Tour de la Vallee a good time to remember bicycle safety

FORT KENT - There will be several dozen, if not hundreds, of bicyclists on the road on Sunday because of the annual Tour de la Vallee fundraising event.

Rachel Charrette, project director for Power of Prevention, said it is a good time to remind people of the rules of the road.

Drivers and cyclists should review the rules of the road before the Tour de la Vallee on Sunday.

For Motor Vehicles

1. Expect Bicyclists - Motorists should always be on the lookout for people on bikes.

2. Watch for children - Children on bicycles are often unpredictable - expect the unexpected.

3. Don't use your horn - Honking your horn when approaching a bicyclist could startle them and cause a crash.

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4. Pass with care and give bikes at least three feet of clearance - Pass a bicyclist as you would any slow-moving vehicle. Slow down, wait until oncoming traffic is clear and allow 3 feet of clearance between your car and the bicyclist when passing.

5. Use Extra Caution in Bad Conditions - In bad weather, give bicyclists extra trailing and passing room. When uncertain in any situation, slow down until it’s safe to proceed.

6. Be Careful in Intersections - Always assume bicyclists are traveling through an intersection unless they signal otherwise, and yield to them as you would to any other slow-moving vehicle.

For Bicyclists

1. Maintain Your Equipment and Be Visible

2. Wear a Helmet Correctly

3. Obey the Rules of the Road - Ride straight and single file in a predictable manner. Plan ahead and allow time to maneuver around road hazards and to negotiate with traffic and open car doors. Yield to pedestrians and obey all traffic signals and signs.

4. RIDE WITH THE TRAFFIC - Always ride on the right side.

5. Signal All Turns

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine has produced two bicycle safety public service announcements that will air on Maine television stations during the spring and summer.  The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety provided about $16,000 for production costs and purchase of airtime.

One ad educates motorists about the Maine law requiring them to give at least three feet of clearance when passing cyclists.  The other ad stresses the importance of cyclists wearing bicycle helmets.

The ads will be shown on public access stations in Maine.  They are posted on the coalition's Web site (www.BikeMaine.org) and social networking sites such as Youtube and Facebook.

"Part of making Maine a better place to bicycle is creating an environment where drivers know that bikes belong on our roads and that extra care should be used when driving around bicyclists," said Allison Vogt, the coalition's executive director.  "We also want to ensure that cyclists follow basic safety rules such as wearing helmets to protect against head injuries."

The coalition partnered with a service learning class at the University of Southern Maine to produce the PSA about Maine's three-foot law.  The ad opens with lyrical footage showing how many cue balls, dock planks and fishing bobbers equate to three feet.

The scene switches to bicyclists navigating in traffic, and the ad notes that "three feet could make the difference between life and death" for a cyclist.  USM students Malcolm Tevanian and Israel Jasmin produced the ad using a script written by the coalition.

Oliver Chase, a Portland five-year-old, and his mother, Ellie Chase, appear in the bicycle helmet PSA.  Callie Banks, a Portland fourth grader, narrates the ad.  Shoshana Hoose, the coalition's communications coordinator, wrote the script and edited it.  The PSA notes that Maine law requires children under 16 to wear helmets, and that all cyclists should do so.

Both ads may be viewed at http://www.bikemaine.org/news-room/share-the-road-media-campaign.