Messenger Building a Bicycle-Friendly Florida Vol. 19, No. 1 • Winter 2016 OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE FLORIDA BICYCLE ASSOCIATION, INC. Fast Track Scott Lagasse, Jr. “Driving” the Alert Today to... Florida Message Home By Trenda McPherson & Alert Today Florida staff cott Lagasse, Jr. or “Scotty” as many of Sus have come to know him, is the official spokesperson for Alert Today Florida. Scotty pilots the Alert Today Florida NASCAR Xfinity Series Race Car and the Alert Today Florida NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race Truck. Yes, he “pilots” them, because this guy FLIES around the track!? While many prefer a motor vehicle as their mode of transportation, Scotty’s Membership 2 preference, second only to the driver’s seat on race day, is his bicycle. He’s been an avid cyclist for most of his life. He rides Blue Light Corner 5 primarily for the health benefits, but he also enjoys the fresh air and the fresh perspective WHEELS Wrap 8-9 he gets when he rides. “Unfortunately, motorists don’t always Ask Geo 11 share the road with bicyclists, and there are some roads I don’t feel safe riding on Gears 101 12 because of it,” Scotty stated. He feels it’s important to “humanize” bicycling by Touring Calendar 14 reminding motorists that PEOPLE are on Scott Lagasse, Jr. proudly sported the FBA and new Alert Tonight Florida logos at the November bicycles. “Every Life Counts” is one of Alert Homestead race. (photo courtesy of Team SLR) Today Florida’s campaigns and one of the messages Scotty drives home through his and bicycle safety? Why not? Scotty is a or other event, or organizing the next new racing and appearances outside the track. bicyclist, he is passionate about safety and outreach activity to promote the campaign. The good news for Florida Bicycle he truly cares about improving the bike/ped Scotty and FBA Executive Director Association is not only having Scott Lagasse, culture in Florida. Becky Afonso attended the University of PAID Tampa, FL Tampa, U.S. Postage U.S. Permit #2899 Permit Jr. as a spokesperson for bicycle safety, but This partnership with Alert Today South Florida’s 4th Annual Bulls Walk and NON-PROFIT ORG. that he is also a member of FBA! Scotty Florida and Florida Bicycle Association Bike Week in September to speak to the and Alert Today Florida have partnered isn’t limited to race day. Race day is a great students and to ride around campus during with FBA and unveiled something special opportunity to reach an audience outside the Bicycle Celebration. at Homestead during the final NASCAR of the “cycling community”, but the safety The event had tremendous support races this past November. Can you believe message is lived and delivered every day. from the Florida Department of it? The FBA logo on a prime location on On most any given day you can find Scotty Transportation Central Office and District his Alert Today Florida NASCAR Camping on a street somewhere reminding people 7, Hillsborough County Metropolitan World Truck Series ride! not to run red lights, walking or biking to Planning Organization, Tampa Bay Area You might ask “why” is a racecar school with kids, speaking about pedestrian Regional Transit Authority, the University driver being used to promote pedestrian and bicycle safety at a meeting, conference, (continued on page 10) P.O. Box 2452, Oldsmar, FL 34677 Box 2452, Oldsmar, P.O. University of South Florida students gather at the end of the Bulls Walk and Bike Week campus ride. (photo courtesy of Team SLR) Page 2 Florida Bicycle Association Building a Bicycle-Friendly Florida We Love Our Members! Thanks to the Support of our Donors and Members Lifetime Members Dianne Franz New Businesses/Clubs/Orgs. Duke Breitenbach Jeff Giammalvo Active Streets Alliance of Gainesville Kimberly Cooper William & Judy Groom Karen Kress c/o Tampa Bay Cycle William R. Hough Bruce Haddock Ocala Mountain Bike Club Walter Long Laura Hallam City of Oviedo-Dru D. Boulware James Nash Eric Hankin Punta Gorda Police Department Mr. & Mrs. H. Middleton Raynal Ed & Sharon Hannon Earle & Laura Reynolds Jim Henze New Members Marcia & Jim Kehl Dr. Joe Warren Mary Abbott Scott MacLean Dwight Kingsbury Mighk & Carol Wilson Elizabeth Babcock Roger Martindill Earl Lang Joseph Bird Trenda McPherson Steve & Cathy Lasky Join FBA Today! Individual/Family High Donors Henry Bischoff Robert & Patty McKey David Nagy Your membership makes a difference Legacy: Michael Bone S. Ayanna Miller Stewart Parsons John & Lenore Sinibaldi David Brackett Ralph Monti for all bicyclists in Florida. Tina Russo & Yvonne Blythe Timothy & Elizabeth Whalen Richard Cahlin Maureen Morley James Shirk Visit: www.fbamembership.org John Cappleman Gary Pantaleo George & Patti Sousa Benefactor: Linda Carpenter Stewart Parsons Student/Living Lightly . $15 Cheryl Stacks Becky Afonso Keith Jasper Katie Cich Brian Piper Snowbird . $15 Jerry Webb John & Pamela Appel Allen Kepchar Allan Collins Jonathan Ponader Individual . $25 Elizabeth Babcock Bradley Larino Club/Business High Donors Cecilia Collins Daniel Ray Family . $35 Steve Bayard Walter Long Jennie Copps Gary Rayberg David Bloom Maureen Morley Premier Partners: Heather Davis Robert Richardson Bicycle Club . $100 Polk County Sports Marketing Bicycle Shop . .. $100 Michael Bone Jonathan Ponader Dean Fesette Christopher Rodatz Donald Brody Edward Reid Mark Flynn Lindy Russell Business/Organization . $100 Richard Carlson Robert & Joan Sabin Champion: Jeff Giammalvo Peter Seed Government Agency . $100 Cecilia Collins Peter Seed Boca Raton Bicycle Club Earl Green Charlie Shaw Higher donations are most appreciated! Carl Gross Randall & Valerie William & Daniel Southcomb Williams Patron: Judy Groom Cheryl Stacks Pay conveniently online or make check Supporter: Florida Freewheelers Bicycle Club Bruce Haddock Roger Stegner payable and mail to: Allan & D A Aldridge Jerri Halgowich Brian Stokes Florida Bicycle Association Advocate: P.O. Box 2452, Oldsmar FL 34677 Richard Cahlin Jim Henze Suzanne Tabakman Linda Carpenter Panther Medical Inc.-Richard Rapports David Hintenlang Frank & Carol Valdes Individual/Family High Jane Corliss Florida Greenways and Trails Foundation Paul Kurtz Jim Verheul & Kristy Orange Cycle Works Donor Memberships: Patrick Donovan Bradley, Elizabeth, Halvorsen John Egberts Gainesville Cycling Club Michael & Robert Van Sickler Lifetime (contact FBA) Mark Flynn Ocala Mountain Bike Club Robert Larino Edward & Mary Wallace Legacy ($500+) North Florida Bicycle Club Doris Leonardo Michael White Champion ($250-$499) Benefactor ($100-$249) Supporter ($50-$99) Business/Organization Categories (annual donations) Premier Partner ($10,000+) Champion ($5,000-$9,999) Patron ($2,500-$4,999) Advocate ($500-$2,499) Member Clubs & Shops ($100) Memberships include a subscription to the quarterly Messenger, access to online member forums and general sense of satisfaction for supporting bicycle education and advocacy in Florida. VISIT FBA’s Website LOG-IN to the FBA Blog STAY UP-TO-DATE on bicycle issues with this statewide forum @www.floridabicycle.org Winter 2016 Page 3 Board of Directors City names denote board and program staff member distribution. Is your area represented? Contact a board member today! J. Steele Olmstead, President Chris LeDew, Secretary Executive Director 10 14517 N. 18th Street 11867 Narrow Oak Lane S. Jacksonville Becky Afonso Sopchoppy 10 Tampa FL 33613 Jacksonville FL 32223 250 Strathmore Avenue 813-979-4949 904-613-5833 Oldsmar FL 34677 Gainesville [email protected] [email protected] 813-748-1513 [email protected] 75 John Egberts, Vice President Tim Bol P.O. Box 118208 301 E. Pine Street, Ste. 800 Administrative Assistant Orlando Oldsmar Gainesville FL 32611 Orlando FL 32801 4 Laura Hallam (FBA HQ) 352-294-1685 407-393-6691 367 Buckhorn Creek Road Clearwater Tampa [email protected] [email protected] Sopchoppy FL 32358 407-399-9961 Jim Dodson, Secretary Earl Lang 75 [email protected] 310 Wildwood Way 1700 Tamiami Trail, E-5 Port Charlotte Clearwater FL 33756 Port Charlotte FL 33948 Membership 727-446-0840 941-258-3400 75 [email protected] [email protected] Please email: [email protected] Working Together to Build Mailing address: Advisory Board P.O. Box 2452 • Oldsmar, FL 34677 a Bicycle-friendly Florida Chris Burns, Chair, Jacksonville Dwight Kingsbury, Historian Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory [email protected] OUR MISSION: for Florida bicycling is to network and share best practices, to educate and Committee advocate and to build awareness as a unified voice. [email protected] Henry N. Lawrence, III, Past President & Founding OUR VISION: for Florida is to be a state where bicycling is safe, respected and encouraged as a Keri Caffrey, Co-Founder, Member, FBA means of transportation and recreation. CyclingSavvy. Program [email protected] Consultant, American Bicycling OUR PURPOSE: Education Association Laura Minns, Central Florida • To educate bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists about safely sharing roadways and paths [email protected] Regional Transportation • To be a powerful, influential voice that protects and advances the interests of bicyclists Authority (LYNX) • To encourage the creation of great on-road and off-road places to ride Dan Connaughton, Director [email protected] • To provide a statewide communications network for bicyclists Florida Traffic & Bicycle Safety • To encourage more people to bicycle more often Education Program Dan Moser, Columnist [email protected] Fort Myers Florida Weekly [email protected] Help Us Grow