PRO BIKE®/PRO WALK FLORIDA CONFERENCE
LEAGUE HONORS TOP BIKE CLUBS
WANTED: AFRICAN-AMERICAN CYCLIST MODEL
FBA MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN
180 SAFE RIDE
FBA STORE
IT’S THE LAW – 3’ WINDOW DECALS
AND THEN SOME


SAVE THE DATE FOR PRO BIKE®/PRO WALK FLORIDA CONFERENCE

Don’t miss the third annual PRO BIKE®/PRO WALK FLORIDA CONFERENCE
“Healthy Community Makeovers: Designs and Programs for Active and
Healthy Lifestyles” to be held August 27-30, 2007 in Orlando at the
Embassy Suites Downtown hotel featuring keynote speaker Gil Penalosa.

The conference is a collaborative effort of many agencies involved with
bicycle and pedestrian issues. Sessions for planners, engineers, law
enforcement, health professionals, developers, landscape architects,
educators and advocates will focus on facility design, land use, fitness
promotion, trails management, law enforcement and education to encourage
more people to walk and bike safely and responsibly. In addition to the
educational sessions, participants will enjoy walking and biking tours,
dynamic keynote speakers and vendor exhibits.

For Florida to become truly pedestrian and bicyclist-friendly, we must
seek improvements in traffic safety education and law enforcement,
transportation facility design and operation, development regulations,
and attitudes towards these environmentally friendly and health-building
modes. The conference sessions will help us progress toward this worthy
goal of improving our state for walking and bicycling.

Visit our website at www.probikeprowalkflorida.com for additional
information including schedule of events and sessions plus interesting
activities like the “Cemetery Crawl.” Register by 6/30/07 for the early
bird rate and don’t forget to make your hotel reservations before the
room block is depleted.


LEAGUE HONORS TOP BIKE CLUBS

The League of American Bicyclists recently honored League Clubs of the
Year including the Boca Raton Bicycle Club. Although the more than 600
clubs and advocacy organizations that belong to the League all do
excellent work, some consistently rise above the rest. To honor these
outstanding clubs and advocacy organizations, League board members
select one club from each region as Club of the Year. The 2007 regional
clubs of the year are: Region 1: MassBike (MA); Region 2: Washington
Area Bicyclist Association (DC); Region 3: Boca Raton Bicycle Club (FL);
Region 4: Hancock Handlebars (OH); Region 5: Spokes & Folks Bicycle Club
(WI); Region 6: Santa Rosa Cycling Club (CA). If your club deserves to
be on this list ... tell your League board member. Nominations open in
the fall, but you can suggest anytime. Each issue of American Bicyclist
this year will highlight one or two of these clubs and advocacy
organizations. Read more about the Washington Area Bicyclist Association
in the May/June issue! For more information, visit www.bikeleague.org.


WANTED: AFRICAN-AMERICAN CYCLIST MODEL

Sister 2 Sister magazine is writing a feature story on cycling, and is
interested in finding an African-American woman who cycles regularly for
fitness or pleasure (or both!). They are under a very tight deadline,
and want someone who is willing to have their picture taken for the
magazine. To volunteer, contact Tiffany Payne at the League of American
Bicyclists at tiffany@bikeleague.org. Thanks in advance!


FBA MEMBERSHIP CAMPAIGN

On May 1, FBA rolled out its 2007 membership campaign with efforts to
surpass 2000 members by August 1, 2007 and 3000 members by December 31,
2007. So how are we doing so far – 150 new members as of today, but that
number is really much higher since about 30% of these new members
represent family memberships and are generally counted as 2 people when
determining total membership levels. We are also missing the boat with
bike shop memberships. Please encourage your local bike shop(s) to join
FBA, display safety materials, and hang FBA and Share the Road license
plate banners. Materials are available by contacting FBA.

So how are we going to grow to 3000 by the end of the year? That’s where
you and your local club come into play. FBA is offering limited one-year
memberships to Florida bicycle club members for only $10 which barely
covers postage. We think this investment is worth it and hope members
will rejoin on their renewal date at the standard or higher rate. Clubs
can offer, via their newsletters or email lists, this offer. A one page
flyer is available for printing. So far, the North Florida Bicycle Club,
Gainesville Bicycle Club and Boca Raton Bicycle Club have promoted this
program to their members. Other clubs are encouraged to follow suit. FBA
Board member John Sinibaldi is piloting a membership program via bike
shops in the Tampa Bay area as well.

Strength lies in numbers and every voice counts towards making Florida a
bicycle friendly place to live, work and play. Membership also means
DOLLARS for FBA to continue working for all bicyclists.


180 SAFE RIDE

Last March 26-April 6, eight cyclists completed a circumnavigation of
the State of Florida traveling over 1000 miles to increase awareness
about drunk driving, seatbelt use, and support the SAFE (Stay Alive From
Education) Street Smart program. The team is seeking additional riders
for next year. Additionally, the Team may participate in other events.
The primary focus of the team is to raise awareness regarding DUI,
seatbelt use, and SAFE - the 180 SAFE RIDE is the signature event with
others in development.

Selection for the team is competitive, and will require the successful
completion of several long distance qualification rides TBA. There will
also be interviews associated with selection. During selection, all
costs are borne by the prospective team member. There is no guarantee
that an applicant will be selected. Applicant assumes all risks and
costs associated with events.

Riders in the 180 SAFE RIDE enjoy complete support for the entire ride
including statewide SAG, emergency vehicle escort, free lodging, and
free food. Riders in the 2007 ride were granted free passes to Busch
Gardens for themselves and family.

Cyclists with a personal drive to make a difference in drunk driving,
seatbelt non-compliance, and saving lives are preferred. Media
experience is a plus (you will probably be on TV and Newspapers).
Cyclists who are First Responders by profession are encouraged to apply.
You don't have to be fast or be a racer, just driven to save lives and
make a difference!

If you are interested in joining the team, contact Jim Russell directly
at 180SAFERIDE@comcast.net. Also, visit the website at
www.180SAFERIDE.com.


FBA STORE

Have you checked out the FBA Store lately? You can do so by visiting
http://www.floridabicycle.org/fbastuff.htm. The newest addition is the
Bike Florida/Share the Road jersey. Patterned after the 2007 Bike
Florida event featuring two hours of big fun cycling around the Daytona
Speedway track, these beautiful jerseys depict a racer theme complete
with our beautiful Share the Road license plate on the back. Support FBA
and Bike Florida by purchasing the jersey and help spread the “Share the
Road” message, plus promote the license plate. Due to increased mailing
costs, all orders will include an additional $5.00 shipping/handling
fee.


IT’S THE LAW – 3’ WINDOW DECALS

FBA recently purchased 7” x 4.5“ "IT’S THE LAW – 3’" window decals in
cooperation with Broward County Board of County Commissioners. Our goal
is to get these full color decals depicting a cyclist and car with a big
“3’” between the two in the windows of businesses like Tax Collector
offices (especially license plate offices), Driver’s License Bureaus,
law enforcement offices and other governmental agencies. Though bike
shops may seem like the obvious choice of business, we’d probably be
“preaching to the choir” instead of getting the word out about this law.
If you have ideas of places where these window decals can be displayed
and are willing to distribute, please contact FBA at
laura@floridabicycle.org. Public awareness regarding this law is
important to motorists and bicyclists. If you want your own personal
decal (plus a supply for your friends), contact FBA. The decals are
free, but a shipping/handling fee of $1.00 will be charged per unit.
Orders of ten or more will receive a discount.

Big thanks to Broward County Special Projects Coordinator/Bicycle
Coordinator Mark Horowitz for offering FBA the opportunity to promote
the 3 foot passing law.


AND THEN SOME

"Machines don't break records. Muscles do." -Lon Haldeman

"I thought of that while riding my bike." -Albert Einstein, on the
Theory of Relativity.

"Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of a bike ride." -John F.
Kennedy

"The bicycle is a curious vehicle. Its passenger is its engine." -John
Howard

"Whoever invented the bicycle deserves the thanks of humanity." -Lord
Charles Beresford

"Just as the ideal of classic Greek culture was the most perfect harmony
of mind and body, so human and a bicycle are the perfect synthesis of
body and machine." -Richard Ballantine