Advocacy & Safety - More proof that SoFla is the dumpster of America

I know we're beating a dead horse (or perhaps trailer park) here, but Ft. Lauderdale's Sun Sentinel ran this story today (http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flpbikevscar0925pnsep25,0,4776150.story). The irony in comparing the first quote of the story with the comments section embodies the area fairly well.

Also, there are reports coming out of Ft. Lauderdale that another cyclist was killed this morning.

I'm starting to wonder why Henry Flagler wasted his time and money coming down here.

I'm still trying to decide which is worse, Texas or Florida. Keep those articles comming.

I'm still trying to decide which is worse, Texas or Florida. Keep those articles comming.

Florida...hands down.

Sounds as if a motorist tried to write a neutral perspective on cycling and failed.

Sure, we have idiots such as Joe Garcia floating about here, just as you have in any other city. If you go to the aggressive cager, you'll get an aggressive cager's response. For that matter, the Clemente fellow they interviewed sounds as if the only cycling abilities he ever learned came from the track - as if bike lanes are the only solution :rolleyes:

My beef is with people such as Angel Streeter (send your complaints to astreeter@SunSentinel.com) that see it fit to write an article in such a manner in the first place. No reason why we should be tolerant of additional negative publicity that is not rightly ours in the first place.

-Kurt

I think this was the best statement:
"When bicyclists exercise their right, there's the perception they're doing something wrong, breaking the law, being rude," said Clemente, a former professional bike racer who commutes to work by bike. "It's tough for both sides."

From his car window, Garcia suggested the cyclist use the bike lane.I'm sure he was very polite when doing so :rolleyes:

:lol:

Fortunately, things aren't nearly so bad in the rest of the state.

Serious cyclists in South Florida have little for the law. Packs of 20 or 30 riders riding peleton style on public roads blowing through redlights and stop signs?

Serious cyclists in South Florida have little for the law. Packs of 20 or 30 riders riding peleton style on public roads blowing through redlights and stop signs?

I whole-heartedly agree. Many of the "roadies" around here are just as bad as the motorists. Law enforcement for cyclists AND/OR motorists is nearly nonexistent.

Even today, I was halfway across a crosswalk on my way to lunch and a Miami-Dade Transit truck (not a pickup, a big-arse truck) turned into my path, forcing me to stop in the middle of the road while he swerved around me. As I made eye contact with the driver, he shot me the finger. A Metro-Dade police cruiser sat at the other end of the intersection and did nothing. I guess neither were well-read on Florida State Law concerning pedestrians, or maybe they just don't give a **** like most around here.