T
Tachometer: A gauge that measures how fast an engine is spinning. The measurement is usually expressed in revolutions per minute. Also: “tach.”
Tank Slapper: What happens in rare cases when a motorcycle”s handlebars slap back and forth at high speed, often due to alignment or suspension issues.
Third Party Litigation: When a lawsuit is brought against a defendant and that defendant wants to add another party to the suit, the original defendant may file a “third party complaint” which results in a third party litigation or lawsuit.
Throttle Lock: Manual device fitted to the throttle of a motorcycle that applies friction to keep the throttle from moving. Used to temporarily give your hand a rest on long rides.
Thumper: A single-cylinder, four-stroke motorcycle engine.
Tiered Licensing: Tiered licensing is an insurance practice that restricts operation of a motorcycle, based on its engine displacement.
Torque: A unit of measure describing the twisting force, or leverage, an engine can exert on the rear wheel. Typically, an engine with a lot of torque will have the potential to speed up faster at lower RPM”s.
Tort: A civil wrong; a wrongful injury to a person”s property. There are three types of torts: intentional, negligence and strict liability.
Trail: The distance from the front axle”s vertical position on the ground, to the spot in front of it created by drawing a straight line from the angle of the forks.
Triple Tree: The two metal plates that connect the fork tubes to the steering stem, sometimes also used as a handlebar mount.
Tubeless Tire: A tubeless tire is just that – a tire without an inner tube. It”s not recommended for a motorcycle because it tends to deflate rapidly when it”s punctured, which would cause sudden loss of control for the rider.
Two-Second Rule: This is the minimum spacing in seconds between moving motorcycles. While in formation, maintain a 2-second interval from the rider in front of you. It is measured by counting “one-thousand one, one-thousand two” as you see the rider in front of you pass a sign or landmark. Stop counting when you pass the same marker. Under poor weather conditions, maintain longer intervals consistent with safety.
Two Stroke Engine: A once-common type of engine now found almost exclusively in off-road motorcycles. A two-stroke motor fires once with every two strokes of the piston. 1) Once fired, the downward stroke of the piston delivers power and then draws in a mixture of fuel, air and oil which displaces the exhaust gases in the combustion chamber; 2) the upward stroke compresses the mixture for ignition.
U
Underbrake: Failure to apply the brakes to their full capability, resulting in a longer than needed stopping distance. This is usually caused by fear of the results of overbraking.
V
Venue: The place of trial.
Verdict: The decision of the case reached by the jury.
Vin: Vehicle Identification Number.
Vicarious Liability: The liability of one person for the torts of another.
W
Wind Triangle: A wind triangle is a simple triangular-shaped piece of cloth or leather worn around the neck for protection.
Witness: One who testifies at a trial or a deposition.
Wrongful Death Statutes: Laws giving the family members of a deceased a cause of action if the death of their loved one resulted because of another”s negligence.
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