Southpinellas: Bicycles entitled to place on roads

ST. PETERSBURG - Dozens of bicyclists will fill downtown and neighborhood streets Sunday as the two-wheelers spread the message about their rights to the road.

The fifth annual Share the Road Ride, part of a national campaign, is being sponsored by the St. Petersburg Bicycle Club, the Tampa Bay Freewheelers, Suncoast Cycling Club and the city of St. Petersburg.

Laura Hallam, executive director of the Waldo-based Florida Bicycle Association, spoke with the Times recently about the cars, cycling and what happens when the two modes of transportation meet.

By Florida law, a bicycle is a vehicle and it has every right to be on the road as a motorized vehicle.

A lot of bicyclists would prefer to be on trails, but they don't always get you to a job or home or wherever. On sidewalks, you're much more likely to have a conflict or a crash. In some cases, sidewalks might be preferable but they're much more dangerous.

As a motorist, what are you supposed to do when you're running late and you get stuck behind a slow-moving bicycle?

It would be similar if a tractor was in front of you. You would wait until it's safe to pass. A cyclist should ride as far to the right as practicable. There is an unwritten courtesy, generally, that cyclists should be conscientious. If there are four or five cars stacked up, they should pull over and let traffic get by. Cyclists don't want to be out there playing dodgeball with cars.

Florida continues to be No. 1 for fatalities and injuries for bicyclists as well as pedestrians. Bicyclists are vehicles and they have a right to be on the road. They should be treated like any other vehicle. The main Share the Road message is bicyclists are vehicles and we should all be able to get along safely, legally and confidently.

The fifth annual Share the Road Ride begins at 8 a.m. Sunday from the North Shore Pool, 901 North Shore Drive NE, St. Petersburg. Rides from 10 to 62 miles. Same-day registration is $25. Information: (727) 582-1910 or visit www.sharethe roadride.com.

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Comments on this article

by Randy	07/18/07 08:13 PM
I would encourage all motorist to get out of your car and ride a bike on our roads for 1 hour. This will certainly change your opinion toward cyclist. That is if you can ride a bike for an hour!

by Kimberly	07/18/07 04:11 PM
30 yrs of bicycle safety studies show cyclists have the greatest chance of crashing w/cars when they ride on sidewalks; the least chance when riding in roads & obeying the road laws.

by Joe	07/17/07 07:31 PM
I am really suprised by the number of uneducated comments by motorists. Review the stats motorists. Cyclists are not the problem.

by Herman	07/17/07 04:06 PM
As on the road they are able to travel at a higher rate of speed without endagering pedistrians.

by Herman	07/17/07 04:06 PM
Christine, bicycles on sidewalks are safer for the rider, but dangerous to pedistrians. AS going through N. Shore and Vinoy parks I have seen a number of riders who don't yield and who go whipping by at high speed. The road is where bikes belong.

by Stuart	07/13/07 08:40 PM
I ride ALL streets. Because Florida does NOT require gated communites to be open each 1/4 mile with ped/bikegates along their walls, I MUST ride the busy roadways, even when I'm not trying to get to the SAME businesses car drivers want to go to!

by Christine	07/11/07 02:44 PM
The bicyclists need to either ALL be on the road, or ALL on the sidewalks. I encounter bikes in my traffic lane coming at me and riding along side me. They are on the sidewalks on both sides of the street not watching traffic or pedistrians.

by Frankie	07/07/07 01:47 PM
Not sure how anyone can argue against promoting biking. It saves us resources, doesn't pollute, is healthy for the rider, noiseless, and fun. Pinellas residents are too addicted to their cars. More bikes = less traffic and pollution, get it?

by Christine	07/07/07 12:10 PM
Bikers and motorists BOTH need to be educated about the laws. We also need more bike-friendly roads in this area.

by Kimberly	07/07/07 06:25 AM
Biking in a 3-mile radius of their homes, people can probably find side streets to attain their destinations. It's biking 6 or more miles that helps people realize that biking on major roads is necessary to get to destinations. Many bike 9-20 miles.

by Kimberly	07/06/07 10:20 PM
When I see bicyclists disobeying road laws, I give them educational fliers & if ok verbally tell them what law they broke. Many bicyclists have or had driver licenses. Bicycle questions on driver exams educates cyclists.

by Kimberly	07/06/07 10:04 PM
Talking w/motorists, I've concluded they do terrible things to each other because they think cars protect occupants. But, they're more careful w/bicyclists because they know they need to be careful. A little education helps drivers act even safer.

by Kimberly	07/06/07 08:13 PM
Less than 1,000 bicyclists die & more than 40,000 motor vehicle occupants die in the USA each yr. That doesn't count the sedentary motorists who die of heart attacks, diabetes, depression, etc. that aerobic exercise like bicycling could help prevent

by Kimberly	07/06/07 08:08 PM
As a bicyclist, I agree with educating bicyclists. But be careful, people with mental retardation can't drive, but are fully capable of bicycling for transportation if given good education. I've talked with them on the roads.

by Kimberly	07/06/07 08:04 PM
Just because you bicycle doesn't mean you're 4 breaking road laws. Nor does driving mean you're 4 breaking road laws. As a cyclist, I have many motorcycle & car friends. I like stopping at red lights so I can chat with them while waiting for green

by Marty	07/06/07 11:01 AM
cyclists take resposibility for their own safety too (common sense) and all cyclists i know always slow down for stop signs, seeing that it is clear to proceed. law says both bikes & CARS need to come to a complete stop at stop signs, though.

by Sally	07/06/07 10:04 AM
Jeff, it doesn't surprise me. Other drivers in cars scare me enough, but at least I stand a chance in my own vehicle. As for the Mall, you're right. But in many cases you can take a side road instead of say US19 and ride parallel as long as possible

by Jo	07/06/07 09:44 AM
And the pro "gang bikers" continue to MISS THE POINT. How about an "open-book, multiple choice, no-pressure quiz periodically" when purchasing bike shorts? Stop complaning about drivers and follow the rules of the road! Yes, they apply to you.

by Jeff	07/05/07 09:26 PM
Sally, it may suprise you, but cycling is safer per hour than driving. As to sticking to the roads less traveled, they don't put shopping malls, or office buildings on them. Some of us cycle to get places.

by Kimberly	07/05/07 08:56 PM
Take a bicyclist and a driver, neither does anything for exercise. After 30 years of aerobic exercise the bicyclist has become very experienced, educated at preventing crashes. But, the motorist has near 100% chance of death from clogged arteries.

by Kimberly	07/05/07 08:53 PM
While putting myself through college, I spent several years taking care of adults with serious, permanent physical disabilities. For 20s-40s ages, it was car occupants in car crashes and MS. Car makers like to make you think you're safe in cars.

by Kimberly	07/05/07 08:07 PM
Requiring a no-pressure quiz every few renewals would educate bicyclists, too. I give educational fliers to uneducated bicyclists & find many have/had driver licenses or were taught by people with driver licenses. Many bicyclists drive cars.

by Kimberly	07/05/07 08:04 PM
Educating drivers is easy. Just require an open-book, multiple choice, no-pressure quiz periodically when renewing the driver license. It refreshes on new laws & safety tips, & gives a chance to find motorists who have diminished mental abilities.

by Kimberly	07/05/07 07:59 PM
Bicycling on roads less traveled: When traveling at night, women need plenty of lights & witnesses. 1/2 the year I bike to/from work in the dark. Dark side streets are not safe. Educated motorists who know how to safely drive & are expecting you are

by Jane	07/05/07 04:54 PM
You're kiddding, right "Brett"? We're talking about gans of 20-50 cyclists all flying through an intersection against a red light playing follow the leader. Do cyclist have rights, sure! Do they OWN the road, sorry to burst your bubble, no.

by Sally	07/05/07 10:05 AM
It's not about being mean or insensitive to everyone's rights. It's about common sense. Human life is precious the bike vs car scenario is rarely in favor of the bike. Bikes should stick to the roads less traveled!

by Sammi	07/05/07 09:24 AM
Bottom line seems to be that many drivers feel entitled to just be bullys. Hmmm, you in your 4000 pound vehicle vs an average of 200 pounds of rider and bike? Also obvious when trying to cross a street or parking lot on foot.

by Pete	07/05/07 09:12 AM
Dave-like drivers don't ever break traffic laws? Drivers go 45 along Alderman (35 zone), 45 along Klosterman (30/40 zone), 45 through neighborhoods (30 zone), run stop signs themselves, cut off folks in crosswalks; all while chatting on cellphones.

by Dave	07/05/07 08:27 AM
Bicylists want road rights, but never, never, stop at a stop sign. Did you ever see one stop? No, the bicylists just cost through the stop sign. The reason they should not stop at stop signs is:?

by brett	07/04/07 09:09 PM
Come on drivers, how hard is it to stay on the your brake for 5 seconds longer to allow a bicyclist to get through an intersection without having to unclip and dismount. I am sure you'll be back up to your usual 60 mph within a few seconds anyway!

by mike	07/04/07 04:05 PM
Are we a great and world class society or NOT? Can we step back and support each other's rights and privllegs? Death to myopic self interest!!

by mike	07/04/07 03:57 PM
Cyclists pay taxes too. Certain that all road construction and maintaince comes from more than just gas and vechicle taxes. Bicycles were here before cars. Like sail boats and horses having the right of way over mechanical...so cyclists are prime!

by Paul	07/04/07 01:00 PM
As an avid cyclists I can't wait for the price of a gallon of gas to hit $20 and the minimum cell phone bill to hit $200 Then some of the people that posted on here would be forced to see how many morons are driving around the state of Florida.

by Laurence	07/04/07 12:06 PM
The best thing the City could do with bike lanes is to use Black Paint on They

by Sammi	07/04/07 09:24 AM
Drivers, let your child or grandchild try to cross the road legally at the Pinellas Trail/Klosterman intersection. Regardless of posted signs to the contrary, fewer than 10% of drivers yield to the crosswalk. And the police don't do anything.

Bicycles entitled to place on roads

Share the Road Ride's message: Get along on streets, official says.