Information About the Bicycle Laws
Question
Keith asked: Sometimes I don’t have 30 minutes on my commute from Tyndall AFB home to explain to individual drivers why it is safer and entirely necessary to take the entire lane on a brief stretch of Hwy 98. If the state or you could produce a pamphlet or handout that I could print for quick distribution, citing the laws and regulations with accepted interpretation of the legalese, it would certainly increase awareness and save me from commuting 20 miles in the dark! I’ve searched high and low across the internet for one, and there’s a woefully outdated “state publication” website that in fact doesn’t function. If you could find the old one or create a new one, I know I’d appreciate it!
Answer
You can find the booklets entitled “Law Enforcement Guide” and “Street Smarts” and download a PDF copy or order the booklet at this link on the Florida Bicycle Association website:
Bound, printed paper copies of the two publications no longer seem available. The page at the link doesn’t indicate any way to order paper copies from FBA. It links to the state’s Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center website, which describes the “Law Enforcement Guide” as “out of stock” and doesn’t list “Bicycling Street Smarts” at all.
The FBA publications page does have links to download PDFs of (1) the 2012 edition of the Law Enforcement Guide and (2) the Florida law summary from the 2012 edition of Bicycling Street Smarts.
Is it illegal to ride bikes on sidewalks in Seminole County?
Susan,
Unless there is a local ordinance to the contrary, it is legal to ride bicycles on sidewalks in Florida.
s. 316.2065 – Bicycle Regulations
(9) A person propelling a vehicle by human power upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, has all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.
(10) A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian and shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian.
I found no local ordinance that prohibits sidewalk cycling in Seminole County. You can see the code of ordinances here:
https://www.municode.com/library/fl/seminole_county/codes/code_of_ordinances
You should also check your municipality code for such ordinances or call your local police.