SWFBUD -- South West Florida Bicyclists United With Dealers: Kelly Benjamin, A Tampa City Council Candidate For District 6, Voices Support For Bicycling In Tampa

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Kelly Benjamin, A Tampa City Council Candidate For District 6, Voices Support For Bicycling In Tampa

Kelly Benjamin, who is running for a District 6 city council seat, contacted me to commit his support for bicycling.

Here is Kelly's comments:

"I grew up in Tampa risking my life riding my bike. I remember when HARTLINE first started the bikes on buses program and I eagerly waited in line to purchase my bike pass. During college, I mastered the art of defensive riding as I made the commute from my home in Ybor City to USF and back through suitcase city, Sulphur Springs, Seminole and Tampa Heights. I know bike riding in this city. I still ride my bike daily throughout the Heights.

"After the 6th bicycling death on Tampa Bay's roads I suggested to Josh Holton and Ryan Iacovacci that we hold a memorial ride that morphed into the "Ride to Honor the Fallen." I actively promoted the ride, brought numerous people to it, and took part in the ride! I didn't see any other City Council candidates there.

"Furthermore, I've traveled and lived in cities that have incredible bike cultures: Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Portland, Austin, San Fransisco, and Detroit (yes, as the Motor City has been depopulated, biking on it's empty streets has become more popular than ever). I understand the great need for the recognition of bicycling as an alternative form of transportation in this area and I'm incredibly disappointed that it has taken this many deaths to advance the issue in the public consciousness. Have no doubt, I will be a staunch advocate for bicycling and bike lanes on the Tampa City Council."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...: I live in Seminole Heights and cycle at 11-15mph. I literally only have one place to ride at those speeds: N. Highland/Tampa Street. There is a bike lane and traffic is low but I have been tagged on more than one occasion. I dare not venture past MLK Blvd. It's the dead zone! The only other location I feel safe is Al Lopez park. I take the Hillsborough Ave. bus because cycling on Hillsborough is another dead zone! Simply, if we want a cycling friendly city, we need city leaders who will commit to advancing bicycle safety and greater access to the roads.; January 3, 2011 at 5:02 AM

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