17th Cyclist Killed In Tampa Bay/Manatee

[Westinghouse]

I am 100% for taking good safety courses. Your average person might not be aware of the special kind of awareness required for cycling safely in traffic and for watching and reading roads, paths, and sidewalks for the many imperfections which to a person in a car are not perceptible, but which to a cyclist can be major slams to his wheels, frame, and ultimately his own anatomy. Quitre a few of the people I knew who were killed while cycling were not actually what I would consider to be skilled cyclists. They were just people who chose to ride bikes locally. I doubt any of them ever opened a book on safe cycling.

[Tourista829]

Two areas to watch. If on a bike/walking path, parallel to the road, where cars come out of developments, they do not always stop at the stop sign prior to crossing the bike/walking path. Due to poor design, once the car is waiting to make a right or left turn, it blocks the bike path. This may also apply to sidewalks, which are very dangerous, because drivers truly are not expecting a cyclist.

Another dangerous situation is when there is no bike lane and you have cars in a right turning lane. There may not be enough clearance between the two lanes.

Observing drivers, on the way to work, more than half are on cell phones, texting, or putting on make up. Only a very few I noticed actually signal a lane change.

[pptouring]

another one drilled today just south of Tampa. Apparently he pulled out in front of the van! 

[Tourista829]

pptouring did the cyclist survive? Do you have a location? Any details you could share would be appreciated. Thanks

[Westinghouse]

I'm not believing this. That many people are getting run down around Tampa? What is it, open season on cyclists there? Exactly which types of cyclists are being killed? There are tourists who plan and pay attention to safety and act with caution and vigilance. Then, there are those who just jump on a bike and go. I surely do not know the facts here, but I imagine those being run down are those who just get on a bike and go without even thinking about the special precautions a cyclist must be aware of.

[tonythomson]

Well if it was the guy we met I'm not  surprised.  He came from our right onto the main highway at speed trying to do -I think- a U turn .  Going at speed carrying something so it was a one handed maneuver. 
He came right out in front of our car and only a quick swerve and luckily nothing on our left saved him.
Have to admit he looked scared so let's hope he learnt something.

It is guys like this that get cyclists a bad name.  Even i exclaimed in the heat of the moment "bl***y cyclists!"  then remembered I'm one 

[pptouring]

I really don't like my integrity being questioned! 

http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2011/april/235488/Bicyclist-killed-on-US-19-near-Palmetto.html

[pptouring]

... but I imagine those being run down are those who just get on a bike and go without even thinking ...

Correct! Although there have been a few killed that were doing everything right. Mostly it's the ones riding during darkness with no lights, dark cloths, riding the wrong way, etc... that are being hit/killed. I do a lot of commuting in the bay area (130 miles this week alone) and to be honest I rarely have any issues and I think it's because I am riding as if I were driving my car; meaning I obey the laws of the road. In fact, yesterday I had a driver say, "Thank you for stopping at the STOP sign, you're the first one I've ever seen stop! Have a great day!" It was a 4 way, he was there first and had every right to go first, but he waved me through after I stopped and gave me props and I politely return my thanks to him.

[Westinghouse]

Tourista829 started this thread saying it was not the place to air views, and not it looks like this thread might be the liveliest one on the board. Nothing else teaches the need for safety and caution better than mass casualties on the roadways. That's one thing that will get everyone's attention.

The guy in the van was 22, a less experienced driver perhaps, and it is possible that a more experienced driver might have been able to prevent the fatal coillision, but I was not there and did not see what happened. It's beginning to seem like cycling in that part of the state could be quite dangerous, but if nonsafe cyclists just get on a bike and go, it may lead to even more deaths. Cycling is a little more demanding of good sense and safe measures than many people might believe it is.

[pptouring]

not killed, but busted up pretty good. 2 on a tandem run stop sign and hit a truck. Oh and they may have been drinking too!

I suppose if you're going to dumb, you better be tuff!

http://www.baynews9.com/article/news/2011/april/238464/Two-bicyclists-seriously-hurt-after-collision-with-truck-in-St.-Pete

[Tourista829]

Westinghouse, you were right, because there are many who know it is terrible on the roads around Tampa and really don't want to see this. I was just outraged by the attitude of drivers and law enforcement with not one person charged. Hillsborough County should be ashamed of themselves, they have some of the worse infrastructure for cyclist. Pasco County has made an excellent effort to really improve their infra structure. I have learned some important lessons from the feed back on this forum. Thank y'all for reading this and contributing. Safety first, second obey ALL traffic rules, and third slow down. It may be some of the riders fault but the statistics still say, cyclist be aware no matter where you ride. 

[pptouring]

Hey Bob, Pinellas County, believe it or not, is not bad. As you know they have the Pinellas Trail, Progress Energy Trail, EAST/WEST Trail, and many of the main roads (excluding US19) have bike lanes. Pasco has come a looooooonnnnngggg way over the last couple years and it appears they are working faster to catch up. It would be nice to see more signage and/or education for both cyclist and motorist, but in the meantime we'll have to take what we can get.   

[Tourista829]

pptouring, we like Pinellas County and have ridden the Pinellas Trail from Tarpon Springs to St. Pete. They did a great job with the overpasses. It is not advisable to ride near St. Pete since there has been some cyclist robbed of money and their bikes, so mow we go as far as Semiole. We also like to ride our bikes from New Tampa to Tarpon Springs and back a perfect metric 100. Once my Dr. clears me to ride again (recent stint) I will again brave riding in Tampa. I plan to ride from Flatwoods Park to my office at E. Hillsborough and 56th. (15 miles each way) Bruce B Downs is a huge mess, and the construction will not be done for another two years. The other day while waitng at a traffic light I saw a cyclist getting a tongue lashing from a construction worker. The poor guy was trying to get to get to work and did not speak much English. When he asked the construction worker where could he go, he answered, "you and  your other cyclists can go directly to hell." It was disgraceful but I was not surprised. Here in lies the true problem, a lack of respect. How do we change attitutes on both sides?

[Tourista829]

Today 50 plus cyclists did a silent 11 mile ride to honor the 14 dead in Tampa proper. Our new mayor, Bob Buckhorn, will lead a group of cyclist on Thursday May 20 from Davis Island to Downtown Tampa. (I believe tomorrow is commute to work by bicycle day) Maybe there is hope.

[Tourista829]

On a bright note, the ceo of my company wrote us an email about supporting bicycling in the USA. With the approval, of my vice president, I wrote back to him about his message and the obstacles encountered for bicycle commuters, at our location. He wrote back and I believe progress is being made. They found the contractor, dropped the ball, on the outside bicycle rack. He told them the rack is still on backorder. They told him to find another source. They are also looking into providing showers and a locker room for us to change. We will be able to keep our work clothes there and not have to carry them, on our bicycles to work. My next project is to try to meet with the mayors of both Tampa and Wesley Chapel and see if we can get them to put in a bicycle/walking path on some of the more dangerous roads.