Dan asked:  Who needs the most help, the cyclist, law enforcement, or both?

Answer

There’s a LOT of room for improvement all around.

Cyclists that violate the laws are the ones who get hurt.  The stats show that just a few poor cycling practices result in the vast majority of crashes.  They are:

• Riding against traffic
• Not yielding to other traffic when required to do so
• Riding on sidewalks and side-paths without fully understanding the inherent hazards (Including the first two items above)
• Riding at night without lights
• DUI

This pie chart is from the FBA cyclist education course. The data comes from a crash study done in Orlando, but numbers are consistent with most cities in Florida.

There are many that still believe the law requires them to ride against traffic.  That has been shown to be dangerous, and it is illegal in the roadway.

Cyclists that know the laws and comply, practice safe cycling practices, and ride as though they are driving a vehicle on the roadway, which of course they are, seldom become statistics. They not only avoid causing crashes, they can prevent crashes caused by common motorist mistakes.

Some officers are not fully aware of the laws about cycling.  Most receive little or no formal training.  Some see all cyclists in the light of those they see in crashes, primarily those above who have been killed or injured through unlawful actions.  If they are not cyclists themselves, they may not understand safe cycling practices, and feel they are acting in the interests of the safety of the cyclists.

Another area that isn’t clear to many, including police officers, cyclists, and motorists, is the fact that impeding traffic while otherwise operating legally, is not unlawful.  We are living in a motor vehicle society, and traffic flow is sometimes considered more important than safety.  When the emphasis is on traffic flow by someone who doesn’t understand safe cycling practices, it is a recipe for problems.

Don’t concentrate on the officers’ lack of understanding though.  Cyclists are their own worst enemies at times.  We create the environment we would like to change.  One example is riding the line while trying to be too polite (Or too afraid), intentionally exposing us to the debris and other hazards of the sewer that is the edge of the roadway. We encourage unsafe and illegal passing in narrow lanes, inviting drivers to try to squeeze by when there isn’t room, and asking for them to “mirror” us, or worse. That also reinforces the motorists’ belief that we are supposed to “Get out of the way!”  See Substandard-Width Lanes (Updated)

There is a vast gulf of misunderstanding by the motoring public of traffic laws in general, and those related to cycling.

Let’s not leave out government officials, who set the policies about cycling, and the folks who design and build our roads.  If they don’t ride bicycles, they may not understand the importance of their work on cycling.

We can change that.  That is the purpose of the program the FBA is developing. See Bicycle Law Enforcement Program.  It is a cooperative effort of cyclists and law enforcement.  FBA is doing the work with the recommendations and advice of the Officer Advisory Panel.

You can help that effort with your financial support.  We need about $100,000 this year to complete the program.  Last year’s work was funded by a single very generous donation of $70,000.  The first modules will be available soon.

Ask your club to donate $5,000 or whatever they can.  Of course your private donations will help.

PG asked:  I am a biker from Indiana. Am I welcome on this forum or is just for Florida bikers?Answer

Anyone is welcome who is willing to participate in a civil discourse about the Florida Laws related to bicycling.  This site is not intended as some blogs seem to be, to complain and stir up dissent and unrest.

We are trying to provide a place for law enforcement and cyclists to discuss some of the problems with cycling, cyclists, the laws and law enforcement, with the hope that we will all gain a better understanding of the roadways as a place for people to share safely and comfortably.  Please note the use of the word “people”, and not just “vehicles”, and consider the problems of the roadways in that sense.

The site is not intended to discuss safe cycling practices, but we will sometimes do so to show the correlation between the laws and those practices.

If it appears the comments are sometimes critical, we won’t avoid them, but will try to find the lesson that will help us all with a better understanding of the laws.  Together, we will try to learn from our mistakes.

That applies to those of us who are providing the information here.  We welcome any constructive criticism of the materials on the site.  There is little case law to help us, and we are giving the best information available.  If anyone has formal legal opinions or case law that applies to the Q&A here, please share them.  Please phrase any contradictions in the terms of the statutes.

This site is a partnership of cycling professionals and officers who want to help make a change in the roadway environment.

Some officers receive little of no formal training about bicycling.  If they are not cyclists, they may not understand why cyclists do what they do.  We will help law enforcement fully understand what causes cycling casualties, and encourage them to strictly enforce the laws that are intended to eliminate unsafe and unlawful cycling actions.   Those problems mar the reputation of the rest of us who are trying to comply.  We will also help them understand the impact of misunderstanding the statutes and incorrect actions regarding cycling.

We also want cyclists to fully understand the laws and the circumstances that cause the excessive crashes, injuries and deaths.   Many feel they are not required to comply with the laws or don’t understand safe cycling practices.  The person who runs a red light gives us all a bad reputation, since most non-cyclists don’t distinguish between cyclists.  We are all the same to them.

If cyclists and law enforcement professionals in other states can gain by contributing to this site, please join us.  Understand though, that the laws of different states may differ from Florida.  They are however, derived from the Uniform Vehicle Code, and may have similarities.  Some are identical. Please make that distinction in your state. If your state has a better solution to a common problem, please let us know.

The traffic laws in Florida are sometimes difficult and ambiguous.  Through a thorough airing of the problems, in the context of understanding the actual statutes, all participating in this dance will become better partners.  The result of that can only be a better quality of life for everyone.

Sgt. Tom McKane (Center) and Deputy Gabriel White, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, with Rick Pitner at the Lake County Bicycle Summit in Mt. Dora, FL.

Lake County is a beautiful county and a particularly attractive cycling venue due to the differences in elevation that are unique to that part of Florida.  The county attracts literally thousands of cyclists annually to ride and train in that environment.  The county actively solicits cycling activities.  The recent Mt. Dora Bicycle Festival drew about 1000 cyclists that stayed in local hotels, visited local restaurants and made a significant contribution to the local economy.

Cyclists and government officials have become aware of an increasing trend in verbal abuse and threats to cyclists by motorists, and are concerned that such acts will discourage cyclists from visiting.  If the trend continues, the resulting negative impact on the otherwise peaceful and friendly environment and economy of the county could be devastating.  The county does not want to become known as unfriendly to cyclists and others.

In July, a group of 35 cyclists and 15 law enforcement officials, led by Sheriff Borders, met to consider possible solutions.  FBA was invited to introduce the Bicycle Law Enforcement Program.  The most important outcome of the meeting was the agreement to form a continuing relationship to address known problems and others that may arise in the future.

Some cyclists are also guilty of contributing to the problems by violating the laws and contributing to an unfavorable image of bicyclists as scofflaws.  The working relationship of cyclists, law enforcement and government officials will foster not only better treatment of cyclists, but also improve cyclists’ compliance with the laws.  A winning resolution for all!

In October, a Bicycle Summit was held in Mt. Dora to discuss and emphasize the continuing efforts of the partnership of the cycling community and law enforcement.  They are pursuing a number of actions to publicize the importance of cooperative use of the roadways.

Relationships such as this are the key to understanding and resolving problems and improving the roadway environment and the quality of life of residents and visitors.