This article is the third in a series profiling nominees for the 2008 Alice B. Toeclips Awards, and was written by BTA correspondent John McLaren.

Bicycling has been good for Margaret Weddell. And she, clearly, has been good for bicycling. Weddell, an attorney who is 57 but looks at least 15 years younger, has helped injured cyclists recover damages in court, presented for the city’s Women on Bikes talks and is an all-weather bicycle commuter from her home in the Mt. Tabor area to her downtown office at Swanson, Thomas and Coon.

“She brings real world cycling experience and a clear agenda to encourage more bicyclists to leave their cars behind and get out onto the road,” says fellow attorney and statewide bike-law expert Ray Thomas.

One of her main goals is getting more women to ride bikes. “I’ve noticed bicyclists passing me without warning,” she says. “Many women are more afraid of bikes than cars. Let’s create a culture that is inviting, encouraging and safe.” To this end she has initiated and helped organize programs, such as the Bells On Bridges and Safety On the Esplanade campaigns, passing out free bells to cyclists, in hopes they will alert pedestrians and fellow bicyclists to their approach.

Weddell chairs the Community Cycling Center’s Board of Directors and has been a member of the board since 2003, and she is a regular volunteer with the BTA, working on the auction for the annual Alice Awards & Auctions and on other projects throughout the year.

Says her daughter, Stephenie Sullivan, “She has not only encouraged her friends to all ride, but she has raised two avid cyclists. In fact, while planning my wedding, Mom made sure to remind me that we would need to hire someone for the ‘bike parking.’ For my mom, having bike parking is as natural as making sure there is enough food."

Next Nominee: Bike innovator and Sunnyside neighborhood bike advocate Bill Stites.

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