Florida Bicycle Association History 2000’s

2009

Began Phase II of the Bicycle Law Enforcement Program to enhance officers’ knowledge of the laws about bicycling and to assist agencies with bicycling education and enforcement operations. The program will be comprised of Training Modules, an Officer Course, and a Training Officer Course.

Created the first FBA Chapter in Northeast Florida – the First Coast Chapter – to serve the needs of Duval, Nassau, Clay and St. Johns counties. Chapter operations will focus on regional issues with an emphasis on safety education.

Developed a “Civility on the Road in Metro Orlando Social Marketing Plan” made possible by a grant from the Winter Park Health Foundation.

Educated over 600 students in the Alternative Transportation Education Program bringing the four-year total since inception to 1643 students.

Presented the inaugural Florida Bike Summit April 2, 2009 in Tallahassee.

Continued a Trips for Kids Chapter in Orlando.

Collaborated with the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center to print and distribute safety education materials including the Florida Bicycle/Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide, Florida Bicycling Street Smarts, and a variety of FBA produced DVD’s.

Promoted FBA and the Share the Road license plate with a bike shop hang tag and stuffers distributed to shops statewide by bicycle dealer representatives.

Continued ongoing safety education at a variety of workshops.

Plans to present the 2010 Florida Bike Summit April 8 in Tallahassee and the 2010 ProBike®/ProWalk Florida Conference May 11-13 in Lakeland.

Momentum from the Civility on the Road social marketing campaign at year-end resulted in a two-year Capacity Building grant from the Winter Park Health Foundation to create an FBA Central Florida Chapter doing business as Bike/Walk Central Florida. Chapter operations will focus on public awareness campaigns to encourage bicycling, especially for novice riders to build empathy for the cycling experience, plus increase awareness and improve attitudes toward safely passing cyclists on the road.

Redesigned and upgraded websites, electronic newsletter and quarterly newsletter Messenger .

Educated over 500 students in the Alternative Transportation Education Program.

Presented the forth annual ProBike®/ProWalk Florida conference in St. Petersburg offering 23 sessions and 3 pre-conference workshops. Keynote speakers included Dan Burden, Ian Lockwood, Bob Chauncey, and Marketing for Change presenters Sara Isaac and Tait Martin. National and state updates were delivered by Sharon Roerty, National Center for Bicycling and Walking; Andy Clarke, League of American Bicyclists; Dennis Scott, Florida Department of Transportation; Jena Brooks, Office of Greenways and Trails; and Ken Bryan, Florida Field Office for Rails to Trails Conservancy.

Plans to present the inaugural Florida Bike Summit April 2, 2009 in Tallahassee.

Continued a Trips for Kids Chapter in Orlando.

Produced and distributed bicycle and pedestrian safety education materials including the Florida Bicycle and Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide, Florida Bicycling Street Smarts, a variety of DVD’s, and new program/membership brochure.

Educated children and adults at a variety of workshops.

Promoted FBA programs and the Share the Road license plate at special events.

FBA celebrated 10 years of service to Florida’s cyclists.

Educated nearly 400 students in the Alternative Transportation Education Program — 3-hour course covering pedestrian and bicycle safety, practical bicycling, transit and other issues important to individuals who have lost their right to drive a motor vehicle. The program was offered in Seminole County with plans to expand to other counties.

Presented the third annual ProBike®/ProWalk Florida conference in Orlando.

  • 30 breakout sessions including mobile workshops

    1. 3 pre-conference sessions including the Traffic Justice Coalition of Florida

Conducted Florida Discovery Bicycling Center tours. Program was fine-tuned to combine bicycle safety education and small group touring.

Created a Trips for Kids Chapter in Orlando.

Target audience includes foster children or children in need.

Program takes children on weekend adventures to provide opportunities to explore the outdoors and develop bicycling skills.

Produced and distributed bicycle and pedestrian safety education materials including the following:

  • Combination Bicycle and Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide

    1. Florida Bicycling Street Smarts

    2. Elementary and Middle School Helmet Program DVD’s

    3. Triple feature plus more Bicycle/Motorist Law Enforcement DVD

    4. Group Riding and Ethics of the Law DVD

Educated children and adults at a variety of workshops.

Promoted FBA programs and the Share the Road license plate at special events.

2008

2007

2006

Creation of Florida Discovery Bicycling Center tours.

Group Riding Ethics and the Law DVD.

Combination Florida Bicycle and Pedestrian Law Enforcement Guide.

Re-print of Florida Bicycling Street Smarts.

Triple feature plus more Bicycle/Motorist Law Enforcement DVD.

Bicycle Law Enforcement – Officer Training program curriculum.

2nd Annual ProBike®/ProWalk Florida conference in St. Augustine.

Middle & Elementary School Bicycle Helmet program.

Alternative Transportation Education program.

Bicycle safety education training to adults and children.

2003

Produced Ride on By II: Promoting Safe Interaction Between Motorists & Cyclists.  This production is the third in a 3-part series geared toward law enforcement to offer guidance and information related to bicycle and roadway sharing.

  • Ride on By I targets bicyclists errors while Ride on By II targets motorist errors

    1. Understanding Bicycle Law Enforcement provides the visual tools and strategies needed so officers can understand crashes and how to successfully enforce traffic laws.

    2. Produced Older Adult Activity video

    3. Distributed FBA News electronic newsletter – over 800 subscribers

    4. Distributed Florida Bicycle Association Messenger quarterly newsletter – 3400 circulation including bike shops statewide

    5. Broke 12,000 in Share the Road license plate sales

    6. Educated over 300 people at bicycle safety workshops

    7. Produced 6th printing of Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide – over 56,000 distributed since 2001

    8. Produced 3rd printing of Florida Bicycling Street Smarts – over 30,000 distributed since 2003

    9. Hosted the ProBike®/ProWalk Florida Conference in Tampa

    10. Continued as a clearinghouse of information viawww.floridabicycle.org, www.probikeprowalkflorida.com, andwww.sharetheroad.org

    11. Promoted public awareness via attendance at nearly 100 events

2002

2005

2001

2000

The 3rd printing of the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide resulted with a total of 26,500 copies in circulation.

A training program and video for law enforcement personnel was developed to complement the guide.

Share the Road license plates generated over $155,000 since Summer 2000 with $59,000 benefiting FBA.

Share the Road mini-grants were established to provide funds for programs that focus on motorist and bicyclist education and awareness of proper, legal roadway sharing.

Road 1 workshops and other bicycle safety education workshops were established.

FBA had a presence at over 50 events.

FBA established an asset account to receive gifts of securities and planned giving.

FBA was approved for another Highway Safety Grant in the amount of $43,862 from the Florida Department of Transportation.

Membership increased by 25% with plans to launch another membership campaign in February 2003.

Laura Hallam became Executive Director, and two new members, Duke Breitenbach and Mighk Wilson, joined the board. The expansion of membership gave birth to greater advocacy efforts and a broader educational program. Bike Action Workshops were held in many cities around the state and resulted in the formation of citizen bicycle advocacy groups that were winning new victories for bicyclists. More workshops were planned for 2002 on an as-requested basis concentrating on areas of the state that had high crash activity. FBA supported the Florida Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education program and worked cooperatively with Bike Florida on the annual Share the Road Rally and Bicycle Summit.

Statewide communication links for bicyclists were improved via the quarterly newsletter, The Florida Bicycle Messenger, the web site, two e-mail lists and an electronic newsletter, FBA News.

A major accomplishment was a law enforcement booklet intended for distribution to law enforcement officers across the state. The booklet contains information on the “hows” and “whys” of enforcing for bicycle safety, including a summary of all the relevant Florida statutes.

Thanks to Tina Russo, FBA President, for her early research that helped kick off the project, to Paul Hardy for continuing the project and to Mighk Wilson, who finalized the booklet based on input from many sources including Pat Pieratte, Theo Petritsch and Dwight Kingsbury in the FDOT Safety Office, Dr. Linda Crider, and Paul Casazza, a police officer on FBA’s advisory board. Thanks also goes to Randall Williams, also on FBA’s board, who readied the booklet for final printing.

FBA underwent some staffing changes in 2000. Carol Wilson stepped down as Executive Director in May, although she continued to perform the essential administrative duties of the organization on a volunteer basis. She will continue in 2001 as FBA’s bookkeeper. Paul Hardy departed as Program Director in September. We appreciate Paul and Linda Hardy’s energy and commitment to FBA’s programs. Lyndy Lyle Moore joined the Board of Directors.

Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide – 4th printing; over 30,000 copies in circulation.

Florida Bicycling Street Smarts Riding Confidently, Legally and Safely – 10,000 copies made possible by funding from the Florida “Share the Road” license plate program and the State Safety Office of the Florida Department of Transportation.

Bike ‘N Ped Driver Ed kits – 2000 copies; cooperative venture between FBA, Bike Florida, Florida Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education Program, and Florida Technology Transfer Center to increase awareness among motorists about laws for bicyclists and pedestrians and to learn how to properly share the road with all users.

Bicycle Safety education workshops in cooperation with Florida Traffic and Bicycle Safety Education Program and League of American Bicyclists.

Bicycle Safety PSA’s: “Get out and ride”; “Ride with traffic flow” available on VHS and BETA (English, Spanish, Closed-captioned).

“Right on by” bicycle law enforcement video to justify why traffic law enforcement is the key to prevent bicycle crashes.

Education and enforcement go hand in hand in promoting legal roadway sharing by all users. FBA plans to conduct more bicycle safety education workshops throughout the state in 2004.