BikeWalkLee: Staying safer when the days are shorter

BikeWalkLee Column ‘Go Coastal’
The News-Press, December 16, 2021
by Ken Gooderham 

Just because the days are getting shorter doesn’t mean your lifespan has to do the same.

As is often the case as winter and season converge, there has been a spate of cyclist and pedestrian deaths on Southwest Florida roadways. (There’s been plenty of fatalities not involving biking or walking, but that’s for another discussion.)

Many of these bike/ped fatalities occurred once the sun went down, a chronic problem exacerbated by the dwindling amount of daylight this time of year. (For the record, our shortest day comes on Dec. 21, the Winter Solstice, with 10.5 hours of daylight.)

What can be done to make conditions safer for bikers and walkers, particularly at night?

First, cyclists and pedestrians need to take steps to make themselves safer… even if they aren’t at fault otherwise. As the bromide goes: Being right doesn’t matter when you’re dead.

What helps make you safe when biking or walking?

● See and be seen: This means lights galore, bright colors, reflective materials and anything else that helps you stand out and get noticed by motorists.

On your bike, have lights front (white) and back (red), more than one each if possible – since you need to see (as in where you’re going) as well as be seen). Flashing lights help you stand out from the night scenery, as does anything that reflects light (particularly if it shows movement as well, since that often grabs the eye of drivers).

On foot? The same things apply… lights to show you’re there (as well as show you the path ahead), bright colors and reflective materials.

● Obey the rules, even if others don’t: When visibility is limited is not the time to act erratically or dangerously. On your bike, ride with traffic so drivers approaching the roadway have a better chance of noticing you (since they’ll be looking for oncoming traffic, you want to act like that). Stop at intersections, particularly when there’s other vehicles involved. Ride consistently and predictably – no weaving, darting into traffic or sudden stops.

If walking, walk facing traffic so you can see the behavior of approaching vehicles in time to take evasive action. If possible, cross roadways at intersections or crosswalks, when (in theory) drivers should be paying more attention to that possibility. And even though all other traffic is supposed to yield to you, don’t act like you expect that until you see them giving you the right of way.

● Bike or walk defensively: You have a lot more to lose, so it behooves you to pay a lot more attention on the night-time roadways.

If you have that option, look for roads with room for every road user – ones with shoulders, bike lanes or sidewalks. Similarly, well-lighted roads give you a better chance of being seen overall. And if you can only get one of the two– space or lights – that’s still better than “none of the above.”

When on the move, assume the worst of your fellow road users… sadly, you usually won’t be disappointed. But don’t assume that drivers can see you, will stop for you and can avoid you. They can’t, they won’t and they don’t.

Suffice it to say that ALL road users should avoid being under the influence. Driving drunk is a recipe for disaster, but biking or walking under the influence is not far behind. Anything that impairs your judgment and response time is a bad idea, whatever your mode of transportation.

The burden shouldn’t have fall exclusively on cyclists and pedestrians when it comes to making roads safer. Drivers should step up their game to ensure safer streets, especially since they have the deadlier vehicle under their control. And road planners and local officials also have a role to play, both to design and build safer roadways, upgrade existing ones and working with local communities and citizens to improve those streets with chronic safety issues. Just because you don’t drive doesn’t mean you don’t matter.

Ultimately, though, cyclists and pedestrians have the most to lose from unsafe streets… so they should have the most incentive to strive for safer conditions.

NOTE: Don’t take a holiday from getting outside this time of year, particularly if you’re gathering with family and friends for the first time in a while. Going for a walk is something all ages and fitness levels can do – and do together.

Getting on each other’s nerves? Then get out the door and go for a walk… and leave the politics, family drama and holiday craziness behind, if only for a little while.

 ●●●

EVENTS 

FORT MYERS TRACK CLUB (ftmyerstrackclub.com):

• SYAL Run for the Youth 5K, Saturday, Jan. 8, downtown Fort Myers.
• Metro-McGregor Kiwanis BUG Chase 5K, Saturday, Jan. 22, Calusa Nature Center, Fort Myers.
• Strides for Education 5K, 7:30 a.m., Saturday, Feb. 5, Florida Southwest State College, Fort Myers.
• Edison Festival of Light Junior Fun Run (distance varies by age), noon, Sunday, Feb. 13, downtown Fort Myers.
• Edison Festival of Light 5K, Saturday, Feb. 19, 5:45 p.m., downtown Fort Myers.
• Hooters River Roots & Ruts 10 Mile Trail Run, Sunday, March 6, Caloosahatchee Regional Park, Alva.
  

GC RUNNERS (gcrunner.org):

• Coach McGarity 5 Mile Hill Run, 8 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 18, Marco Island.
• Naples Daily News Half Marathon, 7 a.m., Sunday, Jan. 16, downtown Naples.
• Picayune 10 Miler, Saturday, Feb. 12, Sabal Palm Hiking Trail, Naples.
  

ELITE EVENTS (runeliteevents.com):

• Christmas Glow Run 5K, Saturday, Dec. 18, 6 p.m., Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota.
• Sarasota West Coast half marathon and 5K, Sunday, Dec. 19, 7 a.m., Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota.
• Venice Half Marathon & 5K, Saturday, Feb. 19, 6:30 a.m., Maxine Barritt Park, Venice.
• Fort Myers City of Palms Half Marathon & 5K, Saturday March 5, 6:30 a.m., FGCU campus.
• Punta Gorda Half Marathon & 5K, Saturday, March 12, 6:30 a.m., Lashley Park.
  

OTHER RUNS

• I Love The 80s 5K, Sunday, Feb. 6, North Collier Regional Park (active.com).
  

OTHER RIDES

The Caloosa Riders are offering member rides, but some are open to non-members (and it wouldn’t hurt you to join the club); check their ride calendar (caloosariders.org) for a description of the distance and speed, and to see if the ride is open to all.

SW Florida Critical Mass is offering their usual slate of family-friendly rides. Check out their line-up online (www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/) for details and times (and to make sure the ride is still rolling).

• SW Florida Critical Mass ride, first Friday of the month. A family-friendly slow night ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Helmet and lights required, meet in the parking lot at 2180 West First Street, Fort Myers. 
• Sanibel Critical Mass night ride, second Saturday of the month. Gathers at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• NE Lee Critical Mass ride, third Friday of the month. Gather in the Winn Dixie parking lot on Palm Beach Blvd. about five miles east of the Interstate; gather at 7 p.m. and roll at 7:30 p.m. for a slow ride through Fort Myers Shores.
• Cape Coral Critical Mass ride, fourth Friday of the month. Gather at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly night ride through the Cape; helmets and lights required.
• Saturday Morning Slow Roll, fourth Saturday of the month. Meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.
  

TRIATHLONS

• 2022 Alpha Win Sarasota Triathlon, half-Ironman, Olympic and sprint triathlon, Saturday, Jan. 9, Nathan Benderson Park, Sarasota (https://alpha.win/event/sarasota-fl/).
  
• St. Anthony’s Triathlon (St. Petersburg) has been rescheduled again, now to May 1, 2022, Olympic and sprint (https://satriathlon.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 bikewalklee.blogspot.com.

 

BikeWalkLee: Risk vs. responsibility

BikeWalkLee Column ‘Go Coastal’
The News-Press, January 28, 2021
by Ken Gooderham

Image: The News-Press

I believe people have the inalienable right to be stupid – as long as the only person you put at risk is yourself.

But if anyone else could be harmed by your actions (or inactions), then you put aside vanity or politics or whatever else is motivating you, and worry about the greater good.

Right off, let me reassure you this isn’t about masks… an issue where the only consideration should be scientific. Instead, this is inspired by something only slightly less contentious: Bike helmets.

Most cyclists have an opinion about helmets… and sometimes (but not always) those opinions are even supported by facts.

There are riders who are vociferously pro-helmet, and others equally as energized against them. Sometimes, amazingly enough, both sides are using the same argument to make their case.

Take safety, as one example. The pro-helmet proponents rightly claim that helmets can reduce the chances of brain injuries resulting from accidents. The anti-helmet response is that helmets might help in low-impact interactions but don’t really matter in a high-impact crash (think moving vehicle vs. cyclist).

Pros say helmet use lessens rider risk. Antis say requiring helmets drive people away from cycling – which increases risk overall since cycling in general is safer if there are more cyclists on the road to remind motorists to be careful.

Pros say helmet use promotes safe cycling. Antis retort that helmets can create a false sense of safety, which can result in more aggressive cycling that’s ultimately more risky.

Antis also point to the preponderance of non-helmeted cyclists in Europe, where cycling is considerably safer than in the U.S. Pros point out that drivers and roadways in Europe are more cycling-friendly, and infrastructure plays a BIG role in bike safety.

Antis also note that there are many other activities cyclists routinely undertake (such as riding with earphones) that put them at far more risk than no wearing a helmet. Pros agree, but argue that wearing a helmet AND not doing the other risky stuff is an even smarter way to ride.

All this brings me back to my opening statement: People have the inalienable right to be stupid.

If you, as an adult cyclist, simply cannot abide the thought of wearing a helmet – don’t. That’s your choice.

But if that’s a risk you’re willing to take, then you take responsibility for it as well.

What you don’t get to do, however, is to push that responsibility for risk onto others.

If you are participating in an organized ride or group event where helmets are required, shut up and put one on. Those event organizers are liable for your safety, at least while you’re part of their activity, and their insurers and sanctioning bodies almost certainly require anyone participating wear a helmet – to hopefully reduce the risk and lower the liability.

If you are a parent, put helmets on your kids when they ride. Not only is it the law (in Florida, for any cyclist under age 16), it’s also a way to protect your kids and their young-and-growing (we hope) brains. And while we’re getting legal, it’s also against the law to ride while using earphones or headsets.

Finally, if you’re trying to be a responsible rider, you may at least want to adjust your helmet attitude to the circumstances around you.

I ride a couple of times each week on a variety of road and path types, from on-road bike lanes to very protected neighborhood streets. Out in serious traffic, most cyclists you see are wearing helmets. On the quiet low-speed streets, most cyclists are not.

Whether it’s the perception of risk and safety – wear a helmet when riding in or close to serious traffic, don’t when the vehicles around you are less and slower – even if the reality doesn’t match up, I can’t say… and, frankly, I don’t care. That’s your choice as a cyclist.

You just need to take responsibility for that choice, whatever the consequences.

EVENTS

Here’s the latest in organized running and biking events locally… but confirm with the organizers and be flexible in case conditions change and large-group activities are limited. Of course, wear a mask and act appropriate to your age, condition and medical concerns.

FORT MYERS TRACK CLUB (ftmyerstrackclub.com):

• Strides for Education 5K, Florida Southwestern State College, Saturday, Feb. 6 (in-person and virtual).
• Downtown Dash, 1-mile run/walk, in person in downtown Fort Myers, Friday, April 16.
  

GC RUNNERS (gcrunner.org):

• Run for the Paws 5K, Saturday, Jan. 30 (in-person and virtual only).
• Naples Golden Eagle 5K, Saturday, Feb. 13, Lowdermilk Park, Naples.
  

ELITE EVENTS (runeliteevents.com):

• Venice Half Marathon and 5K, Saturday, Feb. 13.
• City of Palms Half Marathon and 5K, TBD.
  
• Paradise Coast Half Marathon and 5K, Saturday, March 13.
  

OTHER RUNS

• Busey Bank Run for Prevention 5K run/walk, in-person on Sunday, Jan. 30, at Jaycee Park (runsignup.com) or virtual. 
• Cape Coral Animal Shelter Rescue Run 5K (dogs welcome), Saturday, March 20, 3dracinginc.com.
  
• Publix Run to the Arts 5K run/walk – in person on Feb. 7, 2021, or virtual Jan. 30-Feb. 7 runsignup.com or runtothearts.com
• Running Into 2021 Like…. virtual 5K/4 Mile/10K/1 Mile fun run, through Jan. 31, Supporting Pace Center for Girls. runsignup.com
  

CYCLING

The Caloosa Riders are offering member rides, but some are open to non-members (and it wouldn’t hurt you to join the club); check their ride calendar (caloosariders.org) for a description of the distance and speed, and to see if the ride is open to all.

SW Florida Critical Mass is offering their usual slate of family-friendly rides. Check out their line-up online (www.meetup.com/Biking-SWFL/events/) for details and times (and to make sure the ride is still rolling).

• SW Florida Critical Mass ride, first Friday of the month. A family-friendly slow night ride through Fort Myers. Front and rear bike lights required. Helmet and lights required, meet in the parking lot at 2180 West First Street, Fort Myers.
• Sanibel Critical Mass night ride, second Tuesday of the month. Gathers at Jerry’s Shopping Center, 1700 Periwinkle Way, on Sanibel. Lights required, helmets recommended.
• NE Lee Critical Mass ride, third Friday of the month. Gather in the Winn Dixie parking lot on Palm Beach Blvd. about five miles east of the Interstate; gather at 7 p.m. and roll at 7:30 p.m. for a slow ride through Fort Myers Shores.
• Cape Coral Critical Mass ride, fourth Friday of the month. Gather at the Southwest Florida Military Museum parking lot at 4820 Leonard Street for a family-friendly night ride through the Cape; helmets and lights required.
• Saturday Morning Slow Roll, fourth Saturday of the month. Meet-up at 2160 McGregor Blvd., Fort Myers. Recommended for inexperienced/young riders. Distance is 6 miles, includes group ride instruction.

If racing is not your thing but you’d like to support their return nonetheless, consider volunteering to help out at the few in-person offerings ahead. With Covid concerns still confining some of the usual volunteers, a few new helping hand would certainly be welcomed.

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.

 

 

Hit-and-runs a continuing problem in Lee County

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, February 12, 2020
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Frequent walkers, runners and bike riders are considered vulnerable users of our public rights of way because of the lack of protection offered by those drivers of motor vehicles.

Like anyone navigating traffic, we must be extremely mindful of our own actions as well as anticipate the behavior of others. But besides being significantly more vulnerable when not traveling within a motor vehicle, another major difference is that using human power to get around is a right versus the privilege of operating a motor vehicle, a privilege that requires substantial responsibility. Rendering aid and staying at the scene of a crash with injuries or fatalities is not just morally appropriate but it’s also the legal responsibility of all motorists.

In 2014, the penalties for not doing so were significantly increased in order to further convince drivers to comply.

The Aaron Cohen Life Protection Act (Florida Statute 316.027) imposes a mandatory minimum prison sentence of four years to 30 years, as well as a $10,000 fine for a driver convicted of leaving the scene of a crash resulting in a fatality. Penalties for leaving crashes involving injuries and property damage were also increased.

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.

Unfortunately — and inexplicably — this change has only resulted in hit and runs increasing throughout Florida back to pre-recession levels after having decreased each year until 2014. According to an NBC-2 story broadcast/published on Nov. 24 last year, between Jan. 1 and Nov. 24 of 2019 the Lee County Sheriff’s Office responded to 1,448 hit-and-run crashes, the Cape Coral Police Department to 608, and the Fort Myers Police Department to 107. The Florida Highway Patrol did not have 2019 statistics but reported responding to 3,000 in 2018, according to NBC- 2. Your guess is as good as mine as to why more people involved in crashes are deciding to leave the scene.

Although I was unable to find accurate accounting of hit-and-run crashes involving pedestrians and those on bikes, it’s clear to me that fatalities among nonmotorists in those incidents represent a higher rate than others, even considering that our overall bike/pedestrian fatality rate as a percentage of all crashes is always higher than the national average of 15-20%; Lee County is routinely at 25-30%. As of the writing of this column the three bike/pedestrian fatalities that have occurred so far in 2020 were all hit-and-runs, so it looks like the upward trend will continue, at least in our part of the state.

Freddie Santiago’s son, Patrick, was struck by a motor vehicle and left to die in the early morning hours of Sunday, Feb. 24, 2019, as he walked home from work. The homicide occurred in North Fort Myers on Beau Drive, a short street that runs parallel to U.S. 41 between Hancock Bridge Parkway and North Key Drive. Freddie has been doing as much detective work as he can to help find his son’s killer but he’s also looking to raise awareness of the impact hit-and-run crashes have on others and our community.

To that end he’s hosting an awareness rally on Saturday, March 7, beginning at 4 p.m. on Beau Drive behind the new RaceTrac gas station near the site where Patrick was found. Freddie would like anyone who’s concerned or has been affected by hit-and-run crashes, whether it involved a pedestrian, person on a bike, or motorist, to take part. For more information about the event, call Freddie Santiago at 717-303-4445 or e-mail pi1stclass@aol.com. If you have any information about Patrick’s death, call 800-780- TIPS (8477) and be eligible for up to a $10,000 reward.

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.

Vision Zero

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, January 29, 2020
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

It’s no secret that I’m critical of both our local and state elected leadership regarding commitment toward implementing Complete Streets and other measures to improve access and safety for non-motorists.

Lee County’s history of having one of the worst overall traffic safety records year after year doesn’t seem to present a problem for our top decision-makers. Fortunately, organizations and individuals on the frontline are engaged in ongoing efforts to affect positive change. One such undertaking just getting started here is part of a worldwide initiative called Vision Zero, as in zero traffic fatalities.

Keeping in mind that pedestrians and people on bikes make up 1 in 4 traffic fatalities each year in Lee County (that’s almost double the national average rate), any effort that reduces overall numbers would undoubtedly decrease bike/pedestrian deaths as well. But while having no loss of life from traffic crashes — whether motorist, bicyclists or pedestrian — should always be the goal, even the most optimistic among us must realize it’s not possible. Or is it?

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.

A major European city is doing just that. Smart Cities Dive (www.smartcitiesdive.com) reports that Oslo, Norway, had no pedestrian or cyclist deaths in 2019 and the sole traffic-related fatality was a motorist who ran his car into a fence. Oslo leaders developed plans in 2015 and began implementing them two years later. Among the actions undertaken are encouraging car-free trips, making infrastructure safety improvements, removing over 1,000 parking spaces, adding miles of bike lanes and sidewalks, expanding their bike-share program, investing more resources to significantly improve public transit, and making some downtown areas car-free zones. The benefits of these changes go beyond safety: the reduction on motor vehicles means less congestion for delivery and transit vehicles and fewer cars also equates to less emissions, something that results in better air quality for its residents and is important to a city and country that’s taking committed to taking significant steps to deal with climate change.

Per www.visionzeronetwork.org, Vision Zero is an effort begun in Sweden in the 1990s and is based on “the ethical belief that everyone has the right to move safely in their communities, and that system designers and policy makers share the responsibility to ensure safe systems for travel.” That means having safe public right of way for pedestrians, transit users, people on bikes and other human-powered devices, and drivers should be expected and provided by those having the power to make that a reality.

Locally, the University of South Florida’s Center for Urban Transportation Research has received a grant from National Safety Council to help communities focus on effective and appropriate messaging when it comes to how traffic crashes are reported.

All too often the most vulnerable road users who are victims of crashes are inappropriately blamed, either in law enforcement reports or in media stories. In some cases it’s inadvertent due to the use of certain phrases and terms such as “the pedestrian was hit by the car” versus “by the driver of the car” and “the pedestrian darted into the road,” implying fault before investigation is completed. I’ve read a number of crash reports that include clearly biased narratives against the non-motorist with statements like “for some reason the pedestrians didn’t see the vehicle” but didn’t include a similar statement like “for some reason the driver didn’t see the pedestrian.” Or “the victim (pedestrian) was in a portion of the roadway not intended for pedestrians.” Statements like these merely reinforce the misperception that public right of way are meant only for motor vehicles.

Another recent example of problematic reporting that can have major implications as to how the general public perceives the environment for those who cycle here is a U.S. News and World Report story in early January on the topic of best places to live. Whenever there are best places there are those on the other end of the list. According to the article’s author, Cape Coral (a League of American Bicyclists’ Bike Friendly Community since 2015) ranks as the most dangerous place in the U.S. for folks riding bikes, at least when using the fatality rate for those commuting by bike. Between 2014 and 2017 there were four fatalities in Cape Coral involving people on bikes but when using the formula the author cited that equates to 1,333 cyclist deaths for every 100,000 commuters who use bikes to get to work.

While that may be technically accurate (although I’m not sure of that because League of American Bicyclists’ rate for Cape Coral is almost half that), the fact that there are less than 100 Cape Coral residents who use that mode of transportation to travel to work (per www.carinsurance.org) means using such a statistic makes the environment appear infinitely worse than the reality of four (too many) deaths in four years.

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.

Lee County continues to ignore bicycle-pedestrian needs

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, November 20, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Courtesy Photo

Lee County has seen quite a bit of bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure added since it was a virtual wasteland for nonmotorists. A significant amount of bike lanes, sidewalks and shared-use paths are in place. That’s good news for everyone, residents and visitors alike.

However, a huge backlog of all of those features remains, with funding being the primary obstacle, according to local officials. While it’s understandable that money is the issue, the fact that spending on bicycle-pedestrian projects is miniscule in comparison to other transportation projects means we’re not putting a dent in the backlog of needs, primarily along roads that still have nothing on the ground.

When I received notice recently of the Palomino Road pathway project ribbon cutting ceremony, it reminded me of just how difficult it is to get even the most obviously needed projects done. I recall this particular one being initiated well over a decade ago (maybe closer to two decades ago), at a time when Palomino Road was transitioning from a rural road off Daniels Parkway with only a few homes on ranch- and farm-sized lots to sprawling gated communities containing hundreds of housing units and a megachurch on Palomino just for good measure.

The fact that development was allowed without any bicycle-pedestrian accommodation on the only road in and out of those gated neighborhoods and the megachurch church parking lot is a good example of the cause of the backlog.

This is not an uncommon situation, a problem the governments permitting such growth are responsible for creating. The drastic reduction in impact fees is clearly also a cause of the funding shortfall. Again, the governments that are letting the developers off the impact-fee hook are as much to blame as those doing the building without paying for adequate infrastructure to handle the growth they create and profit from.

Similar to Palomino Road, nearby Fiddlesticks Boulevard was identified as needing bicycle-pedestrian accommodations decades ago, but it wasn’t until just a few years ago that a pathway was finally approved, funded and constructed.

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.

Over the years, that project was an ongoing agenda item for the committee on which I served. The reasons given for not building it made clear to me that this kind of common situation was going to haunt us, perhaps forever. Besides the gated community syndrome, there are the large bedroom communities of San Carlos Park, Lehigh Acres and Iona, as well as at-risk neighborhoods Suncoast Estates, Palmona Park, Pine Manor, Page Park, Charleston Park, Harlem Heights and others that were developed decades ago with only motor vehicle traffic accommodation being required.

We’ll be playing catch-up indefinitely in and around these kinds of communities with even newer developments that also weren’t required to adequately accommodate non-motorists.

Some of the progress that has been made in the at-risk communities can be attributed to non-traditional funding. While much of our overall transportation project funding appears to come from afar, the fact is that the majority is locally generated taxes that are sent north then reallocated back here.

But because of the strings attached, neighborhood streets are frequently ineligible to tap into them, no matter the need. Thanks to a federal human service program that infuses at-risk neighborhoods with resources to get them out of that status, some of those funds were used to construct sidewalks. The half dozen at-risk communities that benefitted each have many residents who depend on their feet, bikes and transit to get around, so it’s more than an appropriate use of the human service funds.

Because some of our local governments are loath to use local dollars for bicycle-pedestrian infrastructure, the time it takes to get projects on the ground is drastically elongated as these governments wait for state and federal transportation funds to flow in.

The city of Fort Myers is most guilty of this approach, meaning there are lots of streets in areas built-out many years ago that won’t get what should already be there until and unless the city is lucky enough to be awarded funds. At the same time, they think nothing of providing millions of dollars in tax deferments to developers in order to entice them to build within city limits. With an approach like this, many neighborhoods will never see bare minimum infrastructure.

One of the most egregious and expensive shortcomings that needs to be addressed is the lack of pedestrian access across most of our major bridges, including the Sanibel Causeway, Cape Coral Bridge, Midpoint Bridge and Caloosahatchee River Bridge. One span of the Edison Bridge is the only place that a pedestrian can legally use. Other than the Edison and Caloosahatchee River bridges, all the others are Lee County structures. The cost to add pedestrian access means we may never see it happen until new spans are built.

Image Courtesy thesfnews.com

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.

Shared e-bikes, e-scooters remain on horizon

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, October 16, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Recently the cities of Cape Coral and Fort Myers have been approached by micromobility share companies — companies that offer shared bikes or scooters — that are seeking to set up shop. As of the time of writing this column, none have moved forward nor, as far as I’ve been able to discern based on discussions at various bicycle/pedestrian planning meetings, has either municipality come up with a plan should the companies decide to ask for forgiveness rather than seek formal permission. In fact, even for those companies that would seek formal approval or a partnership with the government, none of our local governments have thus far put in place policies to regulate the businesses or their devices.

Based on what I’ve learned in researching how other communities have been affected when micromobility devices become a common part of the transportation environment, it’s imperative to have policies and ordinances in place beforehand. The companies themselves are generally multinational and have plenty of resources to fight once they’ve established a foothold in a community — think Uber and Lyft, the two primary rideshare companies that have now gotten into the micromobility business.

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.

Whether privately owned or as part of a rental or share business, the benefits of micromobility are undeniably appealing. Fewer cars on the roads means less pollution, congestion, and perhaps even being able to delay or completely eliminate the need to add additional motor vehicle travel lanes to existing roads.

Urban area parking woes could be alleviated. Transit users might benefit by having access to these devices as part of a commute that might otherwise require additional transfers or too much walking on either end of a trip. E-bikes, in particular, could actually add years to the time bicycle use would be an option for established riders, especially when climbing hills is necessary (something that isn’t really an issue here, other than a few bridges).

And folks who simply can’t afford cars or are otherwise unable to legally drive would now have an option. As someone who has consistently promoted ways to get folks out of cars you’d think I’d be 100% behind micromobility. But perhaps because of the hyper-capitalism that is the American way, what I’m instead seeing is an industry understandably seeking to maximize its products’ presence in the market but our governments being totally unprepared to deal with the many potential negative consequences — whether predictable or unintended — they represent.

My biggest concern is the potential for injury, or worse, especially among those users when riding on sidepaths. But whether on paths or roads, our infrastructure is clearly inadequate to handle a significant increase of even human-powered bikes, never mind e-bikes and e-scooters, meaning users themselves are at risk as well.

Considering how many people don’t even know the rules and laws that apply to traditional cyclists it seems pretty risky to add electric power to the mix. And how many potential users of share program e-scooters will actually have experience with them, including knowing laws that govern their use? Pedestrians, being the most vulnerable in the traffic mix, already deal with enough hazards, including in the form of some cyclists who use space not intended for them and who have little regard for others. E-bikes and e-scooters operate silently and can travel at up to 20 mph so now the sidewalks and bikepaths will become even dicier.

Until our governments come up with policies and regulations related to micromobility, and unless these same governments put the resources necessary to make our infrastructure able to handle them, rentals and share programs should be restricted or denied. As well, sidewalks and bikepaths should remain off-limits when e-bikes and e-scooters are used under electric power.

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.

Cops: If you see something, do something

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, July 31, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

It’s hard to miss this big rig blocking the sidewalk but it remained for weeks. DAN MOSER / FLORIDA WEEKLY

“If You See Something, Say Something” is an awareness campaign slogan that came to be after the 9-11 terrorist attacks. Obviously, it’s intended to spur the public to let law enforcement know whenever something seems suspicious, initially to thwart terrorist attacks. I’d like to suggest a new phrase with the intended target not being the public but rather the law enforcement community: “See Something, Do Something.” While it would seem obvious that anytime law enforcement officials see something amiss or illegal they act upon it in one way or another, the fact is it’s quite common for many illegal and dangerous acts that are traffic related to be overlooked or ignored.

Considering how horrific our traffic crash statistics are here in Southwest Florida I don’t believe it’s unreasonable to expect traffic law enforcement be a high priority. Vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and people on bikes are killed and injured at a rate almost double the national average, a rate that’s been this way for decades. One reason may be due to the lack of adequate traffic law enforcement which results in drivers realizing there’s little chance of them being stopped, warned or cited for violating traffic law.

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.

I write this with the best of intentions and as one who frequently works with the various enforcement agencies to reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities, especially among non-motorists. I’ve taken part in high visibility enforcement operations, ride-alongs and crosswalk enforcement operations so I appreciate the efforts being undertaken. But whether the apparent ongoing nominal level of enforcement is because it’s a low priority within the various law enforcement agencies or just thought of as inconsequential and not worthy of the time and effort required I’m not sure. Whatever the reason, far too many traffic infractions are witnessed by law enforcers but not acted upon. Anyone who pays attention while on our roads and pathways witnesses what I’m describing on a regular basis.

Data comparing traffic-related deaths, injuries, and financial loss to those same costs for crime are hard to come by but a recent University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute study did just that. Researchers found serious crime in Michigan in 2015 resulted in $2 billion in monetary costs and $8 billion in total costs (monetary and nonmonetary quality-of-life) versus overall traffic crashes resulting in $4.6 billion in monetary costs and $19.3 billion in total costs. More significantly, they documented 539 criminal homicides versus 1,011 fatal crashes and 28,775 non-fatal violent crimes versus 76,065 crash-related injuries. When comparing nonmonetary statistics for Florida, in 2017 there were 561 homicides versus 3,117 traffic fatalities and 42,877 non-fatal violent crimes versus 254,310 crash-related injuries (sources: flhsmv.gov and fdle.state.fl.us). Even when only the human factor is considered, traffic incidents are clearly more of a societal problem than crime. However, other than Florida Highway Patrol, most law enforcement agencies dedicate only a fraction of their budgets and manpower for traffic law enforcement.

If nothing else, the following common violations that affect non-motorists’ safety and access could initially be targeted:

Blatant violations by motorists turning right on a red light without first stopping, putting vulnerable road users at high risk when attempting to cross at intersections.

Folks on bicycles operating against the flow of traffic instead of riding in the same direction as other traffic.

Motorists obstructing foot and bicycle traffic by parking on sidewalks.

Each of these violations is obvious when occurring so the only reason I can speculate they are not addressed is because they are purposely ignored.

No one wants to see our roads turned into places where everyone must fear being pulled over each time we’re out there but something needs to change because the current approach isn’t working, as confirmed by our year-after-year crash statistics. Understanding the time and effort it takes to write citations and knowing that not all law enforcement personnel will be able to drop what they’re doing whenever they witness traffic violations we should at least expect many more contacts made with violators if only to educate and raise awareness. I suspect an encounter that results in nothing more than a reminder or a verbal warning would probably be much more impactful for the violator, at least for those who aren’t “the usual suspects” who make it a habit to break traffic laws and have the record to confirm as much. For those folks, a written citation is in order.

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.

E-bikes may be boon for transit, but safety is an issue

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, June 19, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Electric bikes are useful for seniors, for those who may want to ride to work and those
who seek a motorized vehicle but have no driver’s license. COURTESY PHOTO

I’m not sure of my position on e-bikes and other electric micro mobility devices such as e-scooters.

But I am concerned about the potential for injury due to the seemingly imminent proliferation of the devices on our roads, shared-use paths and especially sidewalks that are meant specifically for pedestrians.

Already I’m not happy that so many adults routinely operate bicycles on sidewalks — it can be dangerous for them and pedestrians alike. Adding e-bikes to the pedestrian space will only make things worse. But that being said, there are many positive aspects of e-bikes to consider. As for e-scooters, perhaps I’m too old to understand why any adult would take the risk they represent to users and those around them. So, let’s just say I’m not a fan.

Speaking of being too old, folks in my age group (60-plus) and beyond can benefit greatly from e-bikes.

“Lee County has a very large population of retirees. Electric bikes are season-of-life extenders for older riders. We can expect them to be very popular here,” is a statement provided to me by Ed Benjamin, a former local bike shop owner and one of our area’s early bicycle advocates. Since selling his bike shop decades ago, Mr. Benjamin been an international expert on e-bikes. His statement is no doubt true, especially for those who no longer have the ability or will to undertake a lengthy and sustained pedal, particularly if wind or hills (something we deal with only when bridges are involved) are an issue. Whether more serious cyclists will embrace them as they get up in years is yet to be seen. Perhaps a better question is whether fellow riders who are using only human-power bikes will accept users of e-bikes into their groups having this advantage.

 For those who commute to work or elsewhere, being able to get there without having to put out so much physical energy that they are soaked with sweat upon arrival is a clear benefit. Owning an e-bike might also be an incentive for folks who are thinking about commuting by bike but have no access to a shower once at their workplace.

Another obvious benefit of e-bikes is related to transportation equity. It’s truly an inexpensive transportation option for those who otherwise would not be able to afford a motorized vehicle. While the price for a reliable e-bike starts at over $1,000, it’s nonetheless much less expensive than even the cheapest dependable car would be. As well, costs of operating are minuscule as compared to other forms of motor-powered vehicles.

Also, e-bikes can be driven by those with no driver’s license, or those whose license has been suspended or revoked. Whatever the reason one might be without a valid license — whether due to medical conditions, DUI or other traffic law violations — e-bikes are a practical transportation alternative.

Clearly, there are individual benefits to e-bikes as well as collective benefits to having them added to the traffic mix. Getting enough bikes on the roads to reach a critical mass where drivers are forced to deal with them as the legitimate part of traffic would be a great improvement to our current environment.

Until that point is reached, however, the fact that our infrastructure is still designed and built to accommodate 2-ton motor vehicles first and foremost means safety is a major concern. And having folks who don’t know or care how to safely operate traditional bikes get on e-bikes that can travel at much higher speeds than they’d otherwise be able to reach adds another level of risk — an enhanced risk that’s shared by both the e-bike operators and other vulnerable road and pathway users. If awareness and education efforts are made part of the push by the e-bike industry, it would go a long way in making me a full-fledged proponent.

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



 
- 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.

Florida Weekly's Feature Story: Mean Streets

This week's feature story in Florida Weekly looks at what various communities in SWFL are doing to address the pedestrian safety crisis in our communities. 

Florida Weekly June 12, 2019

MEAN STREETS
Florida remains most dangerous state in our nation for pedestrians

FLORIDA REMAINS AT THE TOP OF THE list when it comes to crashes per capita between cyclists or people on foot and cars in which, many point out, the car always “wins.” The state’s most populous areas consistently bear the dubious distinctions of being among the most dangerous places to ride or walk in the United States, including the Cape Coral-Fort Myers, North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach metro areas.

But there is also evidence that Florida has become friendlier to pedestrians. Over the last decade, there has been a shift toward Complete Streets policies at the state level and in counties and cities, in which roadways are designed or retrofit for all modes of transportation.

“We’re really trying to push everyone to get on board with Complete Streets to get a connected network,” said Valerie Neilson, deputy director of multimodal development for the Palm Beach Transportation Planning Agency.

For the Palm Beach TPA, that means prioritizing high density areas with vulnerable users close to major destinations or transit hubs such as schools, she said.

While the population and number of walkers, cyclists and cars on Florida roads has steadily increased, total bike/ ped crashes has declined in the last five years through 2018. While total fatalities increased statewide last year, some counties saw modest declines or stayed nearly the same.
Pedestrian advocates and official planners also are increasingly adopting programs to lessen the likelihood of crashes. Educating drivers and pedestrians on personal safety starting in grade school and on through adulthood, as well roadway engineering, have been shown to be among the most effective solutions.

Students and staff at Florida Gulf Coast University audit local intersections and recommend safety improvements for the nonprofit Streets Alive of Southwest Florida.

In Miami-Dade County, an educational program in elementary schools called WalkSafe led to a decrease in the number of children age 0 to 14 admitted to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital and Jackson Ryder Trauma Center between 2003 and 2017.

“We’re really happy that we’ve been able to decrease injury by about 75 percent in our county and (we plan to) continue on that path,” said Dr. Gillian Hotz, Ph.D., a behavioral neuroscientist who helped develop WalkSafe and a similar BikeSafe program for middle schools and parks.

Ms. Neilson in West Palm Beach believes WalkSafe should be a statewide program.
“I think as a state we should enforce (the program) in all schools,” she said.

Diana Giraldo, president and co-founder of the nonprofit Streets Alive of Southwest Florida, is working with Florida Gulf Coast University students, along with the city of Bonita Springs, and the Lee County Department of Transportation, to audit and identify needed improvements at places such as the new Bonita Springs High School.

On a Tuesday in late May she and students took counts of the students leaving on foot and by bike at the Shangrila Road crossing, where there is no light, crosswalk markings or signage such as a speed limit or school zone sign. Ms. Giraldo clocked one truck going 53 miles per hour in this 35 mile per hour zone.

Watching a group of kids pour out of the parking lot and cross the street, she grimaced. It brings back memories of her bicycle crash with a car in 2016. She’s not able to ride again, she said, because a brain injury causes her to lose her balance.

“When I see the lack of empathy from people driving, that’s one of the hardest things,” she said.
Educational programs are only part of the solution.

“While education is a noble effort, we are designed to be car oriented,” she said. “Old designs or many of the current developing areas still encourage cars for the most part… Education and advocacy will fall short unless it is eventually accompanied with infrastructure changes.”

There is a combination of factors that keep Florida high on lists such as Smart Growth America’s 2019 Pedestrian Danger Index. The Governors Highway Safety Association’s examination of crashes between 2008 and 2017, which showed that pedestrian fatalities across the country increased by 35 percent during that time, also named Florida as one of the worst offenders.

Some of the things that make the state among the most attractive for pedestrians, such as the weather, also makes it the worst, said Guillermo Canedo, a communications specialist for the Florida Department of Transportation in South Florida.

“There’s great weather year round,” Mr. Canedo said. “There’s flat terrain. Roads are straight, generally wide and long — which is good and bad. Bad in the sense that it kind of entices motorists to travel at higher speeds.

Diana Giraldo, founder of the nonprofit Streets of Alive of Southwest Florida, clocks a car going 64 in a 45 mile per hour zone by Bonita Springs High School on Imperial Parkway.

“We have national and international tourists who visit our state who may be unfamiliar with our roads and our rules of the road. We have different driving cultures. So even though you might put out traffic safety features on the road, not everyone is going to obey them.

“We have more bicyclists on the roads now than ever before. It’s become an increasingly popular sport and form of transportation and way to commute, like I do myself.
“We have a high number of elderly motorists. As you grow older your reaction times slow and your visibility lessens.

“We have densely populated cities, so more cars and more bikes in the same places, and more and more we have distracted drivers, motorists who are texting, not paying attention to their environment. And we’re seeing more electric scooters, so all of those things impact the pedestrian landscape here.”
For his part, Naples Cyclery owner and cyclist Peter Marsh finds youthful pedestrians can be as problematic as older drivers.

A car stops at a green light to let people cross the street on Fort Myers Breach.

“I’m way more freaked out from a 17-year-old chick on Snapchat than a 74-year-old grandmother going to get freakin’ bread,” he said.
The CDC says the risk of vehicle crashes is higher among teens than any other age group.

However, a Collier County Metropolitan Planning Organization analysis of crash data from 2013 to 2015, though a much smaller sample, found that neither teen drivers or those age 65 and over are involved in a disproportionate number of crashes. Teens make up about 5 percent of the Collier County population and were involved in about 5 percent of crashes while the older drivers make up about 30 percent of the population and were involved in 32 percent of crashes.

Smartphones are another major cause of crashes, the GHSA report says, pointing out that the number of phones in the U.S. quintupled between 2008 and 2017.

But Collier MPO’s report found that aggressive driving was a contributing factors in 37 percent of crashes and failure to yield in 31 percent, while both impaired or intoxicated driving and distracted driving were both factors in only about 10 percent of crashes.

Another report cited by the Collier MPO showed pedestrian’s top errors were failure to yield when crossing the road and dashing or darting out; while drivers’ top errors were failure to yield when crossing the road and backing up into someone.

It’s easy to quibble about blame between these varied and sometimes seemingly contradictory findings. Experts point to all of the above as problems. Personal behavior and roadway engineering that could reduce crashes is a complex issue that needs to be addressed by individual area, said Collier MPO Executive Director Anne McLaughlin, and that those areas are more or less the busiest areas, as one would expect.

“There’s no one off-the-shelf solution for bike pedestrian safety. You really have to analyze why a particular location is exhibiting a lot of crashes,” she said. “And there is a relationship between high usage, where a lot of people are walking and riding, and a high number of crashes are (happening). So there’s an element of simple exposure.”

In the area near where Mr. Marsh lives across from Golden Gate City he often sees people apparently headed to or from work after dusk without lights or helmets. The GHSA report found that between 2008 and 2017, 75 percent of fatal crashes in the U.S. occurred after dark. The situation along Palm Beach Boulevard in Fort Myers, a high-crash corridor, also includes a lower-income community where people often depend on walking or riding as transportation.

— Source: FIRES (Florida’s Integrated Report Exchange System)

Smart Growth’s report points out the problem as well.
“Older adults, people of color, and people walking in low-income communities bear a higher share of harm,” it reads, often because of poor road design.

Along Palm Beach Boulevard, crosswalks or sometimes spaced so far apart that people would have to walk a mile out of their way to use one. No one would want to do that, so they cross elsewhere.
“You’ve got to remember people miscalculate speed and distance,” said Jay Anderson, a traffic safety advocate and former EMS captain who founded the nonprofit Stay Alive… Just Drive in Lee County. “It’s very hard to judge. A vehicle going 45 mph is going 66 feet per second.”

— Source: Seattle.gov. Vision Zero/ Collier MPO

Even the most experienced riders can have a lapse in common sense.
“Implementing some really common sense tactics I think go a really long way for most folks,” Mr. Marsh said. “One gentleman comes to mind is good friend of ours. He was training for an Ironman race and he was in that mindset where he had to get miles in. It was almost like at any cost these training rides had to be complete. He was on Immokalee or Oil Well when it was foggy out or something. (He) got smoked by something.” Fortunately that rider recovered.

Punta Gorda resident and longtime cyclist Court Nederveld still puts in about 8,000 miles per year on his bicycle, he said. He’s a member of Charlotte County MPO’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and past president of the Peace River Riders Bicycle Club. He’s seen major improvements over the last 15 years and argues that bicycling is essentially a safe activity for those who know and follow the rules.

Mr. Anderson of Stay Alive… Just Drive agrees. That goes for both drivers and cyclists, he adds:
“If people would obey the traffic laws think what a different it would make. That’s the solution to the problem as simple and corny as it sounds.”

Mr. Marsh addressed some of the strides pedestrian and bicycle advocates have made and where improvement is needed.

“The number of people riding bikes has just exploded” in the last 15 years, he said. “And that alone is a driving force for the modifications we need to the transportation system. So I give that a big bonus right there…

“We’ve seen the state of Florida do an almost 180 degree turn to work towards Complete Streets. (But) there’s a tremendous pushback from some local municipalities and counties.”
And he has seen more improvements for recreational cyclists than those who use it as a means of transportation.

“That’s where we need to really focus is turning bicycle riding into a transportation mode in addition to recreation,” he said.

In October 2018 the Charlotte MPO adopted a Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan for the first time. Executive Director Gary Harrell said that could help draw funding for improvements. But filling in those missing links to make all roads, which were originally designed just for cars, amenable to pedestrians and cyclists will be a steep challenge.

From post-World War II for decades onward, Florida’s road system was built for cars. And it may take years to see the results in fewer crashes from retrofitting roads with paint, signage, and more expensive improvements.

“The harder part it comes in several categories where we deal with the inventory of what we have and some roadways do have bicycle paths,” Mr. Harrell said. “Some of them have bicycle lanes, some of them just have wide shoulders, and many of them have no shoulders.” ¦

BICYCLE REGULATIONS
In Florida, a bicycle is legally defined as a vehicle. Bicyclists have the same rights to the roadway and must obey the same traffic laws as the operators of other vehicles.

When riding on sidewalks or in crosswalks, a bicyclist has the same rights and duties as a pedestrian.
A bicyclist riding on sidewalks or in crosswalks must yield the right of way to pedestrians and must give an audible signal before passing.

A bicycle operated between sunset and sunrise must be equipped with a lamp on the front exhibiting a white light visible from 500 feet to the front and a red reflector and a lamp on the rear exhibiting a red light visible from 600 feet to the rear.

A bicyclist who is not traveling at the same speed of other traffic must ride as close as practical to the right hand curb or edge of roadway. A bicyclist may leave the right-most portion of the road in one of the following situations: when passing, making a left turn, to avoid hazards, or when a lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a car to share it safely.

*Riding single file is required except on bike paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles, or when two people riding side-by-side within one lane will not impede traffic flow.
— Source: Section 316.2065, Florida Statutes

PEDESTRIAN REGULATIONS
When a sidewalk is available, pedestrians are not allowed to walk on the roadway.

Where sidewalks are not provided, pedestrians shall walk on the shoulder on the left side of the roadway, facing traffic.

When traffic signals are not present or not operational, the driver of a vehicle must yield the right of way, slowing or stopping if necessary, to pedestrians crossing within a crosswalk.

Pedestrians crossing the roadway at any point other than within a marked or unmarked crosswalk must yield the right of way to the vehicles upon the roadway.

Pavement markings are not required for crosswalks at intersections. Imaginary lines connecting the sidewalks on opposite sides of an intersection define an unmarked crosswalk. Pedestrians in unmarked crosswalks have all the rights of pedestrians in marked crosswalks.

No pedestrian shall walk upon a limited access facility (freeway or interstate highway) or a ramp connecting a limited access facility to any other street or highway.
— Source: Sections 316.130 and 316.091, Florida Statutes

THREE-FOOT RULE
The driver of a vehicle overtaking a bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle must pass the bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle at a safe distance of not less than 3 feet between the vehicle and the bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle.
— Source: Section 316.083, Florida Statutes

Everyone benefits when safety improvements are made for students

Florida Weekly 'Outdoors' column, April 24, 2019
danMOSER
bikepedmoser@gmail.com

Infrastructure like this “solar tree” could illuminate and provide seating in remote areas, making it safer for bus riders. COURTESY PHOTO

Will the recent deaths of two student pedestrians who were hit by motor vehicles result in real change this time? Tragedies like these usually do little more than raise awareness and provoke outrage for a short time before public pressure and actual efforts to find solutions wane.

One would like to think when children are the victims of such tragedies — especially those who did nothing that added to their risk — we as a community would do everything necessary to ensure it doesn’t occur again. However, over the decades I’ve been involved in working to prevent such occurrences, that’s simply not been the case. Other than survivors and families of those who have been lost, collectively we seem to have short memories.

I don’t claim to have the solution to what is clearly a complicated problem. It’s going to take a number of efforts and reforms to do the job, some that may be unappealing to the powers that be, especially in terms of land use and transportation infrastructure decisions. Reform in those areas and other potential solutions would require a sea change for our community.

For example, Lee County is still segregated enough to require School Choice, a major factor that isn’t going away tomorrow, and rightfully so. Until the underlying cause for School Choice takes place some students are going to have to travel long distances to get to their schools, which requires extra time, thus being at bus stops early in the day. Absent that unlikely transformation, moving start times to later in the morning is one idea put forth by many and should be seriously considered, even with the significant complications and added costs it means to the school district’s transportation division. It would also impact our overall traffic situation at peak hours as many more buses would likely be on the road at the same time, an inconvenience that should be acceptable to save lives but that the general public and our leaders may not find palatable.

Another big-picture element that has created the need for kids to wait in the dark on empty lots and roads that weren’t meant to handle the kind of traffic they get is our suburban sprawl model of development. This growth pattern also means schools are being built in locations with little to no infrastructure for those students who would walk or bike there. We’ll never completely undo the damage done by this suburban sprawl model, but we can at least stop making it worse, although that also seems unlikely as our elected officials and community development departments continue to give their stamps of approval to developers who only see dollar signs with the status quo. As well, implementing Complete Streets can do wonders for pedestrians, folks on bikes and drivers alike, but we need to stop the bleeding as that’s put in place. And the school district needs to think critically about the problems they create by siting schools in the hinterlands.

As for what might be done in the immediate future, I’m pleased to see the variety of options being put forth as the school district, law enforcement, students, parents and the larger community come together with their ideas. As I wrote about in a previous column, training for teachers and others who can offer traffic safety instruction to students is readily available at no cost to those being trained, resources that are woefully underutilized. A critical and thorough assessment of bus stop locations and walking/ biking audits of the streets around schools are hopefully going to be undertaken so local governments will be aware of infrastructure needs. Benches and solar lighting can be implemented relatively quickly. Ensuring that kids can be seen by the use of lights and reflective clothing and backpacks should be something done yesterday, an aspect of the problem that requires individual and family responsibility. And while law enforcement can’t be everywhere, beefing-up patrols around bus stops and within school walking and biking distances should also already be the norm.

I’m sure many more practical ideas will be offered and considered as the community comes together, ideas that in the end will be helpful to all of us who use our public roads. To learn more, visit bikewalklee.blogspot.com and www.streetsaliveswfl.org. ¦


 
- 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.