The German Automobile Club – offering help to cyclists in roadside accidents

The project debuted in Berlin and Brandenburg on 12 July

The General German Automobile Club (Allgemeiner Deutscher Automobil-Club - ADAC) is testing roadside assistance for bicycles in Berlin and Brandenburg. The company launched the pilot project on Monday (12 July 2021) and it will run until the end of October 2021.

The whole of Berlin and Brandenburg will be the testing ground for the new and free service as the company needs to acquire sample data and experiences with different types of the operational procedure coming from both rural and urban environments.

The ADAC plans to expand to the whole of Germany in the near future, with club member cyclists able to get assistance from a trained professional who will assist with everything from chain problems to recovery after an accident.

Many of the ADAC members use their bikes more and more

For years now, the trend of getting people out of their cars and onto public transport or bicycles has been gaining traction in Germany and in the rest of the continent. Thus, it comes as no surprise that ADAC – one of the biggest automobile clubs in the country - is seeing more and more of its members turning to cycling.  

This, in theory, could pose a problem for ADAC, most well known for its roadside assistance, and whose stated purpose is “the representation, promotion, and advocacy of motoring, motorsport, and tourism,”, a bundle of interests that tend to be rather unfashionable nowadays.

Don't Swear, just call the ADAC is the motto of the new initiative, Source: ADAC website

However, they have made the decision to adapt, as more and more of their members decide to leave their cars behind, extending their roadside assistance to bicycles. The Automobile club wants to offer assistance to cyclists who have bike problems, such as tire, chain, brakes, or battery issues.

They will be offering their members access to a crew of trained and equipped technicians, ready to offer help in any emergency case directly on the spot. They will also offer transportation of the bike to the nearest workshop and luggage and cargo recovery.

The head of ADAC breakdown assistance, Thomas Reynartz explained in a press release that “the point is to enable the member to continue their journey as quickly as possible after a breakdown and to save inconvenience. That is why we now want to find out how great the need for this assistance is and how it is received by the people."