Advocacy & Safety - Maine DOT-WTF?!?!?

Actually, it isn't as serious as the title implies.

Just don't know what to do.

On my daily commute, which is on a state highway -rt 2, there is a stretch where the trees/shrubs/vegetation have grown into the bike lane which forces me to ride on the left of the white line and in the car lane. This is in both directions and the same stretch of road.

I contacted the Maine DOT (since it is on a state highway) electronically and by phone. I also sent a note to the local newspaper about it.

Nothing has been done. It is a good three months since I complained.

The good news is that stretch of the road has a speed limit of 35 mph.

Maine is struggling financially but I worry now that darkness prevails during my commute and soon snow will be upon us.......

What do you clever, activists suggest?

Thanks in advance

Hedge clippers.

What is a "car lane"?

Never seen one.

Take the lane.

When it is dark ride with lights on your bike, and take the lane. I have cut low hanging branches with the saw blade on my Swiss Army knife.

When it is dark ride with lights on your bike, and take the lane. I have cut low hanging branches with the saw blade on my Swiss Army knife.

You folks are great. I was afraid I would have to do my own "landscape architecture." Just too lazy to stop and do this on my bike but I will...............

Either that or set up some cones/flares and hope they take care of it lol

Fire.






OK, just kidding. Take the lane.

Call down to your town DOT and ask them who maintains the road. It might be them, rather than the state.

Fire.






OK, just kidding. Take the lane.

I've been thinking of relocating to California one day, the the thought of frequent wildfires scares me.

I've been thinking of relocating to California one day, the the thought of frequent wildfires scares me.

In reality they are quite seasonal, you tend to get notified as the danger to you increases, you plan for what might happen, and you live with it. The more isolated your house, the greater the chance for fire damage. Deep in the cities this is pretty rare.

Wild fires are similar to any other weather phenomena... storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.

Now what should scare you are the earthquakes... they come without notice. ;)

Take a chainsaw and clippers and fix it yourself. And then send a bill to the DOT.

In reality they are quite seasonal, you tend to get notified as the danger to you increases, you plan for what might happen, and you live with it. The more isolated your house, the greater the chance for fire damage. Deep in the cities this is pretty rare.

Wild fires are similar to any other weather phenomena... storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.

Now what should scare you are the earthquakes... they come without notice. ;)

Didn't the San Diego metro area get hit pretty bad by fire a few years back? I understand that's probably a rare occurrence, but still... Scary!

Actually, it isn't as serious as the title implies.

Just don't know what to do.

On my daily commute, which is on a state highway -rt 2, there is a stretch where the trees/shrubs/vegetation have grown into the bike lane which forces me to ride on the left of the white line and in the car lane. This is in both directions and the same stretch of road...

....
What do you clever, activists suggest?

Thanks in advance

Pruning shears and Lopping shears. I carry pruning shears in my handlebar-basket. I have cleared about a mile of roadside vegetation. Sometimes I bring out the Lopping Shears, for branches bigger than 3/4 inch, up to two inches diameter.

Wear a reflective vest while trimming roadside vegetation.

Cut back as far as six feet from the white line (fog line).

Wear gloves while trimming, to avoid getting blisters on your hands/fingers.

So I suggest Do-It-Yourself (DIY) technique.

Note: I have also used a saw, but I find Lopping Shears work much quicker. I am thinking about using hedge-trimmer shears, I haven't used regular hedge trimmers lately.

Did you use the Spot ME request page (http://www.maine.gov/mdot/opt/spot-me.php)? I got great results. Can't remember the DOT guys name, but gave me a call, and we went out in his state vehicle and looked over the things I was concerned about. Some things got repaired (broken pavement on the Veranda St. shoulder) and others not (more Share the Road signage at the Falmouth Extension ramps on Route 1.

And there's nothing wrong with using hedge clippers, as suggested.

where exactly is this on Rt 2 ?
so i can yell at you


HTFU...you know Baldacci and his team of crooks continues to run Maine into the ground.

get a bright taillight and take the lane.

you hear a logging truck, you get the hell off the road.
don't even try to take a lane when a logging truck is coming. ever. your rights do not apply
it is a matter of living or getting ground into hamburger

Did you use the Spot ME request page (http://www.maine.gov/mdot/opt/spot-me.php)? I got great results. Can't remember the DOT guys name, but gave me a call, and we went out in his state vehicle and looked over the things I was concerned about. Some things got repaired (broken pavement on the Veranda St. shoulder) and others not (more Share the Road signage at the Falmouth Extension ramps on Route 1.

And there's nothing wrong with using hedge clippers, as suggested.

Yes, it is a state road and thus the local town is not responsible for it.
Yes, I did use SPot ME........
didn't help.........

I will try again, thanks
Even sent a note to the Bangor Daily News

where exactly is this on Rt 2 ?
so i can yell at you


HTFU...you know Baldacci and his team of crooks continues to run Maine into the ground.

get a bright taillight and take the lane.

you hear a logging truck, you get the hell off the road.
don't even try to take a lane when a logging truck is coming. ever. your rights do not apply
it is a matter of living or getting ground into hamburger

First, what does "HTFU" mean?
Second, it is the stretch in Veazie between Chase road and Veazie Vet.
Do you live in the area?

Did you use the Spot ME request page (http://www.maine.gov/mdot/opt/spot-me.php)? I got great results. Can't remember the DOT guys name, but gave me a call, and we went out in his state vehicle and looked over the things I was concerned about. Some things got repaired (broken pavement on the Veranda St. shoulder) and others not (more Share the Road signage at the Falmouth Extension ramps on Route 1.

And there's nothing wrong with using hedge clippers, as suggested.

I even called the Maine DOT and even called BIKEMAINE to no avail.

I am concerned about clipping some of the hedges as they are on private property. Prefer to have the aegis of the state govt before doing this.

Yes, Baldacci is a terrible governor.........

Is this it?

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Chase+road,+Veazie,+ME&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.291089,114.082031&ie=UTF8&ll=44.831876,-68.713903&spn=0.011093,0.027852&t=h&z=16

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Chase+road,+Veazie,+ME&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=50.291089,114.082031&ie=UTF8&ll=44.831876,-68.713903&spn=0.011093,0.027852&t=h&z=16

Talk to the property owner, or leave them a note. Very kindly let them know that the state has done nothing despite your repeated attempts, and that you offer to do it if they don't mind. "If you'd like me to do it, leave some pruning shears on your front porch in the morning."

Didn't the San Diego metro area get hit pretty bad by fire a few years back? I understand that's probably a rare occurrence, but still... Scary!

You can read about it here... http://map.sdsu.edu/ and here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_wildfires_of_October_2007 and here http://www.kpbs.org/news/fires

My office closed for 3 days due to that fire, which came within miles of the office and near by freeways. The year before, we packed up and were ready to leave our house as fires came within a mile.

This year the fire dangers were greatly reduced by the fast response time of the pre-staged fire fighting air crews... During 2006 one such available crew was not allowed to cross the Canada border due to "Homeland Security issues..." :rolleyes:

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall listening to that conversation with the "governator." :D


On the flip side... didn't the upper northeastern seaboard get hit with a Hurricane this year?

Sounds like the encroaching plants pose no danger to you, since you know where they are and can take the lane well in advance. It could be a nasty surprise for someone riding that route for the first time, though -- especially if it's dark and they've got inadequate lights. You'd be doing a good thing if you brought along some hedge clippers.

(Just in case someone hassles you for cutting plants that don't belong to you, take a picture first and show why the plants were dangerous. And keep a copy of your earlier correspondence with the DOT to show you gave the "legitimate" folks a chance to handle the situation first.)

Edit: just noticed that you said some of the hedges are on private property. You might try knocking on the door and explaining the situation; the owners may be willing to cut the hedges themselves. Of course, if they refuse and you do the job yourself, then there is always the outside chance that an Overprotective Hedge Sociopath will be out for revenge, and will now know what you look like, so use your discretion... :)

You can read about it here... http://map.sdsu.edu/ and here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_wildfires_of_October_2007 and here http://www.kpbs.org/news/fires

My office closed for 3 days due to that fire, which came within miles of the office and near by freeways. The year before, we packed up and were ready to leave our house as fires came within a mile.

This year the fire dangers were greatly reduced by the fast response time of the pre-staged fire fighting air crews... During 2006 one such available crew was not allowed to cross the Canada border due to "Homeland Security issues..." :rolleyes:

I would have loved to be a fly on the wall listening to that conversation with the "governator." :D


On the flip side... didn't the upper northeastern seaboard get hit with a Hurricane this year?

hurricanes by the time the get up here <<<<<<<< wildfires

I don't think it was still a hurricane by the time it got here, and it was weak enough that I don't even recall it as being a anything other than a run-of-the-mill storm.

The only severe weather we get around here are the occasional blizzards, which are mostly just nuisances.

First, what does "HTFU" mean?
Second, it is the stretch in Veazie between Chase road and Veazie Vet.
Do you live in the area?

don't live there, but know the area.

Bangor area has money. hammer on the town to clean that up.

don't live there, but know the area.

Bangor area has money. hammer on the town to clean that up.

do you mean that the Maine DOT in the Bangor area has some discretionary funds?

r u in Maine? 'cause from where I sit "the Bangor area does NOT have money."

I will give it a shot............Bike Maine was not very helpful............

oh well........I will keep plugging along..........

Bangor area has money. hammer on the town to clean that up.

Wrong !!! Unless you're name happens to be Stephen King, there's not a heck of a lot of money in Bangor.
And I ride that area regularly, but only in daylight. Yes, you can take the lane, but as someone already said, watch out for the trucks. Only advice I can give is use extra caution when going through there.

Wrong !!! Unless you're name happens to be Stephen King, there's not a heck of a lot of money in Bangor.
And I ride that area regularly, but only in daylight. Yes, you can take the lane, but as someone already said, watch out for the trucks. Only advice I can give is use extra caution when going through there.


word. Maybe the poster's frame of reference is Down East-Washington Cty?

I did contact BCOM and Maine DOT again!

"Extra caution:" I appreciate the sentiment. Reminds me of the time long ago when men asked their doctors if they could have sex after a heart attack and the stock answer was-just be careful and don't overdo it :-)....

I resent having to be in danger because I cannot get anyone to care in the Maine DOT and the BCOM has this feel good flier which totally glosses over what is wrong with biking in Maine and the BDN which did a cheesy article on me carting my therapy dog back and forth to work also does/says nothing!!!

Vented my spleen (to continue the medical metaphors)..........

Thanks again for all the help

word. Maybe the poster's frame of reference is Down East-Washington Cty?

I did contact BCOM and Maine DOT again!

"Extra caution:" I appreciate the sentiment. Reminds me of the time long ago when men asked their doctors if they could have sex after a heart attack and the stock answer was-just be careful and don't overdo it :-)....

I resent having to be in danger because I cannot get anyone to care in the Maine DOT and the BCOM has this feel good flier which totally glosses over what is wrong with biking in Maine and the BDN which did a cheesy article on me carting my therapy dog back and forth to work also does/says nothing!!!

Vented my spleen (to continue the medical metaphors)..........

Thanks again for all the help

born and raised in Maine. Rt2 I know like the back of my hand. All of it, all the way to Burlington VT.

My perspective might be tweaked: I was working all over Bangor for a summer 2003 installing cat 6 for many businesses, and upgrading networks and routers...and yes some peeps don't have coin, but the cronies, the old money is there. You just have to be the squeaky wheel and make your issue known. But it is Maine. I spent a lot of time at the airport and the peeps flying in and out of there ain't poor.

Do it yourself.

Start with pruning shears, cut back what you can. You might want to spread the work out over several days. Wear a reflective vest and stand facing traffic while you trim.

After you cut back as much as possible with pruning shears, make another pass with the lopping shears.
I carry lopping shears on my bike with two bungee cords. One handle is next to the top tube, the other handle is next to the downtube , the blades are to the left of the headtube.

Do it yourself, just do a little at a time so you don't get too exhausted. I know when it's time to stop because my water bottle will be running out.

Take the lane.

What he said