SWFBUD Urges Tampa Police Chief Castor To Advise Officers On When It's OK For Bicyclists To Be In The Lane

I recently received an email from a bicyclist who was cited by Tampa police for not bicycling to the far right edge of a roadway. While law requires bicyclists to bike to the far right as "practicable," there are several circumstances under which a bicyclist can bike in the lane and not at the edge.

One of which is when a lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a car to travel safely side by side. That happens a lot in Tampa, where lanes are sub-standard in width and less than 14 feet wide.

In response, I sent this email to new Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor in hopes SWFBUD can help educate Tampa police and the motoring public about a bicyclist's right to be in the lane under certain circumstances.

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Dear Chief Castor,

I hope your new assignment is working out well for you. Congratulations on being named police chief.

As director of SWFBUD, I am writing to forward you an email I received from a bicyclist who was cited by a Tampa police officer who apparently believed that bicyclists must stay as close as possible to the far right edge or curb of a roadway -- even in the event of road lanes that are sub-standard in width.

However, Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide cites 316.2065 that explains several situations under which bicyclists do not have to ride as close as practicable to the right hand curb or edge, including "when a lane is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side." The guide goes on to say: "A cyclist should maintain at least two feet of clearance from a curb or pavement edge. Since the mininum clearance for passing a bicyclist is three feet and the total width of larger motor vehicles is commonly eight feet or more, a lane with less than 14 feet of usable width is usually too narrow for motor traffic to pass."

In this bicyclist's case in the forwarded email, it's clear that his lane was too narrow, and, thus, he had a right to be in the lane to assure his safety.

My purpose of this email is not to argue his case but to use this example as an opportunity for Tampa city police to be advised on the laws for bicyclists on roads and traffic lanes in Tampa, many of which are sub-standard and less than 14 feet in width.

I know you're an experienced cyclist and are aware of the hazards of cycling too close to the right edge of a roadway. And I'm also sure you're aware of the laws for bicyclists regarding their position in the roadway as stated in the Florida Bicycle Law Enforcement Guide.

I am respectfully asking you to please advise your law enforcement staff regarding the rights of bicyclists to be in roadways and the circumstances under which they do not have to ride as close to the roadway's right edge. As you know, many of the roads in Tampa are sub-standard in width and I believe as a veteran bicyclist that the safest place to be is not straddling the roadway's right edge but to be in the lane.

I am requesting that we can meet and discuss the issue so that your police staff and the public can be better informed about this issue.

In addition, the Florida Bicycle Association has staff who can help guide police on bicycle laws. On Nov. 14 in Clermont, I was lucky to hear a presentation by the Florida Bicycle Association that included George Martin, FBA's bicycle laws program director. I am sure Mr. Martin would be responsive to a request to help educate police officers regarding the rights of bicyclists in the roadways. His contact information is flbikelaws@bellsouth.net and 904-392-1193.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Alan Snel
Director of nationally-recognized SWFBUD -- South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers
Nine Tampa Bay bicycle stores and two lawyers united behind bicycle advocacy
813-468-0064
alansnel@yahoo.com
www.swfbud.blogspot.com

Home of the Bicycle Bash by the Bay festival


For the record, Tampa Police Chief Jane Castor responded within an hour to my email request and said, in part: "I will look into this issue. I agree that officers need to be made aware of bicycle laws. Our streets are unfriendly enough to cyclists without the added burden."

SWFBUD Lobbies To Include Bicycling as Part of a Regional Transportation Plan

During the last year, I have lobbied for SWFBUD before local Hillsborough County planning and transportation agencies to include bicycling as part of any transportation plan.

Today on the cover of the free daily tbt* you saw a "Share the Road" sign along with a bus and a train as part of a "2035 Vision Transportation Plan" being proposed by the Tampa/Hillsborough County MPO (Metropolitan Trainiong Organization).

A few years ago bicycling was seen as a gringe activity in Tampa but slowly we're becoming a political player on the local landscape.

Keep telling your local officials that you want more bicycle infrastructure in the Tampa Bay area because communities that embrace bicycling in all its forms flourish economically.

BRAINy Award To Be On Display At SWFBUD Stores During The Next 9 Months

The national BRAINy Award -- given this year to SWFBUD for our bicycle store alliance's bicycle advocacy work in Tampa Bay -- will be on display at SWFBUD's nine stores through the next nine months.

Be on the lookout for the BRAINy Award, which is given by Bicycle Retailer and Industry News -- the trade publication that covers the bicycle business. Here is the BRAINy Award schedule:

November -- Bicycle Outfitters
December -- Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium
January -- Chainwheel Drive
February -- Just Ride Bicycles
March -- Oliver's Cycle Sports
April -- StreetFit 360
May -- Suncoast Trailside Bicycles
June -- Trek Bicycle Store
July -- University Bicycle Center


The award will be accompanied by the following framed message:

"You’re shopping at a “SWFBUD” member bicycle store. SWFBUD stands for South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers – an alliance of Tampa Bay bike shops committed to bicycle advocacy, lobbying local governments for improved bicycle infrastructure and putting on the annual Bicycle Bash event to celebrate bicycling.

"SWFBUD’s bicycle advocacy work has garnered national recognition. In 2009, the magazine that covers the bicycle industry – Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN) – gave a prestigious BRAINY award to SWFBUD for its advocacy work.

"Rest assured that this store has your back when it comes to bicycle advocacy and supporting the rights of bicyclists in the Tampa Bay region. Find out more about SWFBUD at www.swfbud.blogspot.com or contact SWFBUD Director Alan Snel at alansnel@yahoo.com."

SWFBUD Has a New 11th Member

I'm happy and proud to announce that we have a new member of SWFBUD.

Street Fit 360, a retail bicycle dealer on Gandy Blvd. in Tampa, has joined SWFBUD. SWFBUD now has 11 members, including nine retail bicycle stores.

I met Jana and Andy Clark, owners of Street Fit 360, after I represented SWFBUD at public meetings this summer regarding the fate of the Friendship TrailBridge.

They are true bicycle advocates and Jana and Andy support SWFBUD's efforts to make the Tampa Bay area a more bicycle-friendly market. They look forward to working on bicycle issues to grow bicycling in this area.

Check out their store's web sites at www.streetfit360.com and www.RRstepper.com

Tampa Government Believes Bicycle Safety Features Such as Bike Lanes Are "Non-Essential"

SWFBUD supported the Tampa Downtown Partnership's request that bike lanes be striped as part of the installataion of utility lines on Cass and Tyler streets in downtown Tampa because Cass and Tyler are on the city's master plan for lanes.

Here's why the city of Tampa government did not stripe bike lanes on Cass and Tyler streets in downtown Tampa -- even though Cass and Tyler are on the city's master plan for bike lanes -- as part of the recent UCAP utility road project.

Notice how the city of Tampa government believes safety facilities such as bike lanes are "non-essential." (Reason 3 below).



Mr. Snel,

Thank you for your interest in the development of bike lanes along Tyler and Cass streets in downtown Tampa. The City, the Tampa Downtown Partnership (TDP) and the UCAP team met several times to discuss the possibility of creating the bike lanes as desired by the TDP. Unfortunately, the City will not be able to establish the bike lanes as requested. The reasons for this decision are as follows:

1) The pipeline alignment in the roadways moved between the south to the north side of the street, meaning that the restoration would also change lanes. As a result, there would not be an area of consistent restoration to tie in the bike lanes.

2) Timing for the respective projects was not conducive to linking the projects together.

3) Economic conditions make it very challenging for the City to undertake any "non-essential" projects at this time.

The City, the TDP and the UCAP team remain committed to work together on projects such as this and will continue to look for opportunities to do so in the future. Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Sincerely,

Wendy Nero
Vice President

CH2M HILL
4350 W. Cypress Street
Suite 600
Tampa, FL 33607

"What Can I Do?"

SWFBUD represents the voices of bicyclists in the Tampa Bay area and people ask me all the time, "What can I do to help" the bicyclist cause in Tampa?

As you know, Tampa has one of the worst reputations in the country for being unfriendly to bicyclists and pedestrians.

People want change.

But how do you get it?

Well, first you have to let the city of Tampa government hear your voice.

The city has a nice Web site to log on to for the purpose of documenting problems.

It's the customer service center form and you can get it here.

I submitted this today.

Feel free to send in yours.

"Dear Tampa,

"The city's master plan for trails indicates bike lanes on Cass and Tyler streets in downtown Tampa.

"There is a utility project to install new utility lines on Cass and Tyler, yet I have learned the city will not stripe bike lanes on Cass and Tyler when those roads are repaved.

"Why is the city not complying with its own trails master plan and failing to put in bike lanes on Cass and Tyler when you repave those roads?

"As you know, independent reports cite Tampa as one of the most bicycle-unfriendly cities in the country and installing bike lanes on streets that are specifically designated for bike lanes under master plans would help Tampa shake this most negative reputation.

"I look forward to your response."

HOK Blog Post on SWFBUD's Bicycle Bash from Oct. 11

Nico Stearley, an architect at HOK architects in Tampa, participated in the 2009 Bicycle Bash by the Bay, Presented by Cure on Wheels, and did a nice blog post for HOK.

You can read Nico's post here.

Nico and her comrade at HOK, Anna Vasquez, are both bicycle commuters who have drafted an urban greenway proposal that would run underneath the current Selmon Crosstown Highway and serve as a trail in the shadow of the expressway.