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Today, May 4th, is our monthly First Friday Ride for May. Every first Friday of each month, we meet at Loch Haven Park and ride 6pm-7:30pm. It’s always a blast. See you there!
Inspirational Story
Michie O’Day has a very inspirational story that should negate any of your exuses for not cycling. She had a few intensive surgeries a couple years ago that resulted in deafness and restricted mobility, ruling out many forms of exercise. She bought a recumbant trike even after being told she wouldn’t bike again. This hope was well placed, because when she took the Portland Cycling Savvy course, her life was revitalized. She had many new opportunities opened to her just because she knew how to drive her bike. Click here to learn more about Michie’s story.
Couch Potato to Savvy Cyclist
Click here to read about Monique Donahue’s journey from couch potato to savvy cyclist. She tells how she wouldn’t exercise much. Then she bought a bike and used it once, letting sit in her garage the rest of the time. The Cycling Savvy course changed her life. She has made some serious cycling and fitness goals, which she is on her way to achieving! Good for you, Monique!
 Here’s one solution to raise pedestrian visibility at night. Perhaps not the most practical, but you gotta admit, it’s darn effective.
As we prepare to roll out our Best Foot Forward community coalition on pedestrian safety, we’d love to hear your ideas on ways we can get our message out into the community.
I think this one might actually work on I-Drive, or someplace where we’re looking to get our message across in a positive, but effective way. If nothing else, I think I’ve found my Halloween costume for this year.
Florida law says drivers must yield to pedestrians crossing with a walk signal, or trying to cross at an unsignalized intersection. In Orange County, the fine for failure to yield is $164 and 3 points on your drivers license. And yet, our baseline data shows that, on average, only about five percent of drivers obey this law.
OPD and the Orange County Sheriff are going to be looking for violators, starting this summer. Statistics show that in the Orlando Kissimmee Metro, we kill one pedestrian each week and injure two a day. Bike/Walk Central Florida, and our community partners — MetroPlan Orlando, Winter Park Health Foundation, Orlando Health, Lynx, Orange Cycle, David’s World Cycle, Track Shack, the mayors, police chiefs and engineering departments of the Cities of Orlando, Winter Park, Maitland, Eatonville, other cities, plus Orange County, are going to change that.
On May 30, we plan to launch a county-wide initiative in Orange County, aimed at increasing the percentage of drivers yielding to pedestrians in crosswalks and encouraging pedestrians to use those crosswalks. This so-called “Triple-E” approach combines low-cost engineering with education and high-visibility enforcement, to fundamentally change the crosswalk culture in support of ongoing efforts by cities, counties and the Florida Department of Transportation, to make our streets safer.
At our first law enforcement training operation, Orlando Police issued warning fliers to drivers failing to yield at problem crosswalks around the city. More than 400 drivers were stopped over the course of three hours. Research has shown that those drivers will tell at least six people each, for a total reach of 2,800 drivers. Orange County Sheriff training will begin in June.
The Orange County School Board plans to review our pedestrian education curriculum this summer for possible use, districtwide, in the fall. This is a significant development. Fingers crossed.
When was the last time you saved a life? Your contributions of $5, $10, $20, $50, $100, or more, can make a big difference. Checks should be made out to the Florida Bicycle Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and mailed to: Betsy Holl at: P.O. Box 916715, Longwood, FL 32793-6715. Please specify that you are donating to Best Foot Forward.
Register for this month’s (May) Cycling Savvy class now! It is the weekend of May 18 & 19. Attendees will learn how to drive their bikes safely in the streets and will learn the rules of the road as they apply to bikes. Hope to see you there!
Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer’s annual ride to work day has been scheduled for May 25th. Please note that this is a week later than the previously announced date.
Community Calendar Link
http://commuteorlando.com/wordpress/community-calendar/
Recurring Rides
(The next First Friday ride is May 4th, Today!)
First Fridays: Take it to the streets bike ride to promote civility: 6 p.m. on the First Friday of each month. Check our Facebook Fan page for start locations.
UCF Bike Bus: Downtown Orlando to UCF, then UCF to Downtown Orlando. Follow bike bus in real time via GPS at http://commuteorlando.com/bikebus/
Ride With Steve: Beginner ride. Meet at Winter Garden Wheel Works in Downtown Winter Garden, 8 a.m., Saturdays. – Sponsored by Winter Garden Wheel Works .
See our Calendar for other family rides:
www.bikewalkcentralflorida.org
S-Cargo farmers market rides featuring utility bikes and trailers
Ice Cream Socials: night rides through Downtown Orlando
Unless specifically designated as a trail ride, our rides take place on public streets. Headlights and red rear flashers are required for night rides. Helmets are encouraged, and are required for children under 16.
We observe all traffic laws and traffic signals.
Our rides are typically 10 to 15 miles, roundtrip, and average 10 miles an hour, a comfortable pace for most adults and teens. May be too fast for younger children and adults with health issues.
These rides are social in nature.
For longer, more aggressive group rides, subscribe to Hal Downing’s group ride newsletter by emailing [email protected] .
If you have a social ride you would like us to help promote, please email me at the address below.
Brad
Brad Kuhn
Executive Director
[email protected]
Bike/Walk Central Florida Would like to thank our sponsors:
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Transforming Central Florida into a Premier Biking and Walking Community! 
