SWFBUD -- South West Florida Bicyclists United With Dealers: SWFBUD Visits The Ghost Bike In Tampa

Monday, August 16, 2010

SWFBUD Visits The Ghost Bike In Tampa

I posted a photo of this Ghost Bike Sunday. The photo was sent to me by the maker of the Ghost Bike, which memorializes the life of retired Admiral LeRoy Collins of Davis Islands, killed while riding a bicycle along South Hyde Park Avenue at the Brorein Street corner shortly after 6 AM July 29. The person who fashioned the Ghost Bike has requested anonymity and I will comply with that request. The Ghost Bike was put into place Sunday.

This afternoon I bicycled to see the Ghost Bike in person. It left a big impact. To see it in person drives home the fact that being a bicyclist in this area means you have to be on high alert when cycling at all times. For me, it means cycling with my hands on the brake hoods and scanning every side street, every vehicle and every corner.

I also pedal with the notion of being ready in a heartbeat to spring into action to avoid being struck by a car. My bike-commuting in New York City prepared me well for the unpredictable and aggressive nature of Tampa Bay's drivers.

I didn't know Mr. Collins. But I am friends with his bicyclist son, Ed, an experienced cyclist who is still hurting. Ed appeared before a Tampa City Council meeting recently to advise the city to take action to make our streets safer.

Ed told me today that he still hasn't been emotionally ready to get on his bicycle since the day his dad was killed while riding a bike.

The person who fashioned the Ghost Bike did a remarkable job at creating a moving and beautiful memorial.

For example, there are 14 stars on the chainguard. The 14 represent Mr. Collins, his wife, their four children and eight grandchildren.

At the request of the Ghost Bike maker, I wove the jasmine plant vines into the front wheel spokes this afternoon.

The top tube is two stars -- Mr. Collins was a two-star admiral.

If you notice, the Ghost Bike is very close to the Selmon Expressway. Wouldn't it be great to have a bike trail below the toll expressway. There are plans to accomplish that -- check out the Selmon Expressway Greenway Trail proposal on Wednesday from 4-6:30 PM at Union Station.

Bottom line -- please drive your bicycle like the vehicle it is.

Stay safe everyone.

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WHAT IS SWFBUD and HOW DID IT START?

SWFBUD (South West Florida Bicycle United Dealers) is a Tampa Bay bicycle advocacy alliance of 12 bicycle store dealers and four law firms committed to raising the profile of bicycling in the Tampa Bay market, getting more people on bicycles and drawing more public resources for bicycling.

The 12 bike shops are: ABC Bicycles, Bicycle Outfitters, Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium, Chainwheel Drive, Just Ride Bicycles, Oliver's Cycle Sports, Street Fit 360, Trek Bicycle Store of Tampa and Clearwater, Trek Bicycle Store of St. Petersburg, The Ironman Store, University Bicycle Center and Velo Champ. The four law firms are Tom Singletary, J. Steele Olmstead and the Mark Roman Law Group.

The SWFBUD members enlist Alan Snel, a bicycle advocate and former metro newspaper reporter, to lobby local governments to provide more bicycle resources and to put on the Bicycle Bash festival.

SWFBUD is a play on words of Swiftmud, the Tampa Bay water district agency.

SWFBUD traces its roots to the summer of 2006, when then-Carrollwood Bicycle Emporium owner David Luppino (who now owns Just Ride Bicycles) hired Snel for promotions, marketing and to help put on the Bicycle Bash festival. At the start of 2007, Luppino believed it was appropriate that other Tampa Bay bike stores get involved in promoting bicycling, so Snel recruited other store dealers to get involved.

The Bicycle Bash was first held in October 2006 on the St. Pete Times Forum plaza before a Tampa Bay Lightning afternoon hockey game before SWFBUD moved the Bicycle Bash to St. Petersburg's Vinoy Park in 2007 and 2008 and to North Straub Park in downtown St. Petersburg in 2009. In 2010, the Bicycle Bash was moved into Hillsborough County's Flatwoods Park on Nov. 7 so that bicyclists can enjoy the Bash's exhibitor village and also have fun doing live biking in the park. In 2011, the Bicycle Bash will be held again at Flatwoods Park on NOV 6.

SWFBUD won national retail bicycle advocacy awards in 2009 from the Bicycle Retailer and Industry News (BRAIN) and the Trek Bicycle Corporation. The Bicycle Bash won the Florida Event of the Year in 2007 from the Florida Bicycle Association.

SWFBUD's Snel attends many public meetings in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, plus the National Bike Summit in Washington, D.C. to lobby political leaders and governing agencies to commit more resources to bicycling. SWFBUD believes communities that embrace and invest in bicycling become more successful and sustainable.

Flatwoods Park Ranger Thanks SWFBUD For Saving Park and Jobs

SWFBUD Wins National Bicycle Advocacy Award

The national magazine that covers the bicycle industry in this country honored SWFBUD with the 2009 Bicycle Retail Advocacy Award at the Bicycle Leadership Conference in Monterey, Calif. SWFBUD is deeply honored by this national recognition and I received the award from Megan Tompkins, editor of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, and Tim Blumenthal, executive editor of Bikes Belong Coalition. Click photo for more info and check SP Times story, too: http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article996595.ece