AAA Roadside Assistance for Cyclists

[LegendRider]

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/national/bicycle-break-down-aaa-extends-members-roadside-as/nsQWn/

If you’ve ever had your bicycle break down or blow a tire while you’re out enjoying a bike ride, you know what a pain that can be.

Starting today, AAA members with disabled or inoperable bicycles will receive Bicycle Roadside Assistance with their membership. The service will provide an additional level of safety for motorists and bicyclists.

AAA Service Technicians will be able to assist members who they can safely reach from an accessible road or parking lot. The owner and his or her bicycle will then be secured to the service vehicle, and transported to any point of safety within the member’s coverage: Classic (up to 5 miles free of charge), Plus (up to 100 miles), Premier (up to 200 miles).

“Providing this service continues to demonstrate our commitment to meet all the transportation needs of our members,” said Fawn Meehan, vice president of membership, AAA-The Auto Club Group. “Whether riding for sport, recreation, or exercise, it’s important for cyclists to know bicycles are considered vehicles. Following the rules of the road can save lives.”

Bicycle fatalities and injuries on Florida roadways are alarming. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, two out of five bicyclist fatalities are related to cyclists not wearing a helmet, or wearing it incorrectly. Cyclists can decrease their risk of injury by wearing proper safety gear and knowing how to operate a bike safely. With an increased number of bike riders sharing the road, AAA offers the following guidance to bicyclists and motorists:

[christian]

AAA is primarily a lobbying organization, which is funded by transportation and oil companies. One of their legislative aims recently has been to fight 3-foot passing laws. AAA is not an organization that has bicyclists' or pedestrians' well-being in mind.

For anyone needing roadside assistance (car or bicycle), I recommend: http://www.betterworldclub.com/

[Tony T]

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/national/bicycle-break-down-aaa-extends-members-roadside-as/nsQWn/

Need to check with your local AAA, not every state has this service.

[leftyfreak]

AAA is primarily a lobbying organization, which is funded by transportation and oil companies. One of their legislative aims recently has been to fight 3-foot passing laws. AAA is not an organization that has bicyclists' or pedestrians' well-being in mind.

For anyone needing roadside assistance (car or bicycle), I recommend: http://www.betterworldclub.com/

This post is worth rereading at least one more time. Thanks, Christian!

[Tony T]

Another option for an emergency pick-up is UberPEDAL (not available in all areas)
SELECT Promotions and apply the promo code PEDAL to unlock the UberPEDAL vehicle view

[AngryScientist]

i left AAA years and years ago. i now have roadside assistance covered by my auto insurance company (USAA) for literally pennies. it's cheap and i've used it once with great results.

if you're in a covered area and out of other options, Uber and other car services can be a godsend. almost any car made to fit 4 adults can fit a bike in it somehow.

[bpm]

AAA Southern New England has been offering this for a few years. Fortunately I haven't had to use it, but a couple of friends have and it saved them both from pretty long walks.

[Mr. Pink]

This only applies to rides in your home state. Since I live on a state border and frequently pass over that border on local rides, it's pretty useless to me.

And, yes, AAA is not a friend to cyclists. I wrote them a nasty letter a few years or so ago when I read an editorial of sorts in their "magazine" they send me every now and then that argued against the rapid expansion of bike lanes in NYC that Bloomberg was behind. But, since I push the limits on older Subarus in the middle of winter on Vermont ski trips, I still depend on them to possibly save me on a frigid night. Hasn't happened yet, fingers crossed, but, their network is pretty well established over decades.

[LegendRider]

AAA is primarily a lobbying organization, which is funded by transportation and oil companies. One of their legislative aims recently has been to fight 3-foot passing laws. AAA is not an organization that has bicyclists' or pedestrians' well-being in mind.

For anyone needing roadside assistance (car or bicycle), I recommend: http://www.betterworldclub.com/

Thanks for the heads up - I had no idea. I'll mention it when I don't renew my membership. (Any good sources for info on AAA's anti-bike stances?)

[ColonelJLloyd]

Thanks for the heads up - I had no idea. I'll mention it when I don't renew my membership. (Any good sources for info on AAA's anti-bike stances?)

+1 I've been a member for literally half my life. :crap:

[simple]

+1 I've been a member for literally half my life. :crap:

same here :crap:

In California they provide many DMV (Department of Motor Vehicle) services which has been my justification....now reconsidering that justification.

[christian]

Thanks for the heads up - I had no idea. I'll mention it when I don't renew my membership. (Any good sources for info on AAA's anti-bike stances?)

The specific example I followed most closely was the AAA opposition to California Senate Bill SB910 (3 foot passing law) from the California Legislature, which was vetoed as a result. Read the "Arguments in Opposition" section 2/3rds of the way down. ftp://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_910_cfa_20120104_133224_sen_floor.html

AAA's main site is here: http://cqrcengage.com/autoclubgroup/ The first sentence reads: AAA works for motorists and other travelers in the legislature and in regulatory agencies, protecting them against unduly restrictive legislation and regulations.

[54ny77]

Thx for the heads up. Never knew about this. I spend a lot of time in CA traveling for biz and riding whenever possible, and as a former resident have been a CA AAA member for many, many years. I will not be renewing. CA is sheer madness (or at least SoCal is) for bicyclists, and anything to at least make motorists semi-aware of them through legislative action is a step in the right direction. That AAA would oppose this is lunacy. They're basically saying their membership is stupid and while driving can't figure out a ballpark 3 foot distance from a bike, and that slowing down when approaching a bicyclist will cause accidents. Sure, maybe if you're 90 years old and half blind. I wonder who their primary member base really is (i.e., age demographic).

"ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The Automobile Club of Southern
California and AAA Northern California state in opposition:

"The AAA Clubs can appreciate the necessity of teaching
all modes of travel to safely share the road. For over
100 years, we have promoted and advocated for safe travel
whether by automobile, bicycle, truck or foot, among
others. This includes not only obeying traffic laws and
rules of the road but also exercising good judgment,
courtesy, and common sense.

"Under current law, a bicycle operator is required to
stay as far right as practicable on the road and the
driver of a vehicle passing the bicycle must pass to the
left at a safe distance without interfering with the safe
operation of the bicycle. SB 910 replaces reasonableness
and judgment with a fixed and arbitrary "safe distance"
rule but it is unclear how the driver, while in motion,
will be able to accurately estimate the three feet
distance each time he/she passes a bicycle. How can a
driver know whether s/he is 3'4" away from the bike as
opposed to 2'10" away? Further, it is unclear how law
enforcement is expected to measure distance this
precisely when citing for these expensive violations."

"The provision requiring drivers to slow within 15 mph of
the bicycle if three feet cannot be maintained also
presents significant issues to drivers and traffic safety
in general. It requires the driver to estimate the speed
of the bicycle and then calculate the difference between
the speed it is traveling and the speed the bicycle is
traveling, and then adjust the speed at which his/her
vehicle should be traveling to assure it is not going 15
mph faster than the bicycle. Drivers currently are not
required to estimate the speed of other moving objects
around them, and to precisely calculate their speed in
relation to that moving object. To do so devotes a lot
of thought and attention to accomplishing the
calculations and less attention and time to observing
driving conditions and reacting to sudden changes.
Further, the 15 mph rule would apply regardless of the
posted speed limit and regardless of the level of
experience of the cyclist. A scenario where a posted
speed limit is, for example, 45 mph or where a bicycle is
traveling 5 mph up a hill or traveling downhill, has the
potential to create collisions as following cars need to
unexpectedly break.

"Rather than mandating an arbitrary three foot passing
distance and an unworkable 15 mph requirement when the
three foot passing distance cannot be maintained, the AAA
Clubs suggest that the bill be amended to clarify the law
that a driver should pass at greater than three feet when
safe and legal to do so."

The specific example I followed most closely was the AAA opposition to California Senate Bill SB910 (3 foot passing law) from the California Legislature, which was vetoed as a result. Read the "Arguments in Opposition" section 2/3rds of the way down. ftp://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/11-12/bill/sen/sb_0901-0950/sb_910_cfa_20120104_133224_sen_floor.html

AAA's main site is here: http://cqrcengage.com/autoclubgroup/ The first sentence reads: AAA works for motorists and other travelers in the legislature and in regulatory agencies, protecting them against unduly restrictive legislation and regulations.

[1centaur]

"create collisions as following cars need to unexpectedly break."

Sigh...

[parco]

As cyclists, don't we look out for each other? I've certainly helped out a number of riders with flats and mechanical problems.

[Tony T]

As cyclists, don't we look out for each other? I've certainly helped out a number of riders with flats and mechanical problems.

Unless you have someone to call to pick you up if needed, its a good idea to have AAA (in a state with a bike pick-up) or BetterWorld (has bike only plan). There are some failures that a passing cyclist cannot help with, and sometimes you can be cycling in a location with light traffic. Wouldn't want to walk home 25+ miles :(

[Mark McM]

Unless you have someone to call to pick you up if needed, its a good idea to have AAA (in a state with a bike pick-up) or BetterWorld (has bike only plan). There are some failures that a passing cyclist cannot help with, and sometimes you can be cycling in a location with light traffic. Wouldn't want to walk home 25+ miles :(

I guess things are different today, but when I started cycling, self-reliance was an important part of a cyclist's ethos. A bicycle is a simple machine, and bicyclists out on a trip were expected to be able to do repairs sufficient to get the bike going again (although not necessarily with full functionality).

In over 30 years of cycling, I've experienced my share of mechanical breakdowns and failures, but I have only resorted to calling for a ride once, when a fork leg broke (although this wouldn't have stopped Eugene Christophe, who re-welded his own fork (https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jan/07/cycling.features)in order to finish a Tour de France stage).

Are bicycles becoming too fragile or difficult to fix? Or have cyclists lost the skills to fix them on the road?

[559Rando]

Thanks for the heads up - I had no idea. I'll mention it when I don't renew my membership. (Any good sources for info on AAA's anti-bike stances?)

Actively Opposes Bicycle Lanes and fought against bicycle safety regulations for years...

February, 2014 | September 2013 | April 2012 | March 2011 | October 2010 | KA Archives

(AAA's position on ISTEA Legislation, 1991)
The bicycle community considers AAA to be anti-bicycle. Rails to Trails was astonished to find AAA opposing the conversion of certain rail right-of-ways to bicycle paths in the early 90s. But astonishment is too soft a word for the feelings of many bicycle advocates: "AAA has a vested interest (or so they think) in continuing the 'cars first' transportation policies that has guided our country for the past 50 years…Please write so AAA knows that there are members who want a balanced, environmentally-friendly, community-friendly transportation system," is the comment of one of many cyclists on just one bicycle mail serve website.

http://www.betterworldclub.com/roadside-assistance/interesting-facts-about-aaa/