Local Advocacy Nets Big Bucks For Bicycle Awareness
The North Florida Bicycle Club was the first bike club to promote the 3-foot passing law (Florida State Statute 316.083, 316.085, pg. 13 in the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide) with signage on Jacksonville city buses. Their local advocacy efforts attracted the attention of Winter Park attorney and FBA Advisory Board member Hal Downing and members of the BOBbies, a Central Florida women’s only bicycle club. BOBbies members Mary Shanklin, Carol Stevens, Lisa Portelli and Keri Caffrey hit the ground biking by raising funds to support a similar campaign in the Greater Orlando area. To date, $6,800.00 has been raised towards the Lynx Bus Signage campaign to promote the 3-foot passing law including over $2,000.00 from the May “Cycling Smackdown at the Bowling Alley” event. FBA pitched in by agreeing to administer the funds so donations would be tax deductible, plus pledged $1,000.00 towards the campaign. Designed by Keri Caffrey and reproduced by Susan Fortini at FastSigns, the banners to appear on the rear of Lynx buses should be on the road in August.
Another victory from this campaign was bringing a variety of bicycle clubs together to promote bicycle safety and awareness. Thank you, BOBbies, Orlando Road Club, Seminole Cyclists, Florida Freewheelers and Team Armada. Thanks also go to corporate donors including Orange Cycle Works, City of Orlando, Get Active Orlando, Trustee Gerald Sutton of Winter Park Health Foundation, Orlando Road Club and many, many individuals.
Thank you North Florida Bicycle Club for kick-starting this campaign – signage is expected to remain on Jacksonville city buses until January 2009. Keri Caffrey’s artwork used on the Lynx buses is available for other bike clubs and organizations wishing to promote a similar campaign in other parts of Florida. Contact FBA if you are interested.
“Clings” will be reproduced depicting the artwork soon for distribution upon request for a nominal fee to cover postage.
