Act now to stop indiscriminate use of rumble strips!
Contact Florida Secretary of Transportation Stephanie Kopelousos and ask to stop causing hazards for cyclists!
Take action HERE for a template to contact Secretary Kopelousos by mail or email.
In recent months states around the country have undertaken extensive rumbling activities and more are slated to occur. In numerous instances this activity has resulted in the indiscriminant rumbling of secondary roads that have a narrow shoulder or often times no shoulder effectively posing additional potential safety hazards for both cyclists and motorists.
Cyclists and motorists share a desire for safer roadways. We welcome things like wide and smooth paved shoulders that benefit both motorists and cyclists Though all roadway users benefit from the safety and convenience of improved shoulders, many transportation agencies are increasing the use of rumble strips – raised or grooved patterns in a road’s shoulder designed to alert drivers with noise and vibrations that they are drifting off the roadway- creating undue hazard to cyclists.
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHTO) guidance has been developed to accommodate the safety needs of bicyclists, with several states adopting this or improved guidance as a matter of policy. Despite this, many states continue to indiscriminately rumble on roads without a run-off-the-road crash history; without adequate shoulder space or recovery area; and on roadways frequented by cyclists. This is even happening in states that have developed good rumbling policies.
We are asking that you contact your state transportation official immediately to urge them to halt any plans to indiscriminately rumble our shared roadways. If the state does not have a policy of bicycle-tolerable rumble strip design they should adopt one with FHWA guidance as a minimum.
Personalize your message- let your transportation officials aware of any popular riding routes that have been lost to rumbles!
Contact Information should you decide to not use the template:
Stephanie C. Kopelousos
Secretary of Transportation
605 Suwannee Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0450
Telephone: 850-414-5205; Fax: 850-414-5201
stephanie.kopelousos@dot.state.fl.us
ProBike/ProWalk Florida Conference sessions available online
If you were unable to attend the 2010 ProBike/ProWalk Florida conference in Lakeland, you can still take advantage of the terrific sessions. And for those of you who did and had to make tough choices regarding which sessions to attend, now you can enjoy all of them. All sessions are available to download by visiting the site.
Federal Safe Routes Program Under Attack
Take Action!
Urge Your Representative to Support Safe Routes To Schools
House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) has targeted the federal Safe Routes to School program established under the 2005 Federal Surface Transportation Bill (SAFETEA-LU) as wasteful government spending in his weekly “YouCut program”.
Each week representative Cantor asks people to vote for which of five options they would cut from the federal budget. Republicans then hold a floor vote in the House of Representatives to try to eliminate the program that gets the most votes.
This week, the federal Safe Routes to School program is one of Rep. Cantor’s targets. He argues that SRTS duplicates other bicycling and walking programs, and that bicycling and walking infrastructure is a local government responsibility. We need your help making sure that Members of Congress understand the value of Safe Routes to School and support it.
Please take a few minutes to send a message to your Member of Congress to ask them to vote against any effort to cut Safe Routes to School.
Governor Crist signs HB 971 into law
Yesterday afternoon, Governor Crist signed HB 971, among many other bills into law. Thanks to all of you who expressed your concerns over this bill encouraging it to be vetoed. Yes, this is a defeat, but now we must rally together to plan our strategy for the 2011 Legislative Session.
HB 971 isn’t all bad. At 81 pages, there are many good things in the bill and unfortunately the mandatory bike lane use was slipped in late in the Session, along with other pedestrian issues. This process is not unusual, but now FBA will be planning for it.
FBA’s Legislative Committee will be meeting in the next few weeks to develop strategies and set priorities. The results will be shared via a survey for review by FBA members and other interested parties. Your input is very important. If you are not an FBA member, please join now to support our legislative efforts. Membership fees will help fund a legislative staff position.
In the mean time, now is the time to develop relationships with your elected officials in the district. Invite them for a bike ride. Let them know you are a local expert regarding bicycling issues.
It is up to all of us to make something good come out of HB 971. We will not go away empty-handed but will come back strong in 2011.
Memorial Day Bike Ride ends with altercation between motorist and 2 cyclists
The North Florida Bicycle Club took action following a recent altercation following a group ride by sending the following message to club members:
As many of you already know, there was an incident at Monday’s Florida State College at Jacksonville (FSCJ) Kent Campus Memorial Day ride where two bicyclists were stabbed in an altercation with a motorist. Both cyclists were transported to the hospital, where one remains with serious injuries. Apparently, neither of the riders are NFBC members as neither were well known to members who were present. We ask that you join in prayers for the injured cyclists and offer wishes for a speedy recovery.
It is not our position to judge the circumstances of this incident. We all, however, need to be aware that we may have encounters with motorists on the road that could lead to tempers being lost and altercations escalating in severity and danger. We urge all members to conduct themselves appropriately on the road, asserting our rights to the use of the roads, but also to be respectful of motorists. While actions of motorists may adversely affect us as cyclists, either by accident or intentionally, we urge everyone to exercise restraint in reacting to such incidents. Should any incident result in an injury or altercation, please do not try to take matters into your own hands…dial 911 and allow law enforcement to appropriately handle the situation.
John M. McDowell, PE
2010 NFBC Ride Director
The NFBC is taking action with respect to leadership in riding skills, rules of the road and rider behavior. Unfortunately, we only are able to influence NFBC members. The two that were stabbed are not NFBC members and we do not know the behavior of the riders leading up to the confrontation. We are aware that cyclists are part of the problem, and we can do just so much to influence cyclists both in our club and have very little influence over non-club members. NFBC is being proactive with the City of Jacksonville to create an understanding for both cyclists and motorists of the rights and responsibilities of all parties.
Steven Davis said, “Tragedy is everyone’s first concern. Damage to organized cycling and the entire cycling economy is close behind in those concerns.”
Share this message with other club cyclists, as well as other organized groups. This problem is not unique to any particular area of Florida and the only way to get through to the worst offenders is to work with law enforcement to crack down on aggressive driving and behavior by cyclists and motorists We need to find ways to educate all users of the road to behave with courtesy and respect. This will take an enormous culture change.
Traffic Skills 101 Special Edition June 12th
This Jacksonville class is specifically designed for endurance road cyclists that typically do the Bike MS, but is also well suited for road cyclists and road cyclist wannabe’s. It covers traffic law, bike equipment, becoming a more confident bicyclist by driving your bike like a motor vehicle and asserting your right to the road. You’ll learn injury prevention, crash avoidance through on-bike skills practice and do a group ride that includes optional pace line training. Student manual included! This is a League certified course.
COST: $35.00 general admission. Members of Bike MS teams receive a special group rate of $30.00.
WHEN: Class is one day: Saturday, June 12, 2010, from 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Registration closes Thursday, June 8th. You will receive pre-course study amtreroals and will need to set aside about four hours for pre-course preparation prior to class day.
CONTACT: Jodi Hohlstein at jodi@FBAfirstcoast.org for a registration package.
Call to Action to push for veto of HB 971 today
Governor Crist has until June 5 to sign into law or veto HB 971. Make your voice heard by calling or emailing Governor Crist today why HB 971 is unsafe for bicyclists.
Phone: 850-488-7146
Email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
For more details on this bill, scroll down to the May 18 and May 5 posts.
Keep up those calls, emails and letters to veto HB 971
This morning at 9:00 am, FBA representatives met with Deputy Chief of Staff Chuck Drago to present arguments to veto HB 971. At that time, the bill had not been delivered to the governor. DCOS Drago has not heard the governor’s opinion on the bill, but said he would share our concerns. At 12:21 pm today, HB 971 was delivered to Governor Christ.
Folks, the clock is ticking since Governor Crist has 15 days to take action. Please keep up the momentum by calling, emailing or writing Governor Crist to veto HB 971.
Continue Efforts to Veto HB 971
FBA needs your help to continue efforts to veto HB 971. A letter was sent to Governor Crist May 17 signed by FBA Board president David Henderson. FBA representatives will be meeting with Chuck Drago, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor, later this week to provide supporting arguments and local examples of why HB 971 is unsafe for bicyclists and pedestrians.
We are also encouraging bike clubs and advocacy organizations to follow suit with their support of the veto and have contacted these organizations directly. Thank you, individually and through your club or advocacy organization, for the many phone calls, emails, letters and faxes already generated to stop this bill. Please keep up the momentum.
Call, email, write or fax Governor Crist today with this message:
“Please veto House Bill 971. The mandatory use of bicycle lanes poses a number of significant safety and legal problems for cyclists. Allowing motorized vehicles on sidewalks sets a bad precedent. Vehicles belong on roadways, not on sidewalks. HB 971 will make the law and its enforcement more complicated, not less, and will make cycling less safe and enjoyable.”
The Honorable Charlie Crist
Governor of Florida
The Capitol, Suite PL05
400 S. Monroe Street
Tallahassee FL 32399
fax: 850-487-0801; phone: 850-488-7146; email: Charlie.Crist@MyFlorida.com
Below is a copy of the FBA letter to Governor Crist:
May 17, 2010
The Honorable Charlie Crist
Governor of Florida
The Capitol, Suite PL05
Tallahassee FL 32399
Dear Governor Crist:
The Florida Bicycle Association (FBA) has serious concerns about House Bill 971, and respectfully requests your veto of the bill. Our members are not merely bicyclists, but also bicycle and pedestrian planners, traffic engineers, and bicycle safety educators, and we have identified a number of problems with the mandatory bicycle lane use amendment, as well as with allowing local governments to permit certain types of motorized vehicles on sidewalks and trails. FBA was unfortunately not included in discussions about these amendments.
The mandatory use of bicycle lanes poses a number of significant safety and legal problems for cyclists. Many members of the general public, as well as some law enforcement officers, already have a poor understanding of the existing law and of the real safety needs of cyclists. Current law requires bicyclists to drive as far right as practicable, but includes a number of exceptions that are in-practice very common on our streets and highways. Such misunderstandings already lead to unwarranted citations, as well as to harassment by motorists that will only be aggravated by the new law; any cyclist to the left of the bicycle lane stripe will be deemed a law-breaker by those with an incomplete understanding of the law.
There are also many roadways with striped (but undesignated) areas that do not meet bicycle lane standards, but that many motorists and law enforcement officers (as well as many bicyclists) believe to be bike lanes. Bicyclists driving outside of such areas will not likely be cited for violations, but will likely suffer harassment by uninformed motorists. Such harassment is the primary deterrent to cycling for many people.
There are numerous bike lanes around the state that do not meet Florida Green Book standards, and these facilities pose significant risks to cyclists. Bicyclists who avoid such lanes will be put in the position of defending themselves against unwarranted citations to officers and judges who do not understand the standards. One should not have to defend oneself for driving a vehicle in a safe and defensive manner.
Pairs and groups of bicyclists will be required to travel single-file on roadways with designated bike lanes, even when traffic volumes are low and passing is easy. They will not be so restricted on roadways without bike lanes.
The law permitting local governments to enact ordinances to allow motorized vehicles on sidewalks may not in practice pose problems for many pedestrians, but we feel it sets a bad precedent. Vehicles belong on roadways, not on sidewalks. We should be focusing on making our roadways safer for lower-speed vehicles instead of moving them into pedestrian areas.
Florida’s bicyclists wish to be part of the solution for many of our states challenges. Florida Bicycle Association is working hard to ensure cyclists understand the safest ways of using our roadways. HB 971 will make the law and its enforcement more complicated, not less, and will make cycling less safe and enjoyable.
Sincerely,
David Henderson
Board President
cc: Chuck Drago, Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor
Get Ready to Make a Difference at the Florida Bike Summit
Come to Tallahassee for the 2nd Annual Florida Bike Summit at the Florida Capitol Courtyard April 8, 2010, 10:00 am-2:00 pm, and help protect the rights of bicyclists to ride safely and freely.
Learn what Florida is doing for bicyclists
Meet with legislators throughout the day
Connect with other bicycle advocates
Ride to the Capitol from the St. Marks Trailhead at 9:00 am
Secured bicycle parking in the Courtyard
Summit gathering spot: Tallahassee/East KOA Campground
Summit legislative training: 4/7/10; 7:00 pm
Summit celebration reception: 4/8/10; 5:00-6:30 pm
The 2010 Florida Bike Summit is FREE – register today
Press event at 10:30 am
Our first Summit in 2009 focused on educating legislators about the benefits of bicycling. For 2010, we need your input to define what cycling really is and how it can change Florida one rider at a time. Join us to take advantage of these changing times where more people are riding bikes. The time is now to show how powerful and influential we can be as a unified voice
Be a part of the solution to advance Florida as the best state to ride a bicycle.
For more details and to register, visit http://www.floridabicycle.org/joinus/summit.html.
