Florida Bike Month Positive Spin #5 – Oh, What a Month!
Florida Bike Month is nearing the end, but oh, what a month! Is it just me, or has March 2016 been the BEST TIME EVER? Here’s how the Florida Bicycle Association spent Florida Bike Month:
March 1st – attended the Florida Department of Transportation Bicycle and Pedestrian Partnership Council meeting and later that evening accepted the City of Oldsmar Florida Bicycle Month proclamation.
March 2nd – attended the installation of two bicycle racks at Memorial Park in Jacksonville. The bicycle racks were made possible through a donation to Florida Bicycle Association by a local group nicknamed the “Share the Road Calendar Girls”.
The Dahon rests near one of two new bicycle racks at Memorial Park
March 3 – presented the Florida Bicycle Association 2015 Bicycle Professional of the Year award to Lucas Cruse, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for the City of St. Petersburg.
Cheryl Stacks and Lucas Cruise of the City of St. Petersburg
March 5 – Kicked Ice! Alert Today Florida partnered with the Tampa Bay Lightning, FDOT District 7, Chick-fil-A and the Florida Bicycle Association to encourage fans to make themselves visible while walking and biking at night, and to always share the road safely. During the game’s second intermission, three fans from the audience were selected to participate in an on-ice tricycle race to promote Florida Bicycle Month.
Walker – the Alert Tonight Florida mascot playing it safe on the ice (photo courtesy of FDOT)
March 7 through 10 – attended the League of American Bicyclists National Bike Summit.
Team Florida prepares for lobby day
March 11 – attended the Temple Terrace Bike with the Mayor.
Mayor Frank Chillura and City of Temple Terrace enjoyed a nice morning ride
March 11 – with the close of the Florida legislative session, FBA learned the bill that would have eliminated Share the Road specialty plate funding to FBA died in committee. The victory, however, was achieved weeks before when membership and cycling community supporters called, emailed and otherwise made it clear to legislators the importance of the Florida Bicycle Association and the need for our educational programs to continue. THANK YOU!
March 12 – volunteered at the City of Oldsmar Bicycle Rodeo.
March 12 & 13 – attended the Santos Fat Tire Festival and presented one of two Florida Bicycle Association 2015 Volunteer of the Year awards to Jared and Jennifer Hartman of the Ocala Mountain Bike Club.
Jared and Jennifer Hartman received the award under the stars!
March 14 – presented Complete Streets Savvy during the monthly Sanibel Bicycle Club meeting and presented the Florida Bicycle Association 2015 Club of Year award to SBC (see March 15 blog post).
March 17 – presented Complete Streets Savvy to the City of Clearwater.
March 18 – played hooky with a spring training version of Bike and Baseball, bicycling from Oldsmar to Bright House Field in Clearwater to watch the Phillies versus the Pirates.
March 19 – presented Complete Streets Savvy to the Gainesville Cycling Club.
March 20 – attended Tour de Parks.
Took the Trek 520 down to Sarasota for the Tour de Parks event
March 25 – presented Florida Bicycle Association 2015 Supporting Agency of the Year award to FDOT District 7.
FDOT District 7 Secretary Paul Steinman absent from this Supporting Agency award photo, but Stephen Benson, District 7 Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Specialist, proudly holds his award.
March 30 – (Gainesville) The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is conducting a series of roundtable sessions to gather partner/stakeholder input on the update of Florida’s Pedestrian and Bicycle Strategic Safety Plan. Participants will be provided an overview of accomplishments resulting from the current plan, followed by an opportunity to provide input and recommendations for the plan update. The goal is to allow YOU to have an active role in improving pedestrian and bicycle safety in Florida. Together we CAN make a difference! Go to Alert Today Florida for more information.
March 31 – Florida Greenways & Trails Advisory Council meeting in Tallahassee. Main purpose is to discuss and prioritize 7 selected regional trail system projects that will be recommended to the Florida Department of Transportation for consideration to receive Shared Use Non-motorized Trail funding.
Whew! I wonder if National Bike Month (May) can top that. Why wait? Let the April bicycling fun begin!
Rejjee, Inc., the smart way to manage all of your valuables, has been selected by the Florida Bicycle Association to be their official bicycle registry to help reduce bike theft and increase recovery of stolen bikes. Register your ride for FREE at SAFE Bikes – use code FLBikes and Rejjee will donate $3 to Florida Bicycle Association!
Complete Streets Savvy, or CSS, is a general, non-confrontational bicycle educational presentation. The purpose is to provide basic information with regards to the Florida Department of Transportation’s adoption of Complete Streets policy and how cyclists and motorists can share the road safely. This presentation runs 10 – 15 minutes and is designed for legislators, civic organizations and other entities that meet regularly and need informative content. There is no fee. Make your request for CSS today!
Do you have a bicycle story to tell? Photos to share? Be our guest and be our next guest blogger! Send your story and photos to Becky@floridabicycle.net. Speaking of stories, our quarterly Messenger newsletter is available online for your internet reading pleasure. Visit the FBA website Home page or click here. Want a hard copy of our Messenger? Join Florida Bicycle Association or visit one of our bicycle shop members!
