Make your year-end donation to FBA to support our Bicycle Law Enforcement Program
Dear Friends of FBA:
Do you know the laws about bicycling?
Have you ever experienced a situation in which a law enforcement officer was not aware of the laws or safe cycling practices?
The laws about bicycling are difficult and confusing. They are not a high priority in the busy schedules of officers, and they receive little or no training.
The Bicycle Law Enforcement Program (BLEP) will change that. The materials will be useful for many audiences, including cyclists and clubs, motorists and driver training, government officials and others. Since the law enforcement community is critical to all education and enforcement, they are our initial target audience. This program will change the culture of the roadways and greatly enhance the cycling environment.
2009-Five Modules
This year, we are completing five modules that will explain the laws and safe cycling practices related to some of the most basic, but most misunderstood topics, including:
- When is a cyclist required to keep right?
- When is a cyclist not required to keep right?
- Can a cyclist legally impede traffic?
- What laws are frequently violated by bicyclists and motorists?
2010 –Beta Test and Develop the Full Program
These modules will be available in DVD format and provided to selected law enforcement agencies for Beta testing during 2010. They will be 5-10 minutes in length and adapted to roll-call training opportunities.
During 2010, we will complete the remaining 15 modules to develop a comprehensive two-hour training program about the laws that will be an interactive, web-based curriculum available to any officer in the state of Florida.
There are officers around the state who are helping us insure the program materials will meet the needs of the law enforcement community by participating in the Officer Advisory Panel. Their feedback is critical to program quality.
Ask Geo – http://flbikelaw.org
As a part of the program, we have established a website for Q&A about the laws and the program. This website is helping us understand the needs and problems with law enforcement related to the laws about cycling. Please review the site and provide your input and ask questions.
Funding
In the past, the program has been funded by a Florida Department of Transportation safety grant and private donations from a very generous benefactor. We are seeking $100,000 for 2010 to complete the program
Please consider a year-end contribution to specifically fund this program. Just click “Join Us” on our homepage to make your contribution online.
For more information about the program, do not hesitate to contact program director George Martin at flbikelaw@floridabicycle.org.
On behalf of the Florida Bicycle Association Board of Directors and Advisory Members, have a happy, healthy holiday season. Your voice counts towards making Florida a bicycle-friendly place to live, work and ride. Your membership and financial support makes us stronger.
Sincerely,
Laura Hallam, Executive Director
P.S. If you need holiday gift suggestions, consider a FBA membership, FBA apparel, Share the Road license plate or gift certificate for the 2010 Bike Florida Spring Tour (March 27-April 2). Visit the website for memberships and apparel, www.sharetheroad.org to purchase a license plate, and www.bikeflorida.org for Spring Tour gift certificates.
Greenways: A win-win for everyone
I was happy to see the East Coast Greenway featured in The Times-Union (Jacksonville newspaper). Contrary to feedback from some of your readers, greenways and trails accommodate more than just bicyclists.They welcome walkers, runners, in-line skaters, hand cyclers, horseback riders and baby carriages. In addition, when it comes to typical trail users, variety is the standard. I have seen everything from spandex to cargo shorts and tricycles to skateboards. I know one man whose wife is confined to a wheelchair and they are regular greenway riders via a custom bicycle-built-for-two.
When it comes to cyclists alone, the following economic returns are documented:
- They contribute $133 billion to the U.S. economy annually.
- They support nearly 1.1 million jobs across the country.
- They generate $17.7 billion in annual federal and state tax revenue.
- They produce $6.2 billion in bicycling gear sales and services.
- They create $46.9 billion in bicycling trip-related expenditures.
Regarding real estate values, in 2003, Marion County, Ind., was studied and trails were credited for increasing property values by $140 million. A new trail corridor in Austin, Texas raised land values and generated $13.64 million in new property tax revenues. In 2006, the Dallas Morning News reported a 25 percent premium on land abutting the Katy Trail.
In Florida, the Pinellas Trail draws 1.1 million users per year and it propelled downtown Dunedin from a 30 percent vacancy rate to a waiting list for business properties. The West Orange Trail created a similar revival in downtown Winter Garden, adding about 650,000 people. Further north, the Cross Florida Greenway attracts over 2 million users annually.
Corporate America increasingly supports recreational trails. Greenways and trails provide construction jobs and increased economic growth. They offer recreational opportunities, alternative transportation and increased property value.
Most importantly, greenways and trails provide positive experiences and health benefits for generations of users.
STEVEN DAVIS,
Landscape Architect, Fruit Cove