It’s Bike To Work Week!
OK, it was a little warm over the weekend, but the temperature has cooled down and the forecast for the week looks good. Gasoline prices are going insane and we all need a little exercise. Bike-to-Work week is May 12th to May 16th. Bike week is part of a national celebration sponsored by the League of American Bicyclists. Special events are scheduled throughout the country.
Here in Florida, Orlando, the mayor is leading the way riding his bike to work and cycle commuters are getting free coffee at Starbucks. In Tampa, there are a whole slew of special events including bike gear giveaways. Zephyrhills is having a bike rodeo, bike decorating contest and free bike safety checks. In Gulf Breeze, the mayor is riding his bike to work and asking neighbors to join him.
Nothing special is scheduled by the City of Tallahassee or Leon Country for bike-to-work week (why am I not surprised) so it’s up to each of us to make our own celebration. Ride your bike to work at least one day this week and do your best to talk a friend or coworker into joining you.
There are five national strategies for advancing bicycle safety:
Goal #1 Motorists Will Share the Road
Goal #2 Bicyclists Will Ride Safely
Goal #3 Bicyclists Will Wear Helmets
Goal #4 The Legal System Will Support Safe Bicycling
Goal #5 Roads and Paths Will Safely Accommodate Bicycling
Be safe, be healthy and (in the words of Uncle Ed) RIDE YOUR BIKE!
Since Florida’s Bike Month was March, it’s not surprising to me that Tallahassee and Leon County don’t have any special bike events going on right now. The Florida Bicycle Association asked Gov. Crist for a March declaration because by May our hot weather is beginning — and a lot of our winter visitors have gone home. The riding in March was positively glorious this year.
Hi John – You have an interesting blog and your University rocks. March was a great month for cycling throughout the state. I appreciate the work of the FBA, but with it’s office in Waldo and no registered lobbyist in Tallahasse, it seems to be more of a professional organization of government bike coordinators than an advocacy organizaton for cyclists.
Orlando and Tampa didn’t get the memo and went ahead and are celebrating this month. Heck; even the FBA is featurng May as national bike month and this week as bike-to-work week on their web site.
The bottom line for me is that cyclists in Florida are 3rd class citizens and we’ll take all the bike months, and positive publicity we can get.
Cheers