SWFBUD Works With HART To Get Bike Safety Signs On Buses

On Dec. 23, a HART bus nearly hit me while passing me on Rowlett Park Drive in Tampa. It was the third time a HART driver nearly bashed me while passing and each of the three drivers -- when confronted -- told ne they did not know that drivers had to pass bicyclists on the road with a space of at least three feet in Florida.

Today, I spoke on behalf of SWFBUD before the HART board and retold the story and told them the agency needed to do a bicycle awareness campaign in response to the bus drivers' ignorance of the three-foot buffer. That is, they need to post signs about passing bicyclists with at least three feet and without honking while also slowing down.

I was told by HART at today's meeting that the signs will go on the buses and deliver messages such as this on outside Clermont.


Katharine Eagen, HART's chief of service development, will be in charge of this bicycle safety awareness campaign. Her email is EaganK@goHART.org if you want to contact her about the importance of the three-foot buffer law.