Forecasts Calling for Heavy Rains, High Winds, Low Visibility and an Increasing Chance of Lightning Forced the Difficult Decision
July 20, 2018 – (PORTLAND, Maine) – Out of an abundance of caution and concern for the safety of the riders who signed up to participate in this year’s Maine Lobster Ride, the Bicycle Coalition of Maine has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s ride.
“We’ve been watching the forecasts closely, hoping that conditions would improve, but instead they’ve gone the other way,” Coalition Executive Director John Williams said. “We cannot, in good conscience, put riders in harm’s way and that’s what we’d be doing if we went ahead with the Lobster Ride, given the forecasts.”
This year’s Maine Lobster Ride – which was to be the final Lobster Ride hosted by the Coalition – was scheduled for Sunday, July 22, at the Camden Snow Bowl, with the first riders departing at 7 a.m. The National Weather Service forecast is predicting heavy rains with the strong likelihood of a thunderstorm for Sunday.
Camden/Rockport Police Chief Randy Gagne called the decision to cancel difficult to make, but one that he fully supports.
“The safety of all riders is the top priority,” Gagne said. “The potential for accidents would increase with the inclement weather. Visibility would be severely limited for both bicyclist and the motoring public. I believe fully this is the right call.”
Nonetheless, Williams said, the decision was not easily made.
“We were looking forward to ending our participation in the Lobster Ride on a high note,” Williams said, “but the safety of the riders is absolutely our highest concern and we simply cannot afford to ignore these warnings and hope things blow over. It’s a difficult decision, but based on the facts that we have in front of us, one that we have to make.”
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