Bicycle Paper Review Coverage in Is Secondary, and the Common Situations and Cyclist’S Health Insur- Discuss the New Bike Insurance That Ance Is Third in Line
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fRee! noRTHweST cyclinG aUTHoRiTy Since 1972 www.BicyclePaPeR.com aPRil 2010 Evolutions in Commerce: Field Notes coveRaGe of the Riding Class Insurance Issues BY JOHN DU gg AN , ATTORNEY AT LAW Bike v. Car (motorist at fault): 1) As a cyclist, if you are hit by a car nbeknownst to many cyclists, in- and the accident is the driver’s fault, surance to cover cycling-related your medical bills may be covered by damagesU is generally the motorist’s Person- pieced together from al Injury Protection a combination of auto (PIP) coverage, your insurance, health insur- own automobile PIP ance and homeowners/ coverage and/or your renters insurance. Until health insurance. In recently, there was no some states PIP cover- specific “bike insur- age is optional, and uneral Home f ance” to cover situations not all drivers carry where there was no it. In Washington, the available automobile, driver’s PIP insurance emetery and medical or homeown- is primary, regardless c ers/renters insurance. of who is at fault. The This article will briefly cyclist’s PIP coverage Photo by Bicycle Paper review coverage in is secondary, and the common situations and cyclist’s health insur- discuss the new bike insurance that ance is third in line. The latter will should be available in Washington and Oregon by the time you read this. SEE INSURANCE ON PAGE 5 Photo courtesy of Sunset Hill Wade Lind of Sunset Hill Cemetery and Funeral Home in Eugene, Ore., displays his one-of-a-kind rickshaw hearse. SafeTy BY GARRETT SIMMON S hardened veterans and adrenaline junkies. The average enthusiast, it would seem, is out of luck. Bicycle Helmets: Choice and Fit hile researching this article, two things became Yet several progressive business owners in this region consider more expensive models de- BY JU L IE SA L ATHÉ Wclear: likely hundreds of qualified journalists have have managed to cut back expenditures and spend more pending upon size and fit, comfort, ex- already plunged the depths of the bicycle courier com- time on their bikes. Established companies, plus several tra features, and your riding style. ow that it’s spring, it’s time to munity for a scoop, and not one of them has found it. that are just starting out, have begun to integrate cycling dust off your bike and think Size and Fit Journalists in nearly every major U.S. city — many after with their basic operations and services, taking the long aboutN whether you need a new helmet. To choose the right fit, set the hel- a full day tailing a messenger through inner-city traffic list of recreational benefits and transferring it to make a A good idea for bicyclists of any age, met level on your head. If you typically in search of inspiration, raw material, something new to profit. The resulting success is perhaps less surprising they are the law for cyclists in King wear a visor, headband, or tie a low say about the current state of bicycle delivery — eventu- to service providers than it might be to the consumers and Pierce Counties in Washington ponytail, you’ll want to do so when fit- ally reach the same ubiquitous, but bland, truth: it’s hard who use them; besides reducing inner-city congestion, State, and in many other jurisdictions. ting, too. It should sit about one to two work, and the opportunities to do it are dwindling. The environmental pollution and spiritual imbalance — all Helmets help protect your brain in finger-widths above your eyebrows, numbers are down. The game is changing. things that you, the conscientious Northwesterner, care a crash when worn and adjusted and should not perch high up on your So what? deeply about, right? Introducing bicycles has, in some properly. Anywhere from 45% to 88% head. Conversely, it shouldn’t sink Less than one year after “bailout spending” officially cases, paid off financially. of bicyclists’ brain injuries can be down over your eyes. Some helmets became part of our national vocabulary, what company Seattle-based landscape company, Garden Cycles, prevented by use of a helmet1. are round and some are more oval, so isn’t cutting expenses? Multi-million dollar airline com- uses bicycle transportation for a large percentage of Since 1999, all bicycle helmets not all brands and styles fit all riders panies have even been desperate enough to terminate its work, planning and installing gardens. For years must meet the Consumer Product equally well. Try on several to decide complimentary peanuts (an American institution, many the company has worked exclusively with indigenous Safety Commission standard (CPSC), which feels the most comfortable. For argued); is it so shocking a small-case law firm would, plants in an effort to prevent soil erosion and support which means that, whether priced at extra large heads, only a few models rather than pay a courier’s service upwards of $50, opt cleaner air and natural environmental cycles. Owner $20 or $100, they all must meet the are available, so make sure to get one to hand-deliver those documents to clients across town, Steve Richmond, who started working in plant nurseries same safety standards. The CPSC that fits properly2. or better yet, simply drop them in the mail? fifteen years ago, said incorporating bike riding into his sticker confirms that they passed all Children’s heads grow to 90% of Though recent economic reports have been slightly daily business activities was an obvious decision. the tests. adult size by the time they are two less bleak, most industries are still busily trimming the “It doesn’t make sense to work to improve our en- So what type of helmet should years old, so helmets labeled as tod- fat, cutting unnecessary costs — cutting the middleman, vironment, and then unnecessarily burn gasoline in the you buy? What do you get for that dler helmets usually only fit children for example, which is what bicycle couriers are. What process,” he said. “I don’t need a truck to carry bare root higher-priced one? Cheaper helmets until about age two or three. After was once the most sought-after job for every weekend plants and a shovel.” warrior dreaming of escaping the corporate machine may do a satisfactory job of protect- SEE UTILITY ON PAGE 6 SEE HELMETS ON PAGE 10 is now a gradually fading subculture of purists, road- ing your head, but you might want to Book Review meTal cowBoy TRaininG Major Taylor — the straight- “I pedaled downtown Time to set your goals forward telling of an important this morning and all hell for the year and plan on American story. broke loose.” achieving them. PG 3 PG 4 PG 8 HneweadeSR The Class Act Award was presented to the Seattle Bicycle Expo - A Success Mount Baker Bicycle Club. Designed by Char- On March 12th more than 200 vendors and of German artistic cycling World Champion, lie Heggem, owner of Norka Recreation and exhibitors set up their booths at the Smith Cove Corrina Hein, and the duo of Stefan Musu organizer of the Ride 542, among others, the Cruise Terminal at Pier 91, the site of the 2010 and Lukas Matla. They were met booth featured Seattle Bicycle Expo. The new facility offered with a “sellout” crowd each time previous years’ a welcoming change from the previous years’ they took to the floor. The classic posters and the venues, and exhibitors and attendees alike were bike show was again a highlight drawings that pleased with Cascade Bicycle Club’s efforts to of the event and a section not to inspired them. provide a respectable home to the show. be missed. The open space Over the two-day weekend affair, more than Continuing in the tradition design made Best of Show - Hub and Bespoke. 9,300 people visited the expo, many spending established at the Bike Expo, for easy inter- part of both days on-site to discover all the Bicycle Paper presented the Best action with the exhibits and listen to the various speakers. of Show, Class Act and People’s various event Although parking could have been an issue, Choice Awards. representatives Hub and Bespoke was the and information unanimous choice for the Best of Mount Baker Bicycle Club’s Marie Kimball, on Bellingham’s President and Charlie Heggem. Show Award. The stylish booth C h a c k u n u t design — from its old fashion lamppost and Challenge, the Tour of Whatcom and the Ride iron fence, to the armoire and display, combined 542 was readily available. with the garments The People’s Choice worn by the own- Award changed hands this ers — was charm- year and visitors selected the World Champion Hein demonstrates ing an unmatched Bicycle Alliance of Washing- her strength. b y a n y o t h e r ton as their preferred booth. vendors. Their Following the “Sowing fashionable and Seeds Statewide” theme, Hub BeSpoke co-owner Aldan and Juliette. functional cloth- the BAW volunteers were Cascade organized shuttle buses to mitigate ing and accesso- handing out small pack- the long walk from the parking area to the ries, both elegant ets of Pacific Northwest terminal, and attendees who drove to the event and commuter wildflower seeds to Expo seemed please with the initiative. Those who friendly, were well attendees and providing Barb Culp, Katie Ferguson, David McLean and rode were greeted with front row bike parking, displayed. Juliette information on the Alli- Norma Steveley. which was packed. Delfs and Aldan ance’s advocacy work. The The event ran smoothly and the crowd was Schank deserve the accolades for their beautiful booths had been redesigned for the occasion in a happy, lazy mood, taking time to stop by and booth design.