Tag Archives: AAA Auto Club of Minnesota

AAA announced that it was extending its popular AAA Roadside Service to include bicycles, offering cyclists and added peace of mind.

New AAA Roadside Service adds peace of mind for your next bike ride

by, Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking.com

As more people take to bicycling for recreation and transportation it is nice to know there is someone to come to rescue if a bike breaks down. In a move to support bicyclists, AAA is now offering support. Recently, the company announced that it was extending its popular automotive AAA Roadside Service to include bikes. Here at HaveFunBiking.com, hearing the news is exciting. This is a perfect service that will assure cyclist, someone will be there if they breakdown.

Any bike you are riding is covered by AAA Roadside Service

With wheel bearing going out this cyclist wouldn't be carrying his bike hope if he had a AAA Roadside Service membership?

If this rider had AAA Roadside Service, he wouldn’t be carrying his bike home because of a mechanical issue.

How the program works? For as little as $49 a year you can purchase a AAA membership that offers Roadside Service for both your car and bike. If you are already a member you are now covered when bicycling. Just call your roadside assistance number on the back of your membership card.

Like the automotive Roadside Assistance Program any bike you are riding (road, mountain, recumbent, e-bike, tandem bikes, bike rentals and bicycle trailers) is eligible. Coverage applies to any qualified bike a member is riding at the time the bicycle becomes disabled. A member should be with the bicycle and have their AAA Membership Card in hand at the time of service. Keep in mind, the Roadside Service is provided only for the rider whose bicycle has become disabled or inoperable. However, any accompanying minors of a member is covered.

When a quick fix isn’t an option, AAA Roadside Service is there

The second most common mechanical problem to a flat tire, is a broken chain. Read on to learn the causes of and quick remedies to fix your chain.

The second most common mechanical problem to a flat tire is a broken chain.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If a quick fix isn’t an option, (examples: you blew a tire; some spokes broke; or the chain busted) first call a family member or friend. Then, if no one is available to assist, AAA Roadside Service may be your best option.

It’s like “Having a SAG Wagon in your back pocket,” especially when you are touring away from home, on vacation, etc. This roadside service is something that will give a cyclist peace of mind.

Three levels of SAG (service and gear) support for you and your bike

Under the new terms of the roadside pickup service. AAA will transport you and your disabled bike to any point of safety within the limits of your coverage. This is based on three available levels of membership below:

  • The Classic: Gives you up to four transports of your bike or car, within a 5-mile radius of the breakdown per year
  • The Plus: Gives you up to four transports of your bike or car, within a 100-mile radius of the bicycle breakdown
  • The Premier: Gives you one transport of your bike or car, up to a 200-mile radius of the breakdown; remaining transports are 100 miles.

This is exciting news if you are a casual, touring cyclist or a bike commuter! Mary Miller, from South St. Paul was ecstatic to hear the news. She stated, ” now I feel comfortable riding my bike more often knowing that I can call AAA to come and get me if I breakdown.”

What You Don’t Get

The service is strictly a pickup and delivery service and does not offer any repair amenities or supplies. If you are capable of fixing a flat, repairing a broken chain or spoke and continuing your ride, please do so. The service is designed when you have run out of quick repair options. In fact, there is a laundry list of “services not included:

  • Airing or changing a flat tire
  • Pickup from anywhere not reachable from a paved, “regularly traveled” road
  • Parts, including tires
  • Pickup of bicyclists who are physical unable to continue with the ride
  • Locksmith services, in case you accidentally lock up your bike and lose the key or combination.

AAA Roadside Service is available in many states across the U.S.

“We are tremendously excited about this great new bike benefit program available to AAA members across most of the upper Midwest, Southeast and much of our country,” stated Gail Weinholzer, Director of Public Affairs, AAA – The Auto Club Group.

The new bicycle service is available throughout the entire territory served by AAA. The Auto Club Group which includes all of: Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana.

For bicycle coverage outside the above states and for full details on AAA Roadside Membership visit AAA.com/Bicycle.

 

The AAA Minnesota Safety Safari at the Como Zoo was well attended

Hundreds Of Kids Made Their Way to the Safety Safari at Como Zoo

With school out, kids from around Minnesota made their way to Como Zoo in Saint Paul for Safety Safari. While checking out the zoo’s lions, tigers, monkeys, and giraffes, many children took part in the special passport program. The annual Safety Safari is sponsored by AAA Auto Club of Minnesota, the Traffic Safety Foundation, Safe Kids Minnesota, the Minnesota Safety Council, and the Saint Paul Fire and Police Departments. Each kid who received and completed a safety passport earned themselves a Dairy Queen ice cream cone.

Kids from all directions came running to the Safety Safari at the Como Zoo, in St Paul, MN

Kids from all directions came running to the Safety Safari event held at Como Zoo in Saint Paul.

 

With sunny June skies, kids of all ages picked up their safari passport and made their way around the safety stations. Each station covered educational safety tips from riding a bike, to what to watch for when around traffic, and things to watch out for at home. Here are some of the stations on the Safety Safari this year:

The Safety Safari Seat Belt Challenge

At this station, the Minnesota Safety Council helped parents and guardians determine when a child is tall enough to use only the seat belt when riding in a vehicle.

Here at this station kids can be measured to see if they are tall enough.

Minnesota law allows children over seven years of age or over 4 feet 9 inches to ride with only a seat belt in the car.

 

Splish Splash!

Kids gained some ideas on best practices for water safety throughout the summer at this station.

Here at this station kids learned about watert safety.

At this station kids learned not to be wishy washy about water safety.

 

Home Safe Home

Safety passport attendee’s were asked to spot things that are not safe in the home here.

he next safety stop children big and small learned about safety practices in the home.

The next safety stop for children of all ages was a chance to learn about safety practices in the home.

 

Even adults learned a few things about home safety at this station.

Even adults learned a few things about home safety at this station.

 

What’s Cookin’?

At this station, a kitchen fire was set by the Saint Paul Fire Department each half hour throughout the day to demonstrate the dangers of a grease fire and why you don’t want to use water to put out the flame.

Here families visited while waiting for the next kitchen fire demonstration.

Families visited while waiting for the next kitchen fire demonstration.

 

 

Test Your Street Smarts

Children had a chance to spin the wheel and learn the safest way to get across the street, signal a turn when riding a bike and using lights for better visibility at this station.

The next Safety Safari stop kids had a chance to spin the wheel, learn about crossing the road, signaling their turn while riding a bike and winning a bike light.

At this safety safari stop, kids had a chance to spin the wheel and learn about crossing the road.

 

Bike Safe, Bike Smart

At the Streets Smarts Station, kids tested their knowledge of hand signals and other bike safety topics.

AAA Minnesota Bike Helmet Central

Each Safety Safari participant turned in their passport and picked up a new bike helmet. Kids were sent to the second to last station to learn how to fit their helmet.

Finally after several safety station kids were able to turn in the Passport to receive a bike helmet fro AAA Minnesota.

After visiting several safety stations, kids dropped off their passport to receive a bike helmet after confirming their size.

 

Now with a helmet in hand it was time to move to the next station to have it fitted.

With a helmet in hand, it’s time to move to the next station to have it fitted.

Excited to have new bike helmets this group of kids we trying to adjust the size themselves before moving to the next station.

This group of kids adjusts their helmets before moving on to the next station to have them properly fitted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Helmet Fittings

With the help of the Minnesota Brain Institute, each child’s helmet was adjusted to fit firmly on their head. When properly adjusted, it was pointed out that when the bike helmet is buckled the straps should be snug, but not so tight that you can’t get two fingers to slide in between the buckle and your chin.

Another lucky cyclist at the Safety Safari having his helmet sized by the Minnesota Brain Institute.

A cyclist at the Safety Safari event has his new helmet fitted.

 

Another happy cyclist with a new bike helmet.

Another happy cyclist with a new bike helmet.

Stay in the Game, Make The Right Choices Ahead

With helmets sized for proper fit, the children move on to the final station to receive a citation (coupon) for a free Dairy Queen ice cream cone from a Saint Paul Police Officer.

Happy Safety Safari Participants

A parting shot of a day well spent at the Como Zoo and taking in the Safety Safari.

A parting shot of a day well spent at the Como Zoo taking in the Safety Safari.

Continue the Safety Safari™ at safe-a-rooni.org

Safe Kids Minnesota is led by Minnesota Safety Council, which provides a dedicated and caring staff, operation support, and other resources to assist in achieving a common goal: keeping kids safe. Sponsored by AAA Auto Club, this event is based on the needs of the community. This coalition implements evidence based programs, such as car seat checkups, safety workshops, and sports clinics that help parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries.