Times used to be, if you got a flat bike tire or found yourself in trouble on the road while cycling, you’d never think to call AAA. After all, it used to be known as the American Automobile Association, emphasis on the automobile. But many state’s AAA clubs are now expanding roadside services to cyclists who need help as well.
Joining the ranks of other AAA organizations that have started fixing bikes and giving stranded cyclists a lift, clubs in Colorado and Southern New England (covering Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and Rhode Island) announced new bike services ahead of Bike to Work Day this week, reports NPR News.
The added benefit comes with existing memberships, so AAA members in those areas won’t have to add any new services or pay an extra fee.
“Whether for sport, transportation or family fun, the number of people riding bicycles is on the rise. So in line with our goal to help keep our members moving, it made sense to extend our roadside assistance to include bicycles. It’s a natural,” Mary Wyatt, senior vice president of marketing and publications for AAA Southern New England told NPR.
The AAA plan covers both members and any teenage kids who might not have a driver’s license yet, and is along the lines of similar plans other AAA clubs have rolled out in recent years: Washington state’s AAA has had a bike program since 2012, while Colorado joined the bike bandwagon this month and Minneapolis covers bikes as well now.
Trucks outfitted with bike racks will be available in some programs, but that means that if you’re biking on an isolated path away from a road, you’ll still have to make your way to a place where those trucks can drive. Cyclists can ride with AAA trucks for up to 10 miles without a fee, and can use two bicycle calls per year.
More Cyclists Can Now Call AAA For Help [NPR]
by Mary Beth Quirk via Consumerist
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