Summer 2011 Newsletter - The Bicycle Coalition of Maine

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THE VOICE OF BICYCLISTS IN MAINE
SUMMER 2011
Bicycle Coalition Helps Develop Guidelines for Group Rides
• Choose Proper Lane Positioning. Maine law protects cyclists’ right to ride
in the travel lane, as far right as is practicable. Cyclists are permitted to
use the entire travel lane when setting up for a left turn, where hazards
exist or where it is unsafe for a car and bike to travel side by side with at
least three feet of space between them. Never cross yellow center lines.
Use paved shoulders when it is safe to do so. Be courteous.
Following an incident last summer in which a club ride was stopped by police in Falmouth,
representatives from several bike clubs from around Portland, Brunswick and Kennebunk
worked together over the winter to develop a set of guidelines for club group ride behavior.
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s education director, Jim Tasse, facilitated the meetings.
These guidelines are intended to assist ride leaders by providing a code of conduct for group
rides that is safe, courteous and legal. We have printed 3,500 copies on rack cards and they
are available for distribution. If you would like some for your cycling club, please contact the
Bicycle Coalition at [email protected] or by calling 623-4511.
Busy Time for Bike/Ped Education!
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Education Program staff
has been very busy working to educate cyclists and motorists on how to safely use
Maine’s roadways. The education program has been invited to present safety information or offer technical assistance at more than 110 schools, events and worksites
between January and May of 2011, and presentation requests continue to pour in.
If you know of an institution seeking a presentation, please have them contact us at
[email protected].
Here are the guidelines:
• Avoid Riding More than Two Abreast. Ride single or double file as appropriate to the roadway and traffic conditions. Please exercise your rights
with courtesy.
• Ride Smart. Be alert. Be aware of riders around you. Avoid overlapping wheels. Time
Trial, triathlon and fixed-gear bikes are unsafe in group rides and should not be used. Riding with hands on aerobars is prohibited. Helmets are required.
• Be Courteous at Intersections. Respect traffic signs and signals. At stop
signs, consider moving as a single unit through intersections if all riders
feel it is safe to do so. Slow and stop at yellow lights. Consider adopting
a policy of stopping or slowing after intersections when the group is split.
• Be Predictable. Look before you make a move. Riders and motorists expect you to ride
in a straight line and at a consistent speed. Avoid sudden changes in speed or lane
position. Scan behind and to the side before changing position.
• Be Visible. Wear bright colors. Maine law requires cyclists to use lights in darkness,
and lights are recommended in reduced visibility conditions.
• Communicate. Clearly communicate to other
riders changes in speed or direction, road hazards,
pedestrians and vehicles. Call out “car back,”
“slowing,” or “stopping” as needed. Communicate
calls throughout the group. Coordinate group
turns and moves. Ear buds interfere with group
communication and should not be used.
continued on page 3 u
in this issue
COMPONENTS
THE RIDE
Record Number of Schools Walk & Bike
Maine Lobster Ride Celebrates 10th Year
Legislative Update
Mountain biking in Carrabassett Valley
Biking News from Around Maine
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Spotlight on Freeman’s Bicycle Service
Upcoming Events
Thanks to Four Special Volunteers
Ask the Experts: Insurance for Cyclists
Yellow Jersey Club: Jeffrey Miller
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Nickerson Elementary School in
Greenville participated in Maine
Walk and Bike to School Week during
May. Volunteers from the Maine
Department of Inland Fisheries
and Wildlife and the Maine Forest
Service helped as chaperones.
Record Number of Maine Schools
Participate in Biking & Walking Events
by Darcy Whittemore and Sarah Cushman Safe Routes to School Encouragement Coordinators
Students from a record number of Maine schools - from Greenville to York and from Fryeburg to Calais - celebrated Maine Bicycle and Pedestrian Month in May as they commuted
by foot or bicycle. A total of 49 schools registered events with the Maine Safe Routes to
School program. (See the list on page three.)
Eight of the participating communities received Maine Safe Routes Mini-Grants in the
spring to support building stronger and safer Walk and Bike to School programs. Again
this year, we were very impressed with the creative and unique ideas that each of these
schools came up with to help encourage more students to walk and bike to school.
Several schools used incentives - items such as pedometers, walking school bus tokens,
bike bells and lights, reflective bracelets and the chance to ride a Razor scooter (with
helmet) or to use an activity tote filled with different sports equipment - as a way to
increase the number of students walking or biking. Mini-grant funds also paid for crossing guard vests to increase safety of walkers and bicyclists.
Stevens Brook Elementary School in Bridgton and Sebago Elementary School used their
mini-grant funds to launch their first-ever walk and bike to school days. Those schools
planned bicycle and pedestrian safety classes, too.
It is never too early to start planning for Walk and Bike to School events whether weekly or monthly through the fall, or just a one-time occurrence. A
great way to get things rolling is to participate in International Walk and Bike to
School Month in October. This year’s International Walk and Bike to School Day
will take place on Wednesday, October 5.
The Maine Safe Routes to School program can provide support and guidance for
any events or other Walk and Bike to School activities. This includes help with
strategizing as well as event checklists, posters and incentives such as stickers
and bookmarks. Call 623-4511 or write to [email protected]. If you
register school events at the national level (www.walktoschool.
org/register/index.cfm ), you
may download stickers and other
promotional materials.
At Calais Elementary School, a twice-weekly walking school bus program was initiated. All participants received reflective windbreakers paid for in part by the mini-grant.
Gardiner-area schools used their mini-grant funds to re-start and invigorate weekly
walking school bus and “walk at school” programs at all five elementary schools. “These
events really allow students to see the fun in being physically active,” said Tara Marble,
the school health coordinator. “Teachers really enjoy participating, too... They reflect on
the walking events and tie them into classroom learning.”
Pleasant Hill School in Scarborough, Plummer-Motz Elementary School
in Falmouth, Nickerson Elementary School in Greenville and Windham
Primary School used their mini-grant funds to build upon their already
successful walk and bike to school programs.
“Our spring event was particularly successful for us because we held the
event even though we had cloudy skies and a few rain showers,” said
Stephanie Joyce, school health coordinator for Windham-Raymond. “This gave students the opportunity to see how they can still walk to
school or be outdoors for physical activity despite less than optimal
weather conditions.”
PAGE 2
www.BikeMaine.org
Summer 2011
Schools Participating in
Walk & Bike to School Events
Auburn, The Walton School
Biddeford Intermediate School
and Biddeford Middle School
Gina Wilson, an occupational and hand therapist in Michigan, learned about the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s 2011 Super Raffle from a co-worker last winter. (events organized by the Community Bicycle Center)
“I went on (the coalition’s) website,” Wilson recalled. “I liked your mission statement. I figured
I’d just consider it a donation.”
Bridgton, Stevens Brook Elementary School
Brunswick, Jordan Acres Elementary School
and Longfellow Elementary School
Bucksport, Miles Lane School
Calais Elementary School
Camden-Rockport Middle School
China Primary School
Cutler, Bay Ridge Elementary School
Dresden Elementary School
Eagle Lake Elementary School
Falmouth, Friends School of Portland
Falmouth, Plummer-Motz Elementary School
Fort Kent Elementary and
Community High Schools
Fryeburg Academy
Gardiner, Laura E Richards School
Greenville, Nickerson Elementary School
Hallowell, Hall-Dale Elementary School
Hampden, McGraw & Weatherbee Schools
Houlton, Southside School
Kennebunkport Consolidated School
Madison Elementary School
Monmouth, H L Cottrell School
Pittston Consolidated School
Prospect Harbor, Peninsula School
Randolph, TC Hamlin School
St. Francis Elementary School
Scarborough, Blue Point School
and Pleasant Hill School
Sebago Elementary School
Sidney, James H. Bean School
South Gardiner, River View Community School
South Portland, Memorial Middle School,
Frank I. Brown Elementary School
and Dora L Small School
Topsham, Mt. Ararat Middle School
Wallagrass Elementary School
Warren Community School
West Gardiner, Helen Thompson School
Westbrook, Canal & Saccarrpa Schools
Windham Primary School
Winslow Elementary School
York, Coastal Ridge Elementary School
and Village Elementary School
Summer 2011
Michigan Cyclist Wins Bicycle
Coalition’s Super Raffle
Wilson and her husband, John, were thrilled when they got a call in late March from the
coalition saying that they had purchased the winning ticket. Gina won a 10-day bicycling trip
to Tuscany, Italy from VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations - and John will join her on the tour
later this year.
“We’re big bicyclists, so this is perfect for us,” Gina Wilson said. The couple rides with the Ann
Arbor Bicycle Touring Society, often going on trips of 35 to 50 miles on weekends. They’ve
participated in long tours in Colorado, Michigan and Vermont. VBT Bicycling and Walking Vacations donated the trip, with all proceeds from the raffle going to
the Bicycle Coalition. The grand prize is valued at up to $3,145, plus a lifetime of memories.
Gina Wilson won the Bicycle
Coalition of Maine’s 2011 Super
Raffle, a bicycle tour in Tuscany,
Italy. Her husband, John, will
accompany her.
Guidelines for Group Rides
t continued from page 1
• Don’t Block Traffic at Regroups. Plan regroup points at locations away from intersections and move as far off the travel lane as possible when stopped and waiting.
• Don’t Pass on Right. Gather behind the last car in line at intersections. Although
Maine law permits a cyclist to pass cars on the right at an intersection, such behavior
is discouraged in group rides as a courtesy to motorists.
• Don’t Be a Jerk. Being courteous and obeying traffic laws will set a good example for
new group riders and will improve how the public views group rides and cyclists in
general.
• This is YOUR Group! If you see a person behaving inappropriately, you have the right
and responsibility to speak up and talk to that person! If we don’t police ourselves,
the police will!
www.BikeMaine.org
PAGE 3
From the President
Board of Directors
President
John Wright, Woolrich
Vice President
Mark Ishkanian, Readfield
Treasurer
John Wright, Woolrich
Secretary
Nancy Stowell White, Hanover
Every Bicyclist Has A Story
I worked the credit card checkout line this spring at the Bicycle Coalition’s Great
Maine Bike Swaps in Orono and Portland. Volume definitely was up this year,
and we didn’t have much time to check out every bike purchased. But here are
a few of my observations:
• The swap is recycling at its finest. Unwanted bicycles go to loving and happy owners.
David Auclair, Winthrop
John Brooking, Westbrook
Richard Cleary, Houlton
Phil Coffin, Carrabassett Valley
Charley LaFlamme, Founder, Moody
Dana McEwan, Portland
Laurie McReel, Oakland
Julie Osgood, Portland
Dean Read, Bar Harbor
Fred Robie, Freeport
Larry Rubinstein, Scarborough
Jane Self, Camden
• One person bought a well-aged bicycle for parts. It was cheap. He wanted the steel tubes for a tandem he
was building. Sweet.
Advisory Board
• Kids and bikes are the best! There is nothing better than seeing a kid
with a new bike.
• Kids don’t look at you. Their stares are transfixed on their new rides. They’re spellbound.
• There’s no defining age for “kids.” We had folks with AARP cards jumping
around like six-year-olds.
• Every imaginable bicycle is there. New, old, wide, thin, carbon, steel, retro, modern, commuter, touring,
recumbent, tricycle. It’s a museum. All it takes is a Schwinn Varsity to flash me back to my youth.
My checkout dream would be to slow it all down to hear all the stories. Why this bike? Where will you ride it? Do
you have other bikes at home? Alas, we won’t slow things down, though. You wait in line long enough.
Thanks to everyone who came to the swaps and to all the volunteers. I hope you had as much fun as I did. If you
have a good swap story, I’d love to hear it. You can e-mail it to me at [email protected].
Bicycles. A dream world. I don’t even know what keeps them upright. Only in a dream. Enjoy your summer riding!!!
Kathryn Buxton
Buxton Communications
Gregg Collins
SW Collins Company
Dana Connors
Maine Chamber and Business Alliance
J. Scott Davis
Board of Overseers
Greg Dore
Skowhegan Road Commission
Jill Goldthwait
Jackson Lab
Ed Miller
American Lung Association of Maine
John Melrose
Happy cycling,
Maine Tomorrow
Michael Povich
Vaughn Stinson
Maine Tourism Association
Will Thomas
John Wright
Board President
Tri-Maine Productions
Eliza Townsend
Eric Weinrich, Yarmouth
Portland Pirates
Ellen Wells
Inland Hospital, Waterville
Staff
Wish List
Nancy Grant
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine needs a bullhorn for our events. We also need
white copy paper; a ream or more would be greatly appreciated. If you can
help, please call the office at 623-4511 or e-mail [email protected].
Jim Tasse
Maine Cyclist is printed four times a year. Submissions of writing or artwork are encouraged and should be sent to the coalition at
PO Box 5275, Augusta, Maine 04332 or emailed to [email protected].
Communications Coordinator
[email protected]
Darcy Whittemore
Central Maine Safe Routes Coordinator
[email protected]
Sarah Cushman
Southern Maine Safe Routes Coordinator
[email protected]
Cecelia Garton
The coalition reserves the right to edit to fit budget and space requirements.
Education Director
[email protected]
Shoshana Hoose
Maine Cyclist is published by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, a nonprofit organization working since 1992 to make Maine a better place to
bicycle. The coalition advocates for Maine cyclists at the Legislature and in Washington, D.C., teaches bicycle safety to thousands of Maine
schoolchildren each year, partners with state agencies on a Share the Road media campaign and serves as a resource on local bicycling issues.
Executive Director
[email protected]
Office Manager
[email protected]
Newsletter Team: Shoshana Hoose, Editor and Melissa Arndt, Layout/Design
PAGE 4
www.BikeMaine.org
Summer 2011
Bicycle Coalition Advocates for Cyclists at the Statehouse
by Nancy Grant Bicycle Coalition of Maine Executive Director
those trips are by car. If we could switch modes for the two-miles-or-less trips, we
could make a significant impact on our oil consumption.
Throughout the 125th Maine legislative session,
we watched for any legislation that could impact
bicycling in Maine.
The committee slightly amended the bill and voted that it ought to pass. However,
as we went to press, the committee was still sitting on the bill.
In March, I testified in support of L.D. 736, “An Act To
Prohibit Texting while Driving.” As bicyclists, we see
up-close the huge proportion of drivers that text or
use mobile devises and how little attention mobile
users give the road and the other users of it, like us.
Our biggest push this legislative session was against L.D. 1189, “An Act To Require
Bicyclists To Contribute to the Improvement of Bikeways.” This bill proposed imposing a 2 percent surtax on the sale of all bikes in Maine, with the money to be used
for the construction of road shoulders.
It’s not hard to understand why driver inattention leads to eight out of 10 of all crashes
and 65 percent of all near-crashes. Bicyclists are especially vulnerable to distracted drivers, and the adoption of this bill would make roads safer for bicyclists of all kinds.
While the Bicycle Coalition supports more and improved infrastructure for bicyclists, this bill was poorly conceived. It would not have generated much funding for
bicycle infrastructure and it would have hurt bike shops, our partners in promoting
and supporting bicycling.
The Maine Legislature approved a slightly amended version of the bill. As we go to
press, the measure awaits Governor Paul LePage’s signature.
The bill was based on two faulty assumptions: that cyclists don’t pay for the
construction and maintenance of roads, and that road shoulders are built for
cyclists. It singled out cyclists to pay for an infrastructure improvement (shoulders)
that would have been used primarily by motor vehicles and by many other users,
including walkers and runners.
I submitted written testimony in support of L.D. 553, “An Act To Reduce Maine’s Dependence on Oil.” While this bill is somewhat peripheral to the Bicycle Coalition’s mission, I
felt it was important to educate or remind members of the legislature’s Energy, Utilities
and Technology Committee about bicycling as a viable mode of transportation, especially for short trips in densely settled areas.
Thanks to countless e-mails and phone calls to legislators from our members,
including bike shop owners, the legislature’s Transportation Committee voted
unanimously that the bill ought not to pass.
Fifty-four percent of the oil used in Maine is for transportation. If we want to reduce our
oil use, our transportation system will need to move away from its orientation and bias
toward the single-occupancy vehicle and better accommodate bicyclists and walkers.
Thanks to the coalition’s ad hoc legislative committee - Sue Ellen Bordwell, Tony
Barrett and Richard Cleary - for their vigilance and advice throughout the session!
Forty percent of travel in the U.S. is for trips that are two miles or less. Ninety percent of
Maine Lobster Ride & Roll Works Its Magic
by Joel Fishman Maine Lobster Ride & Roll Planning Committee
with Penobscot Bay Medical Center. Ron teaches
adult education courses at the Five Town School
District. They belong to the Bicycle Coalition and Ron
recently joined the committee that plans the Maine
Lobster Ride.
When the Bicycle Coalition of Maine launched the Maine Lobster Ride & Roll a
decade ago, we never anticipated all of the ways it would impact participating
cyclists or the host city of Rockland.
The annual event, taking place this year on July 23, brings hundreds of cyclists
from across the United States and several Canadian provinces to beautiful
Midcoast Maine for a ride on country roads featuring views of islands and lighthouses. The ride had a life-changing impact on at least one couple.
Dr. Denise Anderson and her husband, Ron Staschak (pronounced Staychak), were
living in Fort Kent in 2008. Both avid bicyclists, they heard people raving about
the Maine Lobster Ride and decided to sign up.
Ron did the century ride (100 miles) and Denise rode the 50-miler. She finished
first and decided to walk in downtown Rockland as she waited for Ron. Approaching Main Street, she could see not only the ocean but also the Rockland
Breakwater, both the Rockland and Owls Head lighthouses and the islands of
Vinalhaven and North Haven. Denise decided that this up-and-coming coastal town would be just the place to
settle. After Ron finished his ride and they enjoyed their lobster roll lunch, they
toured the city together.
Dr. Denise Anderson and her husband,
Ron Staschak, fell in love with Rockland when they participated in their
first Maine Lobster Ride & Roll. They
since have moved to the city and Ron
has joined the Lobster Ride Planning
Committee.
You can find more information, an online registration
form and a video about the ride at http://www.bikemaine.org. This year’s sponsors are L.L. Bean, Hannaford, the Maine Lobster Festival, ReVision Energy,
K.J. Edward Knight Insurance, Auclair Cycle & Ski,
DeLorme, Bikesenjava and Maine Sport Outfitters.
We hope you’ll sign up for the Maine Lobster Ride. Who knows, it could even
change your life.
By 2009, they had moved to Rockland. Denise, an internist, now is associated
Summer 2011
The Tenth Annual Maine Lobster Ride & Roll will include all of the elements that have made the event a
success: spectacular scenery, friendly volunteers, four
distance options from 16 to 100 miles, rest stops and
full ride support plus a handmade lobster roll lunch.
And it’s all for a good cause: supporting the Bicycle
Coalition’s work of improving bicycling in Maine.
www.BikeMaine.org
PAGE 5
Masons’ Bikes for Books
Program Rewards
Students for Reading
Spotlight on
Nearly 500 Maine children have new bicycles to ride this summer
thanks to a reading incentive program sponsored by Masonic
lodges across the state.
The Masons partner with local schools on the Bikes for Books
program. For every book that students read, they fill out a ticket
that gives them a chance of winning a new bike and helmet.
“The more books they read, the more tickets they get to put in
the boxes,” said Mike Theriault of the Euclid Masonic Lodge in
Madison. Every two months or so, the name of a boy and a girl are
pulled from the boxes for each grade level.
He worked for a few years as a bike mechanic and sales rep at L.L. Bean’s retail store
in Freeport. He also worked as a bike mechanic and service shop manager of Peak
Performance Multisport in
Portland. After that business
closed in November 2009,
Freeman started his own shop
about a half-mile away, at the
base of Munjoy Hill.
Josh Freeman runs Freeman’s Bicycle Service from a
shop at the base of Portland’s Munjoy Hill.
Freeman’s Bicycle Service
focuses on road and triathlon
bicycles. “I attract those new
to the sport (as well as) professionals,” says Freeman. His
goal is to provide high quality,
complete and speedy service
in a small, comfortable and
friendly environment. Freeman says he wants to know
his customers, their bikes and
their lifestyle so that he can
keep them “fast and safe.”
The shop is a business member of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Freeman said the
Bicycle Coalition is “number one on my list to support” because of its work to improve
roads and develop Maine cycling.
Freeman’s is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The shop doesn’t
sell bicycles or clothing, but it does have parts and accessories.
Freeman stays plenty busy with his shop and family of five. But he also works a few
times a year as a Category 4 USA Cycling race mechanic at events in Maine and nearby
states, and he continues to compete in an occasional road race.
“Recently, I joined SRAM Neutral Race Support at the Tour of the Battenkill, jumping
from the car for flats, mechanicals and bike changes while driving behind the race,” he
said. “What I get out of it is a chance to work with other mechanics to learn new tricks
of the trade. The long hours traveling to and from the events makes for a great time to
pick the brain of other shop mechanics and learn how their shops run.”
Freeman’s Bicycle Service is located at 200 Anderson Street in Portland. Call (207) 3471577 or visit www.MyBikeMechanic.com.
PAGE 6
Theriault read on the Internet about a similar program run by Masonic lodges in Michigan and Montana. “I thought it was a perfect
way to publicize what Masons do: get out into the community,”
he said. So, he helped launch the program in Madison about five
years ago. It was so successful that lodges from Lubec, Limestone,
Auburn, Kingfield, Norridgewock and many other communities
picked up on the idea.
www.BikeMaine.org
Theriault now serves as the unofficial state coordinator for about
30 Bikes for Books programs. Students from pre-kindergarten
through eighth grade participate. Most lodges launch the program in February with an assembly, and they give out the bicycles
in a final assembly in the spring. The Masons buy Huffy bicycles
wholesale, and they get helmets from ProRider. Photo by Katie Flannery
Photo by Shoshana Hoose
Josh Freeman’s love affair with bicycles dates back to high school, when he competed
in time trials and road races with the Rangeley Lakes Regional School cycling team. Response to the program has been “tremendous,” Theriault said. And it has had the unexpected consequence of giving children a
way to show their generosity. Four or five times every year, “a kid
has won a bike and
gives it to someone
else who is more
needy than they are,”
he reports.
To find out more
about the program,
e-mail Mike Theriault
at bikesforbooks@
myfairpoint.net.
Adam Young, a second
grader in Madison,
won a bicycle this
spring through the
Masons’ Bikes for Books
program.
Summer 2011
Upcoming Events
New England Bike-Walk Summit Returns to Providence
Six Races Remain in 2011 Maine Time Trial Series
The second annual New England Bike-Walk Summit will bring together bicycle and
pedestrian advocates, state agency employees and others for a day of workshops,
networking and inspiration. The summit will take place on October 7 in Providence,
Rhode Island. The exact location and agenda were not available when “Maine
Cyclist” went to press.
July marks the midway point of the 2011 Maine Time Trial Series, co-sponsored by the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. Six races are completed. Five time
trials and the state championship remain.
The schedule is:
• July 10 - Maine Bike Rally Time Trial, Brunswick
• July 17 - Hinckley Time Trial, Hinckley
• July 24 - Presque Isle Time Trial, Presque Isle
• July 31 - Fryeburg Time Trial, Fryeburg
• August 21 - Mount Desert Island Time Trial, Tremont
• September 11 - Maine State Time Trial Championships, Cumberland
The Bicycle Coalition of
Maine will organize a
delegation to the summit. If you are interested in attending, please call our office
at 623-4511 or write to [email protected].
The summit costs $40 per person, including a continental breakfast, lunch and
a closing reception. A limited number of scholarships are available. For more
information, go to http://www.newenglandbikewalksummit.org or the summit’s
Facebook page.
For additional information, please visit http://www.mainettseries.com/.
Bicycle Valet Parking Available at Maine Fair and Festivals
Bicycle valet parking will be available at three of Maine’s most popular summer
and fall events:
• The Yarmouth Clam Festival (www.clamfestival.com), July 15-17, downtown
Yarmouth.
• The American Folk Festival (www.americanfolkfestival.com), August 26-28,
Bangor waterfront.
• The Common Ground Fair (www.mofga.org), September 23-25, Unity. League Cycling Instructor Course Offered in South Portland
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is partnering with the League of American Bicyclists to
offer courses leading to “League Cycling Instructor” (LCI) certification. This certification is the only nationally recognized bike safety credential available, and is useful for
anyone involved in on-road bicycle instruction or work.
People interested in becoming certified must first take Traffic Skills 101. That course
will be offered on August 14 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. at a location to be announced in
southern Maine. The cost of the class is $50 for Bicycle Coalition members and $75 for
non-members.
Bicycling to these events will save you money on gas and parking. You’ll avoid
traffic tie-ups as you help the environment. Cyclists save $2 on admission to the
Common Ground Fair. In 2010, more than 1,300 people used valet bicycle parking at the three events.
An LCI seminar will be held on August 26-28 at SMCC’s Preble Hall. The cost is $200,
plus League of American Bicyclist membership. If you are interested in participating or
want more information on either of these classes, please contact [email protected].
Volunteers are needed at each location. To find out more, please contact the
event organizers directly.
Summer Feet Cycling Tour Benefits Bicycle Coalition
Summer Feet Cycling in Portland is offering a new, coastal bicycle tour that will benefit the
Bicycle Coalition of Maine. The Pedal the Coast camping tour on September 4-10 will go from
Boothbay Harbor to Bar Harbor, ending on the summit of Cadillac Mountain.
The tour, for moderate and advanced cyclists, will cover 50 to 70 miles per day. The route passes
through many scenic coastal towns and includes 12 lighthouses, Penobscot Narrows Bridge,
Acadia National Park, a private sunset sail on a classic wooden schooner and a lobster feast. Distinctive weekend & week-long bicycle tours
featuring the best Maine, Canada, & New Zealand.
Call for our catalog: 1-866-857-9544
or visit us at www.summerfeet.net
The price of $1,195 per person covers six dinners and breakfasts, six nights of camping, experienced guides, detailed route notes and maps, van support including fresh water, ample snacks,
and mechanical support, souvenirs, daily transfer of luggage and camping gear and all lodging
taxes and gratuities.
Find out more at http://www.summerfeet.net/trips/pedal-the-coast-camping.
Summer 2011
www.BikeMaine.org
PAGE 7
Mountain bikers are working with the town of Carrabassett Valley, the Maine
Bureau of Parks and Lands and other partners to develop mountain biking trails in
the area near Sugarloaf.
In just a year, more than 80 people have joined a new Carrabassett Region chapter
of the New England Mountain Bike Association (CR NEMBA). The chapter has
organized trail-building events, weekly rides and a two-day New England Trail
Building School. Last summer, CR NEMBA members volunteered more than 500
hours for trail building and improvement.
Carrabassett Valley Works to Become a
Members of the new Carrabassett Region chapter of the New England
Mountain Bike Association have worked with Maine Huts and Trails to
improve trails in the area.
Mountain Biking Mecca
On July 24, the chapter will host the inaugural running of the Carrabassett Back
Country Cycle Challenge, a 50-mile mountain bike race that is part of an Eastern
CanAm Endurance Race series. Participants may register at www.bikereg.com.
Dave Hughes, president of the CR NEMBA chapter, describes ambitious plans to
make the Carrabassett Valley into one of the premiere mountain biking areas in the
region. The chapter has begun building relationships with large landowners such as
Sugarloaf ski area and Maine Huts and Trails to help make that happen.
The town of Carrabassett Valley owns the 2,100-acre Outdoor Center that is a popular
cross-country ski area adjacent to Sugarloaf Mountain. Last summer, the town
upgraded a number of cross-country ski trails to make them suitable for collegiate
competitions. Money for the project came from managing trees on the Outdoor
Center’s land.
Now, efforts are underway to improve bike trails on the property. The town has commissioned several reports to help guide its work.
Sustainable Trailworks developed a plan for the town showing how it could create
trails over three years, at a cost of $100,000. In March, Carrabassett Valley voters
approved the plan and the first $17,000 for trail-building this year. The NEMBA chapter expects to contribute $7,000 in in-kind donations and volunteer
labor this year. The chapter also has applied for a $10,000 Bikes Belong grant to do
additional trail building around a pond at the Outdoor Center.
Hughes, who works as a commercial real estate broker in Bangor, organized a meeting last summer to gauge interest in forming a mountain bike club. To his surprise,
30 people showed up. “Boom, the club was formed,” he said.
They decided to affiliate as a NEMBA chapter to take advantage of the organization’s nonprofit status, insurance coverage, grant writing assistance and vast
experience with mountain bike trails. “We instantly became part of something
much bigger,” Hughes said, “and it has paid off in spades.”
The chapter’s vision has grown from building trails at the Outdoor Center to
collaborating with other large landowners in the area on trail projects. They have
reached out to Maine Huts and Trails about how to develop mountain biking on a
trail corridor that eventually will extend from Bethel to Greenville.
They also have begun discussions with the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
about improving, marking and mapping existing mountain bike trails on the
south side of the Bigelow Preserve. The area also has several other large parcels
of land that could be developed for mountain biking, including Crocker Mountain.
“Our biggest challenge is finding the resources to complete the construction
and improvement of trails,” said Hughes. But he added, “The support we have
received from local government, like-minded organizations and local businesses
has been truly amazing. I can hardly wait to see what the future has in store for
mountain biking in the Carrabassett region.”
To find out more, please visit www.nemba.org/aboutnemba/Carrabassett.html
891 bicycles
Photo by Douglas Hall
150 volunteers
15 bike shops
Photo by Herb Crosby
Photo by Herb Crosby
Great Maine Bike Swaps Sell
Record Number of Bicycles
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s 2011 Great Maine Bike Swaps in Portland and Orono belong in the record books! Here are the statistics:
Photo by Sarah Snowman
• A total of 891 bicycles were sold at the two swaps, compared to 618 bikes sold in 2010. This year’s Orono
sales rose by a whopping 66 percent.
• 15 bicycle shops and bicycle-related organizations participated in the swaps.
• 150 volunteers helped out at the swaps.
• Nearly 2,500 people attended the swaps.
The best part of the swaps are how they act as matchmakers, putting unused bicycles in the hands of people who
will enjoy them. Everyone walks away a winner - those who pocket cash for the bicycles no longer cluttering
their homes and those who have new bicycles to use. The Bicycle Coalition also benefits. We get more people on
bikes, and the swaps raise several thousand dollars that support our work to improve bicycling in Maine.
Photo by Douglas Hall
Photo by Douglas Hall
Photo by Douglas Hall
Adane Bewset, 25, commuted by bicycle in his native Ethiopia but he has not had a bike since coming to the
United States. Now a student at Southern Maine Community College, he went to the Portland swap with his
teacher, Rosemarie De Angelis, who is the mayor of South Portland. There, he bought a road bike that he plans
to use for exercise and transportation.
Thanks to everyone who helped make the swaps a big success.
Photo by Dave Wood
Photo by Douglas Hall
Two boys from Raymond were among those who both bought and sold bicycles at the swap. Jim Backman said
his sons Walter, 10, and Oliver, 7, ended up with “bigger and better bicycles” to ride around the neighborhood and
to nearby Sebago Lake. The boys are growing so fast that Backman expects to be back next year to sell the bikes
and buy bigger ones.
Photo by Douglas Hall
Thanks to Four
Special Volunteers
by Nancy Grant Executive Director
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is extraordinarily lucky to have a large
number of very dedicated volunteers. In my short tenure as executive
director, I have worked closely with more than 100 volunteers. I have
been especially dependent on and appreciative of four who contributed to
the promotional materials and resources for this year’s coalition events.
Missy Arndt of Rockland has been involved with the Bicycle Coalition
since its beginning. She has been our graphic designer and the creative
force behind most of our brochures and posters, our newsletters, event
calendars and many other printed pieces. She has a great sense of design
and she is always ready to help with one more project.
Missy designed this year’s Lobster Ride brochure, poster and T-shirts, my
business card, the 2011 BikeMaine Event Calendar, our new Group Ride
Guidelines card and our spring and summer newsletters. Thank you,
Missy, for your unfailing support of the coalition!
Aaron Brasslett of Bangor played a key role last year in helping the coalition move our website into WordPress, thus allowing our staff to edit the
site. A web expert, he put in countless hours troubleshooting problems
and fixing pages. While that project is done, Aaron remains busy behind
the scenes helping with the website.
In the last three months, he created online forms so that volunteers
could sign up to work at our four events and participants could register
for the Women’s Ride and the Lobster Ride. He also set up all of our new
merchandise pages. If you order a Women’s Ride T-shirt or a Lobster Ride
jersey from our website, you’ll use Aaron’s pages. Aaron is my go-to guy whenever there is a website problem. Until a
couple of months ago, all of our communication had been through e-mail.
Aaron volunteered at the Orono Bike Swap, and I finally got to meet him
there. (He rode to the swap on his tandem bike with his young daughter
so they could both work.) Thank you, Aaron, for generously donating your
web expertise!
Brooke Hamilton of South Portland is new to the coalition. She has been a
great help with the Women’s Ride this year. Brooke designed our Women’s
Ride brochure and poster. No matter when or how many times I contacted
her, Brooke was always ready and happy to make any changes.
Brooke also has served on the Women’s Ride Planning Committee. She
has provided great and youthful insight for that event. Thank you, Brooke!
Tom Kesel of Rye, New Hampshire is our volunteer graphic designer for the
Great Maine Bike Swaps. He created the logo for this year’s swaps as well
as posters and fliers for the events in Portland and Orono.
Tom was another volunteer who I didn’t know, so it felt a little funny asking for his help. When I finally met Tom at the Portland swap, he couldn’t
have been more enthusiastic. In fact, he offered to help again next year.
Thank you, Tom!
PAGE 10
Many Thanks to Our
Wonderful Volunteers
These people volunteered at the Great Maine Bike Swap in Portland.
Committee members are listed in bold.
Fred Robie
Sharon Wilbraham
Connie Kinsman
Pete Phair
Derick Wilbraham
Joan Sarles Lee
Dave Auclair
Jenny Wilbraham
Mike Boyson
Peter Wool
Tucker Louisos-Daniels
Elise Boyson
Will Dunley
Adam Day
Roy Jenkins
Steve Garton
Stepahnie Lull
Emily Helliesen
Norm Patry
Hay Evans
Douglas Dolan
Nicole O’Brien
Nate Hills
Shawn Chastain
Shaun Emery
Alan Mills
David Wood
Cookie Kalloch
David Adams
Colleen Koch
Jon Baldwin
Kelly Czerwinski
Sarah Greene Hopkins
Kim Schutsky
Charley LaFlamme
Kathy Potrepka
Lara Schutsky
Darcy Starett
Betts Armstrong
Dana McEwan
Chris Reil
CD Armstrong
Jill Duson
Emily Helliesen
Ben Berlew
Steve Shapiro
Sheila Reiser
Finn Hopkins
Ellen Wells
Heather Chandler
Bethany Dumas
Mac McAfee
Chris Ricardo
Joe Patten
Alicia Soliman
Jonathan Sylvester
Wally Estrella
Joe Eagan
Carole Barber
Nicholas Sherman
Rosie Hartzler
Susan Chase
Doug Watts
Ed Roberts
Melissa Cooledge
Maggie Guzman
Dave Jones
Kelly Pris
Sarah Snowman
Dave Kinsman
Sarah Hill
Douglas Hall
Ben Lake
Deanna Backman
Nancy Stowell-White
Gary Goodrich
Eric Favreau
Bill White
Emile Lugosch
Cathy Robie
Steve Parker
Brian Danz
John Wright
John Brooking
Craig Dawson
Tyler Kidder
David Carver
Moe Bisson
These people volunteered at the Great Maine Bike Swap in Orono.
Committee members are listed in bold.
Adele St. Pierre
James Karcanes
Mike Boyson
Jim Cianchette
Steve Garton
Kirsten Gagnon
Perri Cianchette
Bandon Dow
Erin Redding
Ted Warren
Janette Landis
Louie Hall
Dave Auclair
Eric Landis
Jim Rose
Fred Robie
Beth White
Jim Gilbert
Margaret Clancey
Forest Wentworth
Emma Pope-Welsh
Craig Dawson
Rafael Ramos
Toby Wood
Joseph Stephano
Fiona Sorensen
Leah Hughes
Devan Higgins
Molly McLean
Pete Phair
Dan Faloon
Laurie McReel
Bob Lombardo
Ryan Perro
Herb Crosby
Joel Salvilonis
Dean Read
Dave Wood
Sam Hosford
Cathy Robie
Maggie Warren
Bob Bruce
Aaron Brasslett
Sandy Johnson
Becca Jacobson
Calum Brasslett
Jeremy Jay
Carol Gregory
John Wright
Sally Jacobs
Donna Williams
Jim McCarthy
Bill Ceckler
Kevin Cuddy
John Gregory
Polly Ceckler
Carol Cuddy
These people helped with other coalition work:
Henry Heyburn
Laurie McReel
www.BikeMaine.org
Carolyn Eaton
Summer 2011
Round-Up of Maine Bicycling News
Bath Forms Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee
Summer Trail Work Planned in Fryeburg
The city of Bath formed a Bicycle and Pedestrian Committee in April.
Construction is planned this summer on a 1.25-mile stretch of the Maine Mountain Division Trail in Fryeburg. The seven-member committee appointed by the City Council will oversee implementation and updating of Bath’s bicycle and pedestrian plan. The plan has been
presented to the council but not officially approved.
The paved trail will go from the Visitors Center to Porter Road. It is expected to
open in September. MaineDOT also is working on an additional 2.5 miles of the
trail in Fryeburg, and construction of that section is expected to start in the fall or
early next spring.
Other tasks will include working with city departments and local schools on
bicycle and pedestrian issues, recommending capital improvement projects,
pursuing funding opportunities and partnering with nearby communities on
regional bicycling and walking goals.
The Fryeburg trail project originally was planned for last summer, but it was
delayed because design and permitting took longer than anticipated. A 5.7-mile
stretch of the Maine Mountain Division Trail from South Windham to Standish
opened in the fall of 2009. Long-range plans call for the trail to extend 52 miles
from Portland to the New Hampshire border.
For more information, please contact Jim Upham in the Bath Planning and
Development office at [email protected] or 443-8363.
Portland Develops Neighborhood Byway,
Works on Complete Streets
Route 1 Project Continues Despite Loss of State Funding
Planning efforts underway in the Route 1 corridor between Brunswick and Stockton Springs will continue despite the state’s decision to cut off funding in March.
The city of Portland is using $70,000 in federal stimulus funds and local funds to
create a Neighborhood Byway this summer on a route through the residential
Deering neighborhood.
Twenty communities in Midcoast Maine created the Gateway 1 plan to guide land
use and transportation planning, including bicycling and walking improvements
on and near Route 1. The administration of Governor Paul LePage decided to
end funding for the project in March. The money will go toward other MaineDOT
projects such as road and bridge repairs.
The byway will make it easier for children to walk and bike to nearby schools.
Traffic-calming measures, signs and other improvements also will encourage
people to commute by foot or bicycle to stores, the library, post office and other
local attractions.
Don White, who chairs the Gateway 1 Implementation Steering Committee, said
the group will continue its work in an advisory capacity. The committee is seeking
new funding and hopes to offer technical assistance to small communities in the
corridor, he said.
In a related development, the Portland City Council has developed a working
group to draft a Complete Streets policy to ensure that city streets can accommodate cars, buses, bicycles and pedestrians safely. The federal Environmental
Protection Agency provided funding for the city to hold a workshop in June with
facilitators from the National Complete Streets Coalition.
Memorial Bridge Project Expected to Go to Bid in the Fall
Photos courtesy of Derek Pelletier
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation is expected to advertise for
bids in the fall for replacement of Memorial Bridge between Kittery and Portsmouth. The bridge provides the only bicycle and pedestrian access between the
two cities.
Federal budget problems that had jeopardized funding for the $90 million project
have been resolved. The federal government has committed $20 million, and
Maine and New Hampshire each will contribute $38.5 million.
Mark Latti, spokesperson for MaineDOT, said construction on the new bridge is
slated to begin next spring. He said it is likely that Memorial Bridge will be closed
from then until the project is completed.
The first Kidical Mass Ride took
place in Portland in May. Dozens of
children and parents biked through
the Deering neighborhood.
Summer 2011
www.BikeMaine.org
PAGE 11
Summer and Eastern Trail in Maine
by Dan Stewart MDOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager
Summer in Maine…at this time, Maine is full of people
from across the nation and throughout the world enjoying
our mountains, seashores, islands, rivers, lakes, forests, and
beautiful village areas. Mainers are not even thinking about
leaving the state, as each afternoon and weekend are like
vacations unto themselves. What to do? Well, one option
is to either bike or walk! Our beautiful scenery is great to
see on a bike during a stroll on our regions roadways, sidewalks, and trails. A unique
and memorable opportunity awaits you if you decide to experience one of the many
off-road bicycle and pedestrian trails throughout the State.
the Eastern Trail between South Portland and Kennebunk. Another section connecting
Saco to Old Orchard Beach will open later this year.
These trails are important for communities too, as they enable more people to walk
and bike safely and comfortably, away from motor vehicles. They serve as important
connections for neighborhoods, towns, and open spaces. They allow people to commute
to work or bike to the grocery store. Perhaps most important, they provide families and
friends the opportunity to walk and bike together, creating memories. I was recently
taking a walk with my visiting family on the Kennebec River Rail Trail, a paved bicycle and
pedestrian connection between Gardiner, Farmingdale, Hallowell, and Augusta. I saw
many families with young kids walking and riding on the trail together. I noticed many
kids on very small bikes, or with training wheels, riding with no fear of roadway traffic,
with courage and smiles on their faces. I observed brightly colored “bicyclists” cruising
from town to town.
One of my favorite memories before the snow started falling last fall was riding
my bike on the opening day of the most recently completed section. As I rode, I felt
comfortable and safe and enjoyed the scenery. Kids were riding together and laughing
alongside parents. I noticed neighborhoods, trees, clouds, blue sky, and of course the
birds. I was thinking….the 6.2-mile wide, smooth bicycle and pedestrian trail connecting Biddeford, Arundel, and Kennebunk is really open! I thought about the other
sections previously opened including the 5.7-mile paved connection in South Portland
starting at the ocean. Another 4.4-mile section opened in 2008 connecting Scarborough to Old Orchard Beach through the beautiful Scarborough Marsh. These trails
combined equate to 16 miles of open bicycle and pedestrian off-road trail sections of
If you want to truly experience the
beauty of biking and walking in Maine,
as either a visitor or a resident, please be
sure to visit the Eastern Trail, Kennebec
River Rail Trail, the Mountain Division
Trail, the Carriage Trails on Mount Desert
Island, the Downeast Sunrise Trail, or
even your neighborhood local street
or trail. You can find any of these trails
by contacting me or going to the web.
“Summer in Maine…..What to do?”
Photo courtesy of MaineDOT
A very special off-road trail that has many sections opened in Southern Maine is the
Eastern Trail. This trail is envisioned to one day connect Kittery to South Portland, as
part of the larger East Coast Greenway vision of connecting Maine to Florida. Perhaps
you have noticed the new bicycle and pedestrian bridge over the Maine Turnpike
just near the Kennebunk Exit? This bridge is a visual representation of the incredible
Eastern Trail facilities that have been built between Kennebunk and South Portland.
Dan Stewart can be reached at 624-3252.
Welcome to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s New Members
We welcome these new household members joining from March through mid-May.
Gary & Laura Bergeron
Joel Savilonis
Edward Cook
Laurie Trout
McKayla Dunfey
Anna Barnett
Priscilla Adler
Rebecca Osborne
Bennett Morris
Gerald Chase
Margot Levesque
David Adams
Samuel J. Brush
Julia Flacke
Tim Smith
Michael Reesman
Ben Costanzi
Melissa Gross
Andrea Notopoulos
Susan Register
Margaret Rearick
Amy Theisen
Adam Williams
PAGE 12
Audrey Magnuson
Andrea Hess
Amy Roma
Amy O’Donnell
Anne Lichtenwalner
Anne Knowles
Anne McLaughlin
Barbara Curtis
Barbara Thomas
Barry Dikeman
Yvonne Laine
Elizabeth Harrison
Beth Carlson
Betty Joinville
Margaret Strunk
Bob O’Brien
Bonnie Clark
Matthew Boulay
Bretna Parker
Cynthia Brown
Bruce Hall
Barbara hardy
Laurie Cote
Caitlin Strunk
Ethel Whitcomb
Christine Ramos
Lena Farrin
Cherie Davis
Cheryl Rosenthal
Claire Daniel
Jessica Arsenault
Stacy Sandlin
Colleen Bordeau
Kelly Gross
Deborah Danforth
David Hughes
Diane Dubuc
Donna DeSaulnier
Doris Valente
Doreen Wilcox
Jeannette Arsenault
Elise Boyson
Elizabeth Fenwick
Sharon Pray
Suzanne Etherington
David Sherry
Elizabeth Fortier
Lisa A. Freeman
Gabriela Bassi
Heather Richambault
Hedwig Bartell
Heidi Record
Robin Kelley
Julie Kadnar
John Warman
Jane Pendleton
Joe Boynton
Jane Clavet
Joyce O’Reilly
Jeanine Masse
Jessica MacFarlane
Jessica Kremin
James and Bonnie Green
Janet L. Guiski
Joan M. Martin
Joyce Rodriguez
Joan Tishkevich
Terry Judkins
Juliet Connelly
www.BikeMaine.org
Les Kaplan
Karen Geraghty
Katharine Kostin
Kathryn Roma
Kris McClure
Karen Przybyl
Kelly Robbins
Kathy Graham
Kristina Doucette
Kay Loftus-Ray
Kelley Massey
Kristy Parent
Kristine Kittridge
Kristine Mesman
Kathy Marquis
Karen Stowe
Karen Yencha
Lois Chaplin
Lisa Russo
Lisbeth Robinson
Lynda Tanabe
Linwood Varney, Jr.
Mary Ohara
Mary Edwards
Merrily Castro
Ellen Burdett
Matthew Jacobson
Mark Marshall
Marie A. McCafferty
Michelle Sherman
Nancy Mead
Nancy Murphy
Normarie Rebenack
Olga Higuera
Scott Kilton
Carol Carey
Lisa Jensen
Amber Waterman
Patti Maccabe
Peter Talmage
Pamela Roberts
Joel Rancourt
Richard C. Churchill Jr.
Charlie Mills
Randall Richard
Michelle Reeves
Sarah Ruff
Cynthia Morris
Sarah Harriman
Scott Cuddy
Lori Knack
Linda Drinkwater
Michelle Tallack
Sherrill Nixon
Stephanie Lull
Susan Paclat
Cheryln Brubaker
Deborah Sheperd
Karen Smith
Robin Sullivan
Mary Ellen Tetreau
Sam Lambert
Vickie Ross
Vicki Sheble
Kathleen Giering
Virginia Werner
Mary Weickert
Susan Lapham
Summer 2011
Ask the Experts
Charley LaFlamme and John Brooking Explain Rules of the Road
Insurance for Cyclists
A reader requested that we explain insurance for cyclists. This can be a very
complicated subject, and we cannot do more than scratch the surface in this article.
You need to talk with your insurance agent(s) and possibly a lawyer to know all the
details of your situation. Also note that this article focuses on Maine laws and policies; other states may differ.
as you are a driver on a family member’s policy.)
For this reason, bicycle law experts recommend that cyclists purchase the maximum
amount of UM/UIM coverage available, especially since most states have very low minimum liability limits. (Maine’s minimum is $50,000/$100,000 for bodily injury, and $1,000
for medical payments, according to http://www.autoinsurancetips.com/.) Personal injury
protection also may help.
Currently, there is no such thing as comprehensive “cycling insurance” in this country.
Depending on the circumstances, cyclists may use a variety of policies: homeowner’s
Those who do not own a car may buy a “non-owner auto insurance policy,” intended
or renter’s insurance, health insurance, auto insurance (yours, or
the motorist’s if you crash with a car) and “umbrella” or “excess”
Depending on the circumstances, cyclists may use a variety of policies:
insurance.
Damage to your bike from causes other than crashing with a
motor vehicle generally is covered by a personal liability clause
in a homeowner’s or renter’s policy. Check to make sure bikes are
covered. If someone else caused the damage, you can try to get it
from their personal liability coverage, if they have it.
homeowner’s or renter’s insurance, health insurance, auto insurance (yours,
or the motorist’s if you crash with a car) and “umbrella” or “excess” insurance.
If you are injured, you should talk to your health insurance company. If the injury was
due to someone else’s actions, your company may negotiate with their company (if
they have health insurance).
Theft usually is covered with homeowner’s or renter’s insurance. Additionally, if your
bike was stolen while locked with a high quality lock, the lock company may provide
coverage against theft.
Guard against loss ahead of time by keeping your bike’s bill of sale with the serial
number, and take photos of the bike. If possible, register your bicycle; some communities such as Portland have voluntary bike registries through the police department.
If your bicycle is stolen, report it to the police and keep a copy of the police report.
What if you crash with a motor vehicle? In the “best” case, the motorist who hit you is
found at fault, and he or she has insurance. Most insurance companies, if they accept
assignment of blame to their customer, will simply pay out to the other party, regardless of whether you were in a car, on your bike or even on foot. (Unfortunately, we
have been told that some insurers will deny medical claims from bicyclists, though
they pay for pedestrians.)
There are a variety of other, less ideal situations that may present problems to the
cyclist colliding with a car.
primarily to provide liability coverage. Such a policy can include UM/UIM, Personal Injury
Protection or medical payment coverage. Unfortunately, these policies can be expensive.
If you are found at fault for the collision, you have a problem even if you have an automobile policy, because the liability coverage only applies when you’re operating the insured
motor vehicle.
Your homeowner’s or renter’s policy may cover the bike damage. For medical bills, your
health insurance, if you have it, will be needed. As for the motorist’s damages, in the
best case he could simply use his own UM/UIM coverage. But worst case, you are legally
liable for his damages, and he could sue you to recover them from you. This is a very good
reason to make sure you always ride legally!
Some insurers offer “excess” or “umbrella” policies, with very high limits that come into
play when other options are exhausted. Although rarely needed, this can be invaluable in
particularly catastrophic crashes.
Be sure that you consult your insurance agent or lawyer if you have questions about your
situation, both before and especially after you are in a crash with a motor vehicle. It is
also important that you investigate all options before you accept any settlement offers.
For more information, refer to:
• “Bicycling and The Law,” Bob Mionske, JD, Velo Press, 2007
• http://bicycling.com/blogs/roadrights/2009/06/17/are-you-covered/
Be sure that you consult your insurance agent or lawyer if you have questions
about your situation, both before and especially after you are in a crash with
•http://www.ehow.com/how_1000405_buy-car-insurance.html
•http://www.autoinsurancetips.com/maine-auto-insurancelaws-minimums-requirements
a motor vehicle.
The motorist at fault may be uninsured, or underinsured relative to your expenses.
In this case, if you have automobile insurance, your own Uninsured/Underinsured
Motorist (UM/UIM) coverage may be used to pay you, even if you were on your bike
(or walking) at the time. (Even if you don’t personally own a car, this applies as long
Summer 2011
Charley LaFlamme, the coalition’s founder and a longtime board
member, is a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) with more than 35
years of experience teaching bicycle safety to children and adults. John Brooking also is
an LCI and serves on the coalition board. Send your questions about safe bicycle driving to
[email protected] and they will be answered in future columns.
www.BikeMaine.org
PAGE 13
CORPORATE
MEMBER
Auclair Cycle & Ski
Augusta 800-734-7171
Cycle Mania*
Portland 774-2933
mojo
Presque Isle 760-9500
Back Bay Bicycle
Portland 773-6906
Freeman’s Bicycle Service
Portland 347-1577
Pat’s Bike Shop
Brewer 989-2900
Bar Harbor Bicycle Shop
Bar Harbor 288-3886
Freeport Ski & Bike
Freeport 865-0523
Rainbow Bicycle & Fitness
Auburn 784-7576
Belfast Bicycles
Belfast 388-0008
Gorham Bike & Ski
Portland 773-1700
Saco 283-2453
Rose Bicycle
Orono 800-656-3525
Birgfeld’s Bike Shop
Searsport 548-2916
Cadillac Mountain Sports
Bar Harbor 288-4532
Ellsworth 667-7819
Center Street Cycles
Brunswick 729-5309
Jerry’s Bike Barn
Berwick 752-0580
Kingdom Bikes
Blue Hill 374-3230
LL Bean Bike, Boat & Ski Store
Freeport 877-755-2326
MEMBER BUSINESSES
American Diabetes Association
Portland 888-DIABETES
Maine Bike Rally Organization
www.mainebikerally.org
American Lung Association of Maine
Augusta 624-0302
Maine MS Society
Falmouth 781-7960
Bay Wrap of Augusta
Augusta 338-9757
Planet Bike
Madison, WI 608-256-8510
Body Symmetry
Brunswick 729-1122
ReVision Energy
Portland 232-6595
Bread & Roses Bakery*
Ogunquit 646-4227
Summer Feet Maine Coast
Cycling Adventures
Portland 866-857-9544
Duratherm Window *
Vassalboro 872-5558
Flatbread Company
Portland 772-8777
GoMaine Commuter Connections
Portland 774-9891
Belfast Bicycle Club
www.belfastbicycleclub.org
*Yellow Jersey Club member
You can support our member bike shops by
getting your bicycle tuned during the winter.
That helps shops stay busy during the quieter
months, and it ensures that your bike will be
ready to ride as soon as the snow melts.
These businesses support the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s work with annual memberships of $250 or above.
A complete list of member businesses is posted at www.BikeMaine.org.
Downeast Bicycle Specialists*
Fryeburg 935-4242
These clubs support the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s work
with annual memberships of $150 or more.
MEMBER BIKE CLUBS
MEMBER BIKE SHOPS
These bike shops support the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s work with annual memberships of $250 or above. Please thank
them for their support of the coalition when you’re in their shop. A complete list of member bike shops is posted at www.
BikeMaine.org.
Casco Bay Bicycle Club
Portland, cascobaybicycleclub.org
Community Cycling Club of Portland
www.BikeCCCP.org
Downeast Bicycle Club
Bar Harbor, www.downeastbicycleclub.com
Maine Cycling Club
Auburn, www.mainecyclingclub.com
Portland Velo Club
www.portlandvelo.com
Bicycle Coalition Offers New
Student Membership
If you are a college student, chances are you don’t
have a lot of extra cash.
But you’re likely to ride a bicycle, and we want you
to join the Bicycle
Coalition of Maine. We welcome your ideas, and
we need your voice to
strengthen our efforts to improve bicycling in the
state.
That’s why we started a new Student Membership.
For just $10 per year,
you can receive all of the benefits of belonging to
the Bicycle Coalition,
including regular e-updates with Maine bicycling
news, our quarterly
newsmagazine, “Maine Cyclist,” and discounts at
our events and at
member bike shops.
Terrance J. DeWan and Assoc.
Yarmouth 846-0757
T.Y. Lin International
Falmouth 781-4721
VBT Bicycling Vacations*
Bristol VT 800-245-3868
*Yellow Jersey Club member
Kennebec Savings Bank
Augusta 622-5801
A student membership would make a great gift for
high school graduates
who are headed to college in the fall. To find out
more and to sign up,
please visit www.BikeMaine.org/membership.
INVEST IN BETTER BICYCLING TODAY!
Please show your support and contribute to the Bicycle Coalition of Maine
$1,000 Yellow Jersey Club
(receive limited edition Yellow Jersey,
Give $75
and receive
our new T-shirt
$250 Leader
(receive Lighthouse jersey)
other benefits)
$125 Sustainer
(receive water bottle and T-shirt)
$75 Advocate
(choose water bottle ___
or shirt size:
)
$35 Supporter
$10 Student
PAGE 14
www.BikeMaine.org
SHIRT SIZE:
mens
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womens
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the “Green” Way
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Summer 2011
The Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Yellow Jersey Club
Photo courtesy of Jeffrey Miller
Our Yellow Jersey Club is a community of members who
have chosen to support better bicycling in Maine at the
incredibly generous level of $1,000 or more. Members
who choose to give at the Yellow Jersey Club level
believe that a significant contribution to the Bicycle
Coalition of Maine is a worthy investment in our past,
present and future successes.
In addition to receiving the yellow jersey featuring our
new logo, members of the Yellow Jersey Club lead the
Maine Lobster Ride & Roll. For more information about
joining the Yellow Jersey Club, please contact Nancy
Grant at 623-4511 or [email protected].
Jeffrey Miller (right) wears his Yellow Jersey while rubbing shoulders with Lance Armstrong at
CicLAvia in Los Angeles, California in the spring.
Jeffrey Miller of Washington, D.C.
Yellow Jersey Club Members
John + Loren Wright Woolwich
Jeffrey Miller, the Bicycle Coalition’s first executive director, has belonged to the Yellow Jersey Club
almost since its formation in 2005.
Ellen Grant + Kevin Carley St. Lucia
The coalition’s board held a retreat on how to ramp up fundraising and developed the idea of a
large donor program, he recalled. Larry Rubenstein, a new board member, brought expertise as a
fundraiser for Columbia University and he was instrumental in launching the club.
Mark + Ginger Ishkanian Readfield
At the time, Lance Armstrong had made the yellow jersey famous by winning several Tour de France
races. The Bicycle Coalition added some Maine twists to its yellow jersey: a little lobster and the
word “Dirigo” (or “I lead”) from Maine’s motto.
“The Yellow Jersey Club really took on a life and status of its own,” Miller said.
People found creative ways to come up with the $1,000 annual membership. One coalition member contributed lottery winnings. Another asked people to contribute to the coalition for her 60th
birthday and she joined that way.
Miller has continued as a Yellow Jersey Club member since leaving Maine in 2008 to become president and chief executive officer of the Alliance for Biking & Walking in Washington, D.C. His annual
donation of $1,000 is “by far the largest contribution to any organization that I make,” he said.
Jane Self + Ken Pote Camden
Janika Eckert + Rob Johnston Albion
Robert Satter Avon, CT
Harold + Brigitte Kingsbury Cape Elizabeth
Doug Moore Fryeberg
Tim Downing Vassalboro
Scott + Ponee Roberts Gorham
John + Anne Marshall Addison
Dan Emery North Yarmouth
Karen Herold + Mark Isaacson Cumberland
Richard Long Orono
Harry Ankers Chelsea
Ralph Hamill + Susan Akers South Thomaston
Mark & Kitty Wheeler Woolwich
Miller says he contributes because of his ongoing ties to Maine and his commitment to the organization that he helped build. Giving to the Yellow Jersey Club is “the most efficient way to support
the Bicycle Coalition of Maine,” he says. “There’s not any significant overhead or draw on staff or
volunteer time or effort.” He notes that funding from the club allows the coalition to do things that
otherwise would be impossible.
Philip Coffin + Susan Peck Carrabassett Valley
Miller still rides his flashy yellow, Maine-made Aegis bicycle as well as a Trek Soho that he uses for
commuting in Washington, D.C. When asked about his favorite bicycle ride in Maine, he had difficulty choosing between routes in Fryeburg, Presque Isle and Machias. Jeff Saffer Cape Elizabeth
He finally settled on the Park Loop Road around Acadia National Park and the climb up Cadillac
Mountain. Miller has done that ride thousands of times. Even after traveling around the world on
bicycle, he says, it remains one of his favorites.
Austin Watts Bowdoin
Earlier this year, Miller joined thousands of cyclists at the Los Angeles CicLAvia, an event where
streets are open to bicyclists, pedestrians and other non-motorized users. Miller was wearing his
Yellow Jersey when he had his photo taken with cycling legend Lance Armstrong.
Leon + Lisa Gorman Yarmouth
Summer 2011
www.BikeMaine.org
Cynthia Sortwell South Portland
Larry + Robin Rubinstein Scarborough
Tony + Anne Mourkas Hampden
Nancy + Bill White Bethel
Peter + Kerry Rubinstein New York, NY
John Poirier + Laurie McReel Oakland
Garth + Nancy Wilbanks Winterport
Jeffrey Miller + Lotte Schlegel Washington, DC
Gregg and Caroline Marston Bristol, VT
PAGE 15
The BCM is proudly affiliated with:
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www.facebook.com/bicyclecoalitionmaine
Photo courtesy of Senator Susan Collins’ office
Maine Is Country’s Second Best Biking State
As “Maine Cyclist” went to press, we received the exciting news that the League of American
Bicyclists has named Maine as the second most bike-friendly state in the country. The latest state
rankings show Maine moving up from third place, a position it held for the previous two years.
“This ranking reflects our success in making Maine a better place to bicycle,” said Nancy Grant,
executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine. “Maine reaps economic benefits from bicycle
tourism, and our state also benefits from encouraging healthy habits, saving money on gas and
reducing air pollution.”
The League’s Bicycle Friendly States program gave “A” grades to Maine’s bicycle laws and education and encouragement programs.
“The state has worked hard to enact laws protecting bicyclists, create safety programs in schools
and use dedicated funding to make targeted improvements for bicyclists,” said MaineDOT Commissioner David Bernhardt. “…This has been an ongoing, collaborative effort between local
stakeholders, municipal officials and state agencies.”
Maine Senator Susan Collins met with the Bicycle Coalition’s delegation to the National Bike Summit in March.
Read more about Maine’s second place ranking on our website: http://www.bikemaine.org/
maine-ranks-second
Save the Dates
23rd Annual Maine Bike Rally
Tenth Annual Maine Lobster Ride & Roll
Summer Feet Cycling’s Pedal the Coast Tour
Brunswick High School, Brunswick
Oceanside High School, Rockland
(formerly Rockland High School)
Boothbay Harbor to Bar Harbor
www.summerfeet.net/trips/pedal-the-coast-camping
July 8-10
July 23
September 4-10
See the Bicycle Coalition’s BikeMaine Event Calendar (www.bikemaine.org/events/bike-maine-event-calendar) for hundreds of Maine bicycling events.