A new addition to a recent highway-safety bill has cyclists throughout Florida riding to battle. The bill states that bicyclists are to use the marked bike lanes when they are available and if not available, to stay to the right side of the road.
You may be thinking, "That's where cyclists are supposed to be." However, hundreds of cyclists are against the bill and have called or wrote to Governor Crist to reject it. In addition, the Florida Bicycle Association and a Florida cycling nonprofit group want the governor to veto the bill claiming that the bike lanes, like the one along State Road A1A in Palm Beach County, are not safe and the side of the road is even worse.
So, where are cyclists to ride? According to the cyclists, they need to be in the road where motorists can see them. In the past, Palm Beach County motorists have complained about large groups of cyclists taking up the whole road, especially on A1A where there were no bike lanes. And a recent study for the bike association showed that motorists believe that cyclists in the road break the flow of traffic and make driving difficult.
Interestingly, the rules and guidelines posted on the Boca Bike Club's website (http://www.bocabikeclub.org) do not mention riding in available bike lanes and discourages cyclists from passing motorists on the right - which one could only assume discourages cyclists from staying to the right side of the road in the first place.
The bill was sponsored by Rep. Gary Aubuchon, R-Cape Coral, who stated that he often rides a bike. Rep. Aubuchon said he cannot understand why his fellow cyclists would be against his proposal. This then begs the question posed by Rep. Aubuchon, "If they don't want to ride in the bike lanes, why are we spending all this money on them in the first place?"
Comments
I always thought that was the law. I ride on the right if there is no bike lane. Cars are also supposed to give a cyclist at least 3 ft when they pass. I love bike lanes, they provide a little extra cusioning :)
I honestly thought that was the law too! Maybe it was just "mom's law" so as a kid, you didn't get hit by a car.
I like the idea of a bike lane too, not that I ride much out on the streets!
I can't wait to enforce this law. Police have tried enforcing this law but the judges don't seem to recognize its importance. Our tax payer dollars go into these bike lanes only to see these idiots driving in the lanes for vehicular traffic. I can tell you this, when this law passes (and it will) it's game on for these Julio's and Broward might not be the place for you!
WTH?! People who ride in the lanes need to advocate for them! What is wrong with these people? They complain about not having a place to ride and they complain about having a designated place to ride! Pick one!
The reason cyclists are upset about this law is because leaving the bike lane to avoid an accident (pothole, tree branch, parked car, etc.) would be illegal. Not only that, but the city planners in my area are not exactly bright and the one bike lane within a 10 mile radius has a very dangerous entrance. It starts at a wide, high-volume intersection with no delayed light to allow for cyclists or pedestrians to cross in advance. Then, right after the bike lane starts, there is a turning lane into a shopping plaza about 50 feet away. This means most drivers veer into the bike lane to get to the turning lane and cut cyclists off. If I were to veer out of the bike lane to avoid being hit by a car coming into my bike lane while I was in it, this law would put me at fault for trying to avoid an accident that I did not create! Cyclists like bike lanes if they are planned safely. Otherwise, we like to cycle and not endanger our lives when lawmakers and city planners do not think ahead for us.
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