BikeWalkLee: Hot to trot?

BikeWalkLee Column
The News-Press, November 21, 2019
by Ken Gooderham


Are you ready for running’s big day?

That day would be next Thursday – Thanksgiving – the most popular day for running races according to Running USA. The group tracked 1.17 million runners participating in some kind of Thanksgiving-based event in 2018 – more than double the runners they found in 2011, the first year the nonprofit tracked the Turkey Trot totals.

That’s a lot of trotting.

What makes the event so popular?

• It’s meant to be fun, with an array of costumes you would never see at a regular race.
• It can be a family event where the generations can do something together.
• It can become a tradition, with runners boasting about how long their streak of participating reaches each year.
• It’s ubiquitous, with races in every town.
• It almost always benefits a worthy cause, another draw for participants.
• And it’s tied to Thanksgiving – a holiday known for edible excess – so burning off a few calories before ingesting vast quantities later in the day is somehow appropriate.

If this has piqued your interest in trying one out, you’ll have plenty to choose from locally (all scheduled on Turkey Day itself):

• The 40th annual Turkey Trot 5K, 1-mile fun run and tot trot, Cape Coral Hospital (ftmyerstrackclub.com)
• The 6th annual GCR Thanksgiving 5K, plus 1K kids run, downtown Naples (gcrunner.org)
• The Thanksgiving Day 5K, Hertz Arena, Estero (runeliteeevents.com)
• The FGCU 9th annual Gobbler 5K and 1K fun run, Alico Arena, Estero (runsignup.com)
• The Gobble Gobble Four Miler, offering a timed event and a fun run/walk, Naples (runsignup.com)
• The 21st annual Turkey Trot 5K run and fun walk, Florida Southwestern State College, Punta Gorda (runsignup.com)

If you can’t find one out of that lineup, you’re just not trying.

It’s a bike path!

Maybe it’s the snowbirds flocking back to town. Maybe it’s people just not knowing any better. Maybe it’s just a streak of bad luck.

Whatever the cause, it seems as though more drivers are deciding that cyclists and pedestrians shouldn’t be the only ones who use the local bike paths and lanes. They want in that action, too – so they’re parking vehicles where people should only be biking, walking or running.

How bad is it? On one recent ride, I encountered five different vehicular obstacles in a 15-mile route… two landscaping trucks, one lawn mower, one utility vehicle (actually, two – but they were end-to-end, so I’ll count them as one long obstacle) and one truck that apparently was trying to sneak off the new-car lot but only made it across the bike path before it was stopped.

In case you did not know, parking on sidewalks or bike lanes is illegal in Florida (check out Florida Statutes 316.1945) and many other places.

I understand that there are times when, absent any other option, drivers may need to temporarily park on a sidewalk or bike path… say, for a delivery, or letting a passenger out, or due to a vehicle malfunction. But none of these instances qualified as that.

Most of them were simply a matter of convenience – for the drivers, however, not for the cyclists or pedestrians. As far as the car lots who feel compelled to park their vehicles on sidewalks or bike paths… no one is going to buy your car or truck simply because it’s two feet closer to the road – but it does improve the chances of someone running into your high-priced vehicle.

So, drivers, when you have to pull off the road for whatever reason and you see that stretch of pavement or asphalt so conveniently located just over there… please resist the urge. It’s not a really long parking space… it’s a bike path, and motor vehicles should not be on it.

Ready to ride or run? 

Run? Besides the plethora of Turkey Trots mentioned above, local runners can also choose from two half-marathons – the Fall Classic Half in Naples Nov. 24 and the Florida West Coast Half (and 5K) in Sarasota Dec. 8 – along with a 10K – the 41st annual city of Palms River Run in downtown Fort Myers Dec. 7. Details at runeliteevents.com, westcoasthalf.com and ftmyerstrackclub.com, respectively.

Ride? Critical Mass has these regularly scheduled rides on tap:

• Friday, Nov. 29: Cape Coral Critical Mass ride. Gather at 7:30 p.m., start at 8 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street.
• Saturday, Nov. 30: Saturday Slow Roll 8 a.m. meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
• Friday, Dec. 6: SW Florida Critical Mass ride. A family-friendly slow ride through Fort Myers gathering at 7:15 p.m. and starting at 8 p.m. Grab your helmet, bring all your friends and meet in the open field next to Publix at First Street Village, 2160 McGregor Blvd. Fort Myers.

Lights required for night rides, helmets recommended for all, details at meetup.com.

For cyclists looking for another post-Thanksgiving tradition, try the 26th annual Turkey Leg Metric Century, which leaves from Daniels crossing Shopping Center at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29 (details at caloosariders.org)

If you’re looking for a good ride and some cycling camaraderie, look no further than the Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club. Check out their ride calendar and you see a ride for almost every day of the week (and even more on weekends), all mapped and planned for your enjoyment. The Riders even tell you how fast (or not) you’ll need to be to keep up… click on the ride of your choice for all the details and even a map. All at caloosariders.org.


Both?  Sunday, Jan. 5: HITS Endurance Sarasota Tri, with sprint/Olympic/half distances, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (hitsendurance.com).

TELL US ABOUT YOUR RIDE:

Have a favorite route you like to bike, or a unique walk you’d like to share with others? Tell us about it at info@bikewalklee.org, and maybe we can feature it in an upcoming column.

# # #

Ken Gooderham writes this on behalf of BikeWalkLee, a community coalition raising public awareness and advocating for complete streets in Lee County — streets that are designed, built, operated and maintained for safe and convenient travel for all users: pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Information, statistics and background online at www.BikeWalkLee.org. 


 

Hazards for cyclists, walkers include behavior of others

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, August 28, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

It’s no surprise that bikes are never seen parked at this rack near downtown Fort Myers. DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLY

I regularly hear from folks complaining about behavior from others on our roads and pathways.

In particular, cyclists passing on narrow sidewalks without warning and pedestrians not hearing or acknowledging warnings and obstructing the path. The latter is especially problematic when pedestrians walk dogs and the leash becomes a hazard. The former — cyclists not warning when passing — is much too common as so many people ride bikes on narrow sidewalks. The obvious solutions to each of these problems is to remain aware of one’s surroundings and to always have consideration for others.

Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian
advocate and traffic safety professional
who cycles, runs and walks regularly for
transportation, recreation and  fitness.
Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com
and 239-334-6417.

With the new school year comes the usual problems created by parents and other adults who drive their kids to school or wait with them at the bus stop — parking on or otherwise blocking sidewalks and bike lanes. Unfortunately, based on reactions of those who are guilty of this when it’s pointed out, all that matters is their own convenience. There’s no way to really measure the frequency of this behavior but based on my observations it’s extremely common and rarely addressed by either law enforcement or school officials.

Leaf blowers, mowers and weed eaters can be quite daunting when the operator is unaware of those who must pass by them. The dirt and dust from leaf blowers are especially problematic. In general, professional landscapers are very courteous but because there are so many of them it can be like playing whack-a-mole this time of year. Lawn sprinklers are another pesky element of a daily walk, run or bike ride. Although they shouldn’t be on during daylight hours, they often are. Often, they are misadjusted so are watering the sidewalk and roadway more than the grass, causing folks to avoid them by sometimes making erratic and risky detours. Just recently the sprinklers came alive in the park in front of Lee Memorial Hospital at 3:30 in the afternoon, scrambling folks sitting on park benches. I saw one hospital worker leave behind her shoes as she hastily abandoned her seat. Why there’s any need to water at all this time of year is beyond my understanding.

Uneven, broken or missing segments of sidewalks; road hazards like potholes, open storm drains, spilled and hardened concrete; shoulder drop-offs; and construction taking place in the right of way are hazards we face on a daily basis. Sidewalks along U.S. 41 are frequently closed or restricted due to utility construction beneath them, sometimes resulting in both sides being impassible. The contractor reworking 41 between Winkler Avenue and downtown Fort Myers is actually doing a good job of ensuring pedestrian (and bicycle) access, but the same can’t be said of those doing work along 41 from College Parkway to points south, work that seems to be in a perpetual state.

I think anyone who uses his bike on a regular basis will agree that adequate bike parking is something our part of the world is sorely lacking. Even our most urbanized and updated areas, (Fort Myers River District, Fort Myers Beach, South Cape Coral) do not provide it to the degree necessary and surely not enough to attract others who might ride a bike to the destination rather than drive there. Even where it is provided it’s usually spartan and hardly enticing. Locating them under cover and close to obvious destinations would be nice but it’s a rarity here. Utility poles, signposts and landscaping features are where you’ll see most bikes parked and locked. But thanks to them being designated Bike Friendly Communities, Sanibel is somewhat of an exception and Cape Coral is making strides.

To learn about this topic and more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org.¦



For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.

Pedestrians matter

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, May 22, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Shutterstock

“We are all pedestrians sometimes” served as the catch phrase for a local pedestrian safety awareness campaign many years ago. That and similar phrases can be found among many past and current traffic safety campaigns around the state, country and world.

Considering just how accurate and valid that statement is, one would think it would equate to the kind of behavior the campaigns intend: When we are motorists, we should drive carefully around vulnerable road users because, at some point, we’ll be the vulnerable ones. But instead, pedestrians — many who are earnestly trying to get around on foot as a means of transportation or simply trying to enjoy a walk — continue to be mowed down in record numbers, here and pretty much everywhere else. So, what gives?

Everyone has his or her own theory, but there’s a profession dedicated to studying and attempting to understand what’s going on in the minds of road users. These people are considered “traffic psychologists.” Although I have a social sciences degree that included plenty of psychology courses, I am not among these specialists. Rather, my interest and understanding comes from dealing with road use and traffic on an individual level and from working in the injury prevention field for many decades. That being the case, I’d like to take a brief look at our behaviors when we’re part of traffic.

As might be expected, failure to pay attention to one’s task, whether it be driving, walking or operating a bike, is a common factor in crashes or near misses among all of those modes. While there are many studies focusing on distraction/ inattention and its impact on behavior, the actual number of crashes, injuries and fatalities is unknown but likely much higher than statistics suggest, due primarily to incomplete or unreported crash data. Some studies look at distractions coming from a variety of sources and often label them as “inattention” due to “mind wandering” or “perceptual load.” So, it’s not just handheld electronic devices that are the source of distraction; anything that takes one’s mind off the task of driving, walking or operating a bike creates increased risky behavior. This should come as no surprise to anyone who’s paying attention.

Personal experience confirms the problems that result from inattention and distraction. Who hasn’t been behind the driver who speeds up and slows down inappropriately because he’s using a phone? Or the person on a bike who’s riding with no hands, wearing earbuds and looking down to deal with music choices on a device (and usually riding on the wrong side of the road)? That same scenario is all too common among pedestrians crossing the street, whether at a crosswalk or not.

It’s a bad idea to give everyone in those examples the benefit of the doubt that they know what they’re doing. Traffic psychologists (or anyone else, for that matter) don’t seem to be able to get to the root of why those types of potentially self-destructive distractions are so common.

Complex traffic conditions, surrounding environments full of stimuli such as flashing signs or beautiful scenery, or other elements out of one’s control are understandable distractions. But the examples I cited in the prior paragraph confound me and most researchers. Perhaps it’s as simple as the perceived benefits (i.e., yapping with a friend, checking text/email messages, concentrating on media/music choices) being worth the risk, especially among the majority of people who have not yet been the victim of their own or someone else’s distraction. Why those who have been harmed or harmed others by engaging in this behavior yet still choose to continue is even more perplexing.

Pedestrians and people on bikes, being the most vulnerable road users, have the most to lose due to mistakes or poor decisions made by themselves or others. However, since motorists can inflict the most damage, we have the highest level of responsibility when behind the wheel. Disappointingly, law enforcement officials too frequently put the blame on the non-motorist victim when determining who’s at fault in a crash. That equates to the general public — especially those who are less inclined to walk or bicycle regularly — believing it’s just fine to operate a 2-ton vehicle as a secondary task while doing whatever else they’d rather be doing.

I guess besides individually behaving the way we’d like others to behave, all we can do is hope people decide to behave better whenever mixing with traffic. And we can get involved in changing the dynamics of our infrastructure and traffic law enforcement.

As always, to learn about these topics and more visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org (where you’ll find a newly developed map of crashes involving pedestrians and people on bikes).  ¦




 
- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417. 

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.

Use caution when biking and walking on congested pathways

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, 3/14/18
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Even when it’s not crowded, this downtown Fort Myers sidewalk isn’t a place to ride a bike. DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLY

With high season upon us, our roads aren’t the only place where congestion — and sometimes bad behavior — reign. Many of our pathways are quite busy and some reach capacity at times. Those include some stretches on Sanibel, Fort Myers Beach, Bonita Beach, parts of McGregor Boulevard and sidewalks in the core of downtown Fort Myers. While full-time residents can forego overcrowded restaurants until things get back to normal, that’s not always an option for roads and pathways.

For those walking or running the most common complaints relate to cyclists who use the paths — which are frequently narrow sidewalks only 5 feet wide — but travel fast and fail to warn when passing. Another common gripe is that motorists fail to comply with crosswalks, don’t stop before making a right-on-red or block the crosswalk when waiting to proceed.
 

Florida law allows cyclists to use sidewalks unless local jurisdictions enact ordinances banning it. Other than a few blocks in the core of the downtown Fort Myers business district and one side of West First Street in the same general vicinity, the rest of Lee County allows bikes to operate on sidewalks. And as far as I can tell there is no enforcement of the city’s ordinance, even though downtown is frequently crowded with sidewalk café tables, diners, servers and other pedestrians. According to Florida law, “A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances” and “A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.”

The law is clear and it should be common sense that cyclists have an obligation to proceed with caution and warn before passing true pedestrians and even other “pedestrian” cyclists. And while there’s no specific language in Florida law related to pedestrians who are running, on skates or skateboards, or those using power wheelchairs and scooters, they should adhere to the same common sense concept so as not to create the potential for surprise and injury when approaching from any direction.

Motorists obviously have a high level of responsibility because of the serious damage vehicles can render.

Unfortunately, Lee County is the most dangerous place in the U.S. for pedestrians, and not much better for cyclists, primarily because too many drivers don’t adhere to the law. It seems so many of us thumb our noses at traffic laws that it’s almost impossible to enforce to the degree necessary to get us off the top of the worst-of list. Add to that the over-design of our roads and lack of adequate bike/pedestrian accommodation in many places and the worse pedestrian environment label is what results. When our roads are maxed out and filled with aggressive, impatient, inconsiderate and distracted drivers, the problems are even more serious. At the very least, sidewalk parking violations can easily be enforced by simply observing the offending cars.

Why this is not the case remains a mystery to me and the fact it’s not addressed is among is one of the reasons we have such a poor reputation.

Like so many other problems in our society, it’s really only a few people who create them. When traffic laws are observed and common courtesy practiced, things usually go smoothly. It’s unfortunate that there are enough who don’t go along with societal expectations that our law enforcers can’t keep up, thus our traffic and especially the bike/pedestrian environment has become dismal and dangerous.¦


- Dan Moser is a long-time bicycle/pedestrian advocate and traffic safety professional who cycles, runs and walks regularly for transportation, recreation and fitness. Contact him at bikepedmoser@gmail.com and 334-6417. 

For Lee County cycling and tri events visit Caloosa Riders Bicycle Club (caloosariders.org); Florida Mudcutters (mudcutters.org); and SW Florida Biking Meetup Group (meetup.com/Biking-SWFL). The Florida Bicycle Association (floridabicycle.org) is your source for statewide happenings. BikeWalkLee’s blog site has all the information you’ll need to stay abreast of advocacy efforts in Southwest Florida as well as statewide and nationally.