To the outsider, the scene had all the elements for a perfect enjoyable Sunday afternoon in Tampa Bay. A welcome, brisk 60ish degrees, making the weather was ideal. Endless blue skies, miles of lush trees and the ceaseless serenade of birds chirping created a backdrop that could have been out of a Norman Rockwell painting. And hundreds of people gathered to enjoy a medley of free food, music, games, vendors and activities. But to the insider, like Alan Snel, “It’s a great day! A beautiful bicycling scene.” Looking closer, the ratio of people arriving by foot or car was drastically lower than the number of people arriving on two wheels. There were more people decked out in helmets, knee pads and neon, skin tight high performance cycling wear than last year‘s sweaters. And the vendors were peddling just that-pedals and every other bicycle accoutrement. The equivalent of a Fall festival for cycling enthusiasts, the 5th Annual Bike Bash was in full swing at Flatwoods County Park in Tampa.
Yet, dressed modestly compared to the rest in a loose fitting black and white ensemble, and a shirt that read, “ Please Look Thank You” Snel’s demure and down to business attitude set a different scene. The “people” are the 8 cyclists who died, most killed by motorists, in Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas County since July 29 . The bash this year was held in honor of the memory of those victims, as well as to provide a reminder about the need for better bicycle safety in these counties. “There is power in numbers.”
Snel, the director of the Southwest Florida Bicycle United Dealers(SWFBUD) which organized the event along with sponsors Cure on Wheels, Hillsborough County and HART, said having vendors, bicyclists, and the general public come together in a venue for a collective cause is the most effective way to make the government more responsive. He’s not alone in this theory.
"It’s extremely important. Change can not happen without the cooperation of the county or the city first,” said Jimmy Shirk, a SWFBUD volunteer. Drivers who break the law need to be held accountable, as well as cyclists. “It’s not always the driver.”
'E’nforcement is one of the “Three E’s” method that Shirk and other SWFBUD members maintain can improve conditions for bicyclists. He said some counties and cities have been taking the issue more seriously than others, and specifically mentions Hillsborough. County Commissioner Mark Sharpe has been an advocate for the cause and played a key component in organizing buses for transportation for non-bikers to the event.
The second is ‘e’ngineering. Better roadways, bike lanes, less traffic, a lower speed limit.
This article appears in Nov 11-17, 2010.