From BCM

 PORTLAND – The Bicycle Coalition of Maine planned to honor and celebrate Global Road Safety Week with a full slate of events—both virtual and in-person—from May 17-23.

“Road safety for pedestrians and people on bikes is at the heart of our mission,” says BCM Executive Director Jean Sideris. “We invite people all across Maine and of all skill levels to attend a ride, learn more, raise awareness, and join the movement for safer streets.”

Global Road Safety Week (GRSW) kicked off on Monday, with a temporary infrastructure installation—part of the BCM’s “Imagine People Here” program—in front of the non-profit’s offices at 38 Diamond Street in Portland.

Tuesday saw a series of free urban-riding classes in Bangor, Orono, and Portland aimed at getting inexperienced riders more comfortable with biking in traffic. Five of these small group rides are scheduled for Tuesday, with two additional classes in Portland on Thursday, May 20.

Wednesday was an even busier day, beginning with a virtual Wednesday Webinar that discussed bias and victim-blaming in crash reporting and the real-life repercussions of this language.

Wednesday also saw the International Ride of Silence, a slow ride held annually on the third Wednesday of May to honor vulnerable road users who have been injured or killed by traffic violence while bicycling. The BCM is the statewide coordinator for the Ride of Silence and host of the Portland ride, and is supporting additional rides hosted by local groups in Augusta, Lewiston, Rockland, Saco, and Yarmouth.

On both Wednesday and today, the BCM planned virtual training for the newest group of Community Spokes, the name given to the non-profit’s statewide network of bicycle and pedestrian advocates. The Spokes receive training and support from the BCM as they work to improve biking and walking in their local communities.

On Friday – which is also Bike to Work Day – Mainers can find the BCM celebrating the City of Portland’s installation of three new bike mechanic workstations, which the public will soon be able to use for various repairs while biking through downtown. To commemorate the Congress Square Park workstation, the BCM will be on-hand to provide demos and answer questions.

And finally, on Saturday the BCM is teaming up with the local events and tourism committee and local police department to hold a free bike rodeo for kids in Lincoln. In addition to an obstacle course for children ages 4-10, helmets will be handed out and bikes will be raffled off.

For more information about the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s plans for Global Road Safety Week, visit bikemaine.org/events.

The Sixth-Annual United Nations Global Road Safety Weeks and its campaigns are coordinated by the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration (UNRSC) and chaired by the World Health Organization. All stakeholders—national and local governments, international agencies, civil society organizations, private companies, and the public generally—are invited to plan and host events.

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is the statewide voice of cyclists and pedestrians. Since 1992, the BCM has led the effort to make Maine better for bicycling and walking by protecting the rights and safety of cyclists and pedestrians through education, advocacy, legislation, and encouragement. The BCM supports biking and walking for health, transportation, and recreation.

For more information, visit bikemaine.org.