Hi {{contact.first_name}},
November is when most New England riders cover the bike and call it a year. That is a mistake on the good days. The clocks went back on Sunday, November 1, so it gets dark before the evening commute is over, and the cold fronts come through fast. But a bright, calm November afternoon on the coast can still be great riding, and the summer traffic is long gone. Pick a dry day, keep the run short, and be home before the light goes.
Ride of the Month: Route 3A Down the South Shore to Plymouth
Old harbor towns, salt marsh and the Pilgrims' landing the month of Thanksgiving
Head south out of Boston and pick up Route 3A in Hingham. From there the old road runs down the South Shore through Cohasset, Scituate, Marshfield, Duxbury and Kingston, with stone walls, white churches, salt marsh and quick looks at the water along the way. Take a side street to the harbor in Cohasset or Scituate for the ocean view, then roll on into Plymouth and park near the waterfront, where Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II sit a short walk apart.
The coast stays a few degrees warmer than the hills out west this time of year, which makes this the right ride for November. Leave late morning once any frost is gone, grab lunch in Plymouth, and take Route 3 straight back north so you are home before dark. Watch for sand and wet leaves at the edges of the road in the shaded town centers.
Only have an hour or two? Ride Route 2A, the Battle Road, from Lexington to Concord through Minute Man National Historical Park, where the Revolution started. It is a fitting ride for Veterans Day, Wednesday, November 11. Take a minute that day to thank the veterans in your riding crew.
Late-Fall Safety: Massachusetts Edition
November gives you fewer good riding days, and new ways to get hurt on them.
- Deer are on the move. November is a bad month for deer crashes in Massachusetts, from the Worcester County back roads to the South Shore woods. They move most at dawn and dusk, which now lines up with the evening commute. Slow down near tree lines, cover your brakes, and never swerve across the center line.
- You are riding home in the dark. Since the time change, the sun is down before most people leave work. Drivers are not looking for a single headlight after dark. Wear something bright or reflective, and give yourself extra room at intersections and rotaries.
- Cold tires, frost and wet leaves. Mornings often start below freezing, and bridges, overpasses and shaded corners can stay slick well into the day. The last leaves pile up wet on the edges of the road. Let your tires warm up for a few easy miles before you lean on them.
- Thanksgiving week traffic. Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, and the roads out of Boston will be packed. The Wednesday night before is one of the worst nights of the year for drunk driving. If you ride that week, ride early in the day and stay off the road that night.
Know Your Massachusetts Law
- No-fault does not cover you on a bike. Massachusetts is a no-fault state, but its Personal Injury Protection does not pay for a motorcycle rider's or passenger's own injuries. That means your health insurance, your uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, and the claim against the driver at fault have to carry the load.
- Fault is shared, up to a point. Massachusetts uses modified comparative negligence with a 51 percent bar. Your recovery is cut by your share of the blame, and if you are found more than 50 percent at fault, you get nothing. How the crash is documented early on matters a lot.
- Every rider wears a helmet. Massachusetts has a universal helmet law. Every rider and every passenger must wear a DOT-compliant helmet, whatever their age.
- You have three years, but the clock is shorter for public bodies. You generally have three years from the crash to file an injury lawsuit. If a city, town, the state or the MBTA is involved, you must send them a written claim within two years under the Tort Claims Act, so do not wait.
Ride Nation Boston
The season is winding down, but the Boston riding crew is still out on the good days. Post your last ride of the year, tell us where you are storing the bike for winter, and warn other riders about fresh potholes, sand and frost heaves. Tag us in your photos. This is your scene, run by riders who ride these roads.
Final Weeks for the $20,000 BikeWin Giveaway
You are already entered for a chance at 20,000 dollars toward any motorcycle you want, and the winner is drawn December 10. That is only a few weeks away. Know a riding buddy who has not entered yet? Entry is free, so send them the link before it closes.
Enter the giveaway
A driver who never saw your headlight on the 4:30 dark commute down the Southeast Expressway. A deer stepping out on a Worcester County back road. A car sliding on a frosty overpass on Route 3. If you go down in Massachusetts, remember no-fault does not cover you on a bike, so you want a lawyer who knows how the fault rules get used against riders.