SWFBUD Tells Tampa To Think Green (With Bicycling)

This morning the Tampa City Council held a workshop that included discussion on stimulus money of $32 million that apparently is coming the city's way and green jobs. So more than a dozen folks in the Tampa community came out to urge the city to spend the money on environmental jobs that would make Tampa a more "green" place to live.

Several city council members seemed annoyed that city staff didn't seem to know the exact process of getting and spending the money, with the chief city employee on the subject explaining she would get back to the council.

I spoke before the Council on behalf of SWFBUD, urging the city of Tampa to create green jobs and spend money on green projects such as widening roads to make them available to cyclists and pedestrians not just cars; and integrating bicycling into all aspects of city infrastrcuture such as secure bike areas in downtown areas and workplaces.

Bicycling is just one part of the green movement and SWFBUD urges Tampa Bay area governments to think holistically about blending bicycling into their infrastructure systems.

Tale Of Two Bicyclists In Tampa Bay

Tampa Bay is a mixed bag of bicycle conditions -- and bicyclists. Like this pair I bumped into during the last few days in the Seminole Heights area.

As much as I love bicyclists there are always knuckleheads like this guy. He's crossing an intersection at Nebraska and Hillsborough before he has the green light -- in fact he's crossing with a turn arrow guiding traffic from the opposite lane right into a broadside accident scenario. Plus he's wearing earphones in traffic -- and the no helmet is the least of his problems. (It doesn't help that a driver at the red light is in the crosswalk that he's using).


Then you have this bicyclist on a road bike and with a helmet, biking with traffic down 12th Street south of Sligh Avenue.

Where Did the Share the Road Sign Go On Rowlett Park Drive?

There used to be a Share The Road Sign at this site along Rowlett Park Drive. About three years ago, SWFBUD convinced the city of Tampa to put Share the Road signs on both sides of Rowlett Park Drive because the road that crosses the Hillsborough Avenue and helps get bicyclists to the University of South Florida campus.


But as you see, the Share the Road sign is gone.

Roy LaMotte, the city's transportation director, approved the Share the Road signs at the time.

He's gone, too -- fired because of budget cuts in city government (and because he was vocal about trying to pursue alternative transportation modes besides the single-occupant car, I hear.)

Hanging With The Boys At Bikecommuters.com

At the Sea Otter Classic, I had a wonderful time hanging with RL Policar and his pals at www.bikecommuters.com, a wonderful bike-commuter Web site that includes our own Jack "Ghost Rider" Sweeney here in Tampa.



RL did a fun post on the web site.

For a full list of the bike stores from around the country that won Bicycle Retailer and Industry News awards, check this out.

Reba In The Morning (And The Afternoon Too)

Here's Reba, my pal and the best crossing guard in the crossing guard biz. Bicycling Benefit No. 738: Making connections with people during bike rides. Reba is a crossing guard near the Stephen Foster Elementary School in Tampa.

Wheeling It In Florida

Back in Florida now and I received a wonderful photo from one of the unofficial Bicycle Stories correspondents, Picot Floyd of Seminole Heights.

Welcome to your average bicycle rack in the Sunshine State.

Photo Summary of Sea Otter

I'm back in Tampa and breezing through the photos from the Sea Otter Classic from the hills outside Monterey brought back pleasant memories of a wonderful few days in California. It's northern California that gave birth to mountain biking and the Sea Otter Classic has grown into one of the premier all-around fun bicycle events in the country. Four days of bicycle racing, events and velo-loving.








The surrounding landscape is stunning.


The racing.


















Great details all around.


You mean Clif Bar has an energy bar? I thought they are a beer glass manufacturer.


I need one of these flags for SWFBUD and the Bicycle Bash by the Bay




David and Tammy sold Tour de France caps and T-shirts.




The kids had a grand time.










Lots of fun people and fun bikes.




















On Saturday night, the Bicycle Leadership Conference ended with a terrific dinner on Cannery Row in Monterey. Ken Grossman, the founder of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., was the guest speaker and showed a great slide show, which included this beauty of a bicycling bar.


An incredible bicycle conference in Monterey ended with a nice photo with Ken. Beer and bicycling -- a lovely match.


OK, now I see why beer is so popular in the bicycle world.