RideRight/Drive Right Campaign

UPDATE – Two significant events have occurred:

1.  The Florida Department of Transportation has stepped in to make a major contribution to the peace and tranquility of roadway users in Palm Beach County.  They have approved signage for the Ride Right/Drive Right Campaign.  The signs will be posted in strategic locations that are being determined now.

2.  Comcast has provided $200,000 worth of free advertising for PSA’s that zMotion has produced and which are being aired in the region.

Background:

There was an incident in Boca Raton, in which a group of cyclists made the press for beating up a car, resulting in one cyclist being arrested, in response to what they considered intentional and dangerous harassment by the motorist.  The charges were dismissed, but there is plenty of blame for all involved and the continuing circumstances that led to the incident.

This isn’t to discuss that incident.  Rather, it may have spawned an opportunity to make some real progress in resolving the long-standing problems of aggressive and illegal behavior of some groups of cyclists, and motorists’ actions that endanger cyclists.

Part of the problem has been that no one with the clout to truly affect the situation has been willing to step up and take control.  That changed as a result of the incident.

Pat Petregnani, the head of Zimmerman Advertising in Ft. Lauderdale, is also head of zMotion, a cycling organization of 600 cyclists, including some of the top racers in the state.  He is willing to take the reins in South Florida and try to effect a behavioral change in cycling, particularly on A1A.

Pat has initiated a campaign called Ride Right/Drive Right, which will include cyclists, law enforcement and the town councils of the affected communities in an effort to publicize and encourage legal and courteous behavior of cyclists and motorists.

Jeff Lynne, an attorney and head of South Florida Bicycle Coalition, has joined with Pat to add his considerable political and legal background to the effort.

Since I am familiar with the problems and with the law enforcement community in the area, I attended meetings with six affected police departments.  The departments are:

Boca Raton,Delray Beach, Highland Beach, Ocean Ridge, Manalapan, Gulfstream

The law enforcement community is enthusiastically supporting this serious effort of cyclists to take control and police themselves.  Details are to be worked out, but generally the initiative includes:

  • An agreement about acceptable behavior of cyclists, to be determined.
  • Recognition that cyclists are endangered by the illegal actions of motorists.
  • Pressure by Pat and others to discourage problematic behavior of cycling groups.  zMotion riders have boycotted two of the offending rides.
  • PR videos, PSA’s and other materials to be developed in-house at Zimmerman.
  • Coordinated and uniform effort of law enforcement throughout the corridor.
  • Municipalities were asked to post signs saying “Three Feet Please” and “Ride no More Than Two Abreast”.

All of the departments were aware of the Bicycle Law Enforcement Program, and some have officers on the Officer Advisory Panel.

Our involvement demonstrates the benefit of the Florida Bicycle Association’s continuing role in the Bicycle Law Enforcement Program and contact with the law enforcement community.

FBA has had and will have future opportunities to assist and participate in law enforcement interests around the state as the Bicycle Law Enforcement Program is developed and they more become aware of our pro-active role in supporting them.

The “Ride Right/Drive Right” campaign is local now due to the immediate opportunity created by the incident and Pat’s considerable effort.  When all the details are worked out and the initiative is fully implemented, this may be developed as a model program that can be exported throughout the state as similar problem areas and opportunities are identified.

4 Comments on “RideRight/Drive Right Campaign

  1. FDOT has approved the signage – terrific! I’d like to verify who designed and is manufacturing them. I’m working with some folks to get a similar sign developed in Maine.

    • In say a 30 minute cmtmuoe via bike, I see at least 12 vehicles blow through red lights and stop signs daily. These people are licenced (or so we are to believe. So many people are driving with suspended licences now). That still doesn’t prevent them from doing the same thing. Where are these same people complaining about cyclists when it comes to bad drivers? As for speeding, it is getting worse. Living in the Niagara Region, we have to put up with the highest road fatality rates of anywhere else in Ontario. Three cyclists in a span of a week have been hit. Two killed and one still in serious condition. Who’s fault? The motorists.People who are in favour is licencing bikes just want one thing. The complete elimination of all bikes. I just wonder if these people know which political party once pushed for the mass use to the automobile and for bikes to be pushed to the side Lets just say they were based in Germany in the ’40 s.

  2. I am eager for a follow up to this post. Pinellas County cities and cyclists are ripe for this kind of programing. St. Petersburg Mayor Bill Foster declared war on cyclists in the city under the guise of “Share the Road” safety program which focused only on cyclist behaviors; [http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/st-petersburg-police-ticket-16-bicyclists-as-safety-campaign-begins/1117937]. Foster’s efforts have only served to polarize the community.

    This proactive, ‘both right, both have rights’ campaign is what is needed to make our roads safe and civil for motor and human powered vehicles. The efforts of these organizers are to be applauded.

    Please post any follow up info.

  3. When your riding 5 pound bike for pleasure on a1a it’s OK. When you don a bicycle outfit and act like your someone special riding a bike as if you doing a tour de France and completely disrupting traffic, then your an idiot, this form of action in which these cyclists bond together to do absolutely nothing except riding there bikes on a straight line is definitely not called exercise. It’s useless, your not going up or down Hills or around turns at speed, and your riding a 5 pound bike which takes no effort except causing motorists grief. These road bikers belong in a park away from motorists unless it’s a competition or get a mountain bike which is alot heavier, it takes more exercise in half the time road bikers do in hours and it a better workout . Keep these idiot’s off the road

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