The Bicycle Coalition of Maine works at the federal, state, and local levels to enact laws and policies that protect and promote the rights of people riding bikes or walking.
We work directly with state and local government officials to propose, support, and influence policies in Augusta that improve safety and clarify law.
Learn more about the 131st Legislature
In the past, we’ve successfully helped enact:
- Major revisions to Maine Bicycling Laws, including the “three-foot minimum” law for drivers passing bike riders and pedestrians, as well as a provision that holds drivers responsible for a collision between a passing car and a bicycle rider, until proven otherwise
- Safer and clearer rules about yielding to pedestrians and cyclists at crosswalks
- Laws that consolidate all bicycle regulations into a single section of Maine law (Title 29-A, Chapter 19, §2063) to provide greater clarity about what laws apply to bicycle riders
- A law requiring that driver’s education programs devote time to teaching safe practices for driving near cyclists and pedestrians
- A law that clarifies the definition and operational rules for electric-assist bicycles
- The addition of references to the “Dutch reach” in the Maine Motorist Handbook to help prevent incidents of cyclists being hit by opening car doors.
For more information about the path of legislation in Maine, click here.