Occupy the lane

Mighk Wilson writes today about the "tyranny of speed" and what bicyclists can do to hold their own in the environment that motor speed creates.

While lane control is primarily a practical safety strategy, it can also been seen as a political statement. It is a way of saying that speed is not the primary rule of traffic; that “first come, first served” is; that the basic right to travel in the safest possible manner must take precedence over the desire to travel at higher speeds. That those wielding power cannot be given so much advantage over those who do not wield such power.

There's more -- and it's really worthwhile -- at Mighk's blog, Bicycling is Better.

Trail through Keys beckons

With our shift to Florida's drier, milder season, local cyclists and visitors alike may reasonably think of venturing down the Florida Keys on the Overseas Heritage Trail. At that state website you can find links to a 48 x 36-inch map and a pair of cue sheets to help you ride smarter.

Riders coming from or through Miami can follow the South Dade Trail alongside the busway to Florida City, then use the new, wider shoulders on U.S. 1 down to Key Largo. Often group riders will choose Card Sound Road for that stretch, on the theory that cars drive slower on the narrower road. However, I'd recommend staying to the larger road because the shoulders give you more room to ride.

Either way, you should be as well-prepared as possible to deal with the consequences of glass and other road debris. Avoid night riding, and if you must ride at night the light your bike front and back.

When good cyclists get hit

Prompted by three traffic crashes involving expert bicyclists, Florida Today columnist Mark DeCotis muses about such bike-car conflicts. He doesn't offer any conclusions or solutions, but perhaps you'll be moved to do so. Here's his piece.

Cyclists stake claim to West Avenue Bridge

Bicyclists, walkers, and runners turned out in force this week to make the case for keeping cars off the proposed West Avenue Bridge in Miami Beach. Read more at the Belle Isle Blog.

1200 register for Gran Fondo Miami

There's a nice writeup in Friday's Miami Herald about Gran Fondo Colnago Miami, the Italian import bike ride that on Sunday will stretch out from Coral Gables to Florida City, then wind up with a big pasta meal at Miami City Hall. The Herald's Andres Viglucci, himself a cyclist of some passion, quotes Gran Fondo USA founder Matteo Gerevini:

“I know with the first edition, it’s always difficult to understand what it is. It’s something not done before in the United States. But we want the serious athletes who want to go fast and we want the people who just want to ride at their own speed, no pressure.”

To read more, see MiamiHerald.com. Here are the three published routes for the event. I'd use these maps with caution, though. Your own knowledge of the neighborhoods might come in handy.

Anti-texting effort rebuffed

Boca Raton's state Rep. Irv Slosberg is trying again to get the Florida Legislature to regulate texting while driving. He has a bill -- HB299 -- expressly for that purpose, but on Tuesday suggested in the House Transportation Committee that it be wrapped into an omnibus bill along with several issues important to the state Department of Transportation. Hah! Good luck. Read more at NSF's Transport Report.

CX training on Saturday

Announcement from Dario Perez:

On Saturday, Miami Velo Racing is hosting the second annual CX Training race at the Old Zoo on Key Biscayne. Race starts at 8:30. No entry fee, no frills and no pressure. Race for fun and bragging rights. Everyone is welcome.

Dozens of flats on Bear Cut Bridge

Key Biscayne rider alert: Someone scattered thumbtacks along the Bear Cut Bridge this morning, resulting in dozens of flat tires. Please watch for such mischief and, if it's on the causeway, alert Jim Martincak, causeway superintendent for Miami-Dade Public Works. His phone is 305-361-2833. And if you see who's doing this nasty stunt, call police.

Train courtesy #1

I like taking my bicycle onto Metrorail. It's a real convenience to have it at the destination station so I can pedal to where I'm going -- and, if time allows, bike all the way home. The recommended way to get to the platform is the station elevator, though I acknowledge that at times I've ascended just as this rider did today. Trouble is, if you're about to miss a train it's pretty hard to pass a biker on the escalator. He and I and another barely timely rider were left on the platform as the train pulled out a few seconds after 10:30. Had he used the escalator, two of us would have caught our train.

OK, you say, the next train is, what, 10 minutes later? Are any of us too busy for a 10-minute wait? Maybe not, but it's hard to relax and smell the flowers -- even if dropping back from "gotta get to work" mode might be healthy.
Then there's this: Thoughtful riders make friends for cycling, and we could use a few more friends these days.

Safety campaign points up blind spots

There's a powerful safety campaign launching in the Tampa Bay area, thanks to the Florida Department of Transportation and several cooperating partners. It includes sobering video that every driver and adult cyclist -- and nobody's children -- should see:

See the Impact from dunn&co on Vimeo.

Learn more about the whole campaign at www.seetheblindspots.com.

Please ride clear of the door zone

Senate spares bike path programs

The third effort in Congress this year to shut off Transportation Enhancements funding was shot down today before the Senate adopted an overall transportation spending bill for 2012. Sen. Rand Paul, the tea party Republican from Kentucky, had targeted the TE program on grounds the money was being wasted on museums, visitor centers and other roadside frills. Examples he cited, however, turned out to be paid for from other funds, and that drained the steam from his attack. Here's more about it from The Associated Press, and a report on the overall bill from Transportation Nation.