Go Maine

Winter Driving Tips

Dan — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:10:45 +0000

Winter is a beautiful time of year in Maine, but it can also be inconvenient, annoying and dangerous time to drive. At GO MAINE we want you be careful and also prepared. Below is a list of winter driving tips from AAA;

Avoid driving while you’re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.
Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
Never mix radial tires with other tire types.
Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
Always look and steer where you want to go.
Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.

Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed down hill as slowly as possible.
Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don’t tempt fate: If you don’t have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.

AAA also recommends that you carry the following items in your vehicle as part of a winter emergency kit:

•    A cell phone
•    Flashlight
•    Small snow shovel and brush
•    Traction mats
•    Ice scraper
•    Battery booster cables
•    Warm blanket
•    Flares/triangle warning devices
•    Heavy gloves
•    Windshield washer fluid
•    First aid kit
•    Bottled water
•    Energy bars

Source: AAA (www.aaapublicaffairs.com)

Free Winter Shuttle Buses

Dan — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 15:10:24 +0000

It’s ski season and while you’re at Sugarloaf and SundayRiver take advantage of their free shuttles. They provides great, reliable transportation throughout Carabasset Valley and Bethel. Service is available seven days a week, from 6am to 1am. For a complete schedule, visit Winter Shuttle Service .

LL Bean: A Leader in Commuter Options

Dan — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 20:01:33 +0000

LL Bean, one of Maine’s premier employers, has a commuter program that offers carpooling, teleworking, condensed workweeks and discounted home heating prices to it’s employees. This extraordinary effort has been recognized in a national magazine, Women’s Wear Daily.

Tell Us Where to Park It

Erik — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:50:26 +0000

We want to know where you think good locations are for Park and Ride lots and bike racks in Maine.
Enter your suggestions HERE and help us create more parking spots for cars and bikes that will promote sustainable commuting options. You can enter as many locations as you can think of.

GO MAINE Nation

Erik — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 01:50:30 +0000

The GO MAINE Nation is the group of people who have found GO MAINE to have a similar ethos to themselves. It’s a group that is conserving resources and building social connections at the same time. It’s a group of practicality and of fun, responsibility and innovation. We have no flag or rousing song, yet our numbers grow. our participants save money everyday but they also make friends they otherwise would not have ever met.

We encourage you to learn about GO MAINE and see how other Mainers have made the program their own. Take a look at our stories and our promotions below.

Emergency Ride Home Guarantee

“Tell us where to park it” video:

Go Maine Staff

Erik — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:14:02 +0000

	Carey Kish Program Manager 207-774-9891 extension 211 or email at ckish@gpcog.org
	Muriel White Vanpool Coordinator/Database Administrator 207-774-9891 extension 210 or email at mwhite@gpcog.org
	Erik West Bicycle Commuter Outreach, Web Administrator 207-774-9891 extension 204 or email at ewest@gpcog.org