Florida newspaper article

Venice, Florida

04/17/05
Sharing the roads safely


The only memory Eric Welch has about the truck that hit him was it was newer
and red.

"Eric lay on the road and no one stopped," said his mother, Jerilee Doyle.
"I can't believe no one stopped."

Including the driver.

Welch was riding his bicycle around 8 p.m. March 15 when he crossed the
street. Welch, 16, told his mother he looked both ways. But a mid-size
pickup truck came around the corner, hit him and kept on going.

"All I could think about was that little girl who died in (Port Charlotte)
after that nurse killed her in a hit-and-run," Doyle said. "I said, 'My God
that could have been my son' "

Welch, luckily, escaped with only an ankle injury that put him on crutches
for several weeks.

While the driver of the truck broke the law by not stopping, Welch himself
broke several. He was riding a bike after dark without proper reflectors.
The bike didn't have lights. He was not wearing a helmet.

"He has the proper reflectors on now," Doyle said. "And he now has a helmet.
But he's afraid to ride now."


Don't know

As the population of Florida grows, competition for right of way between
bikes, pedestrians and automobiles has become more intense.

According to the Florida Department of Transportation, one in eight bicycle
fatalities occurs in Florida. About 40 percent of the nation's bike
fatalities happen in Florida, California, New York and Texas, according to
the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center.

The blame cannot solely rest on drivers or cyclists -- neither seems to know
what their responsibilities are.

"Throughout the state there is a large percentage of drivers and bicyclists
who don't know about sharing the road," said Gary Harrell, chair of the
Charlotte County Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Council of the MPO. "Cyclists
have the right to be on the road, but they have to know the rules."


The law

In Florida, a bicycle is legally defined as a vehicle, and cyclists have all
the rights -- and responsibilities -- of drivers. A cyclist must obey the
traffic laws and traffic control devices that apply to the driver of any
vehicle.

However, a cyclist who is traveling less than the normal speed of traffic
must generally ride as safely close to the right-hand curb or edge of the
road. Those making a left turn are entitled to full use of the lane.

Cyclists also are required to pedal in the same direction as traffic, an
often-broken rule. According to both FDOT and Harrell, cycling against
oncoming traffic is a contributing factor to many crashes.

"We still hear from retirees who think riding against traffic is the right
thing to do," Harrell said.

Cyclists under age 16 must also wear a helmet that has met Consumer Product
Safety Commission Standards.

At least one hand must be kept on the handlebars while riding.

When it comes to sidewalks, the rules change. While bicycles may be ridden
on a sidewalk, cyclists must yield the right of way to pedestrians and give
an audible signal before passing. They also are supposed to obey crosswalk
directions, not traffic lights, when riding on the sidewalk.

A bicycle operated between sunset and sunrise must be equipped with a white
light on the front visible for 500 feet, as well as a red reflector and red
lamp visible up to 600 feet to the rear. Though that is the minimum the law
requires, the state recommends additional lighting.

Riding in single file is also required, except on bike paths or parts of the
road set aside exclusively for bicycles.

It is illegal for a cyclist to wear a headset or headphones because it
greatly impedes the sound of traffic. While cyclists are to carry a cellular
phone in case of emergencies, they should not talk on them while riding.

For more laws regarding bicycles and cars, visit FDOT's Web site,
dot.state.fl.us.


Education

Both Sarasota and Charlotte County teach elementary school children about
using helmets and safety through talks and video programs.

Using a video with Bill Nye, "The Science Guy," schools stress helmet use.

"Vehicles have seat belts and bumpers to help keep drivers safe," Nye warns
in the video. "Bicycles don't have any of that."

"A car has a weight about 100 times more than a bicycle," he also says. "A
truck has about 4,000 times the weight. A bike is not going to win."

The video promotes light-colored clothing -- especially at night -- using a
helmet, the rules of the road, lights, reflectors and above all, paying
attention.

"About 70 percent of bike crashes happen at driveways or intersections," he
said. "Sometimes a cyclist is in their blind spot. But, a lot of times,
drivers just aren't looking for bikes."


'Helped save me'

The lessons about wearing a helmet were not lost on Brandon Benjamin, a
12-year-old middle school student.

While crossing the street after school, Benjamin was struck by a car.

He was wearing his helmet when he was tossed off his bicycle.

"I was pretty shook up," he said. "I have some road rash, but my helmet
definitely helped save me from real injuries. Without it I really would not
be in good shape."

Benjamin said many fellow students don't wear their helmets because they
look "uncool" and many of them don't get caught. However, it only took once
for Benjamin not wearing his headgear before he was spotted.

One day he tried riding his bike to school without his helmet; a crossing
guard asked why he wasn't wearing it.

"My dog ate it," he told the guard, who gave him a new one. "That's what
saved me. Only a few pieces of the helmet broke off in my accident."


The numbers

According to the Snell Safety Education Center, head injuries in bicyclists
are noted in:

* 65,000 emergency room cases

* 7,700 hospital admissions

* 40 percent of bicyclists admitted to the hospital

* 70 to 80 percent of fatally injured bicyclists

A bicyclist hospitalized with head injuries is 20 percent more likely to die
than one without.

While bicycle injuries are more prevalent among children between ages 5 and
15, 56 percent of fatally injured bicyclists are age 20 or older.

Helmets should be replaced after every accident to guarantee they will do a
proper job the next time. Ensuring the helmet will do its job also requires
wearing it properly.

Many kids will either push the helmets back or not clip the straps. The
helmet should be worn horizontal on the head so it can protect the frontal
lobe of the brain. If straps are not clipped, a helmet will fly off on
impact, allowing the head to be injured. Proper fit allows a rider to place
one finger between the forehead and helmet and two between the chin strap
and chin.


Getting involved

While schools, civic groups and police are reaching students through
educational programs such as "bike rodeos," little is being done to educate
adults. Even less is being done to educate drivers about sharing the road
with cyclists.

Rose Gatto, a member of the Sarasota/Manatee Bicycle Club is trying to
change that.

A fellow club member, Ernie de Vos, 63, was killed last month in Venice when
he was biking on the shoulder of U.S. 41 and was hit by a truck. Another
member, Virginia Poyner, suffered injuries in a separate accident on
Longboat Key when she was hit from behind by a driver who decided to use the
bike lane to pass a traffic jam.

Distraught, Gatto jumped on the Internet to see what other areas of the
country were doing to try to promote safer roads for cyclists and motorists.
Gatto said she will approach the Sarasota County Pedestrian/Bicycle/Trails
Advisory Committee to try to erect yellow signs to make drivers more aware
of cyclists using the road. She got the idea from Los Angeles.

"There are a lot of people from out-of-state who are looking around and they
are not watching the road," she said. "I'm working on trying to make drivers
more aware."

However, Gatto said, there are plenty of cyclists who need to be educated as
well.

"When I was a kid, your mom put you on your bike and that was it," the
58-year-old said. "Ask anyone my age, and nine out of 10 will think it is
safer to ride against traffic."

Gatto said she would like to see more law enforcement for both cyclists and
drivers who break the law.

"There are people who are on bikes that are doing things wrong and there are
people behind the wheel of the car that are doing things wrong," she said.
"They need to be told because there are serious consequences."