Poinciana Favorites And ‘Sharrow’ Bike-Lash
By Rick Boettger
Two topics today: A sweetheart deal for a church at Poinciana School, and follow-up on my adventure biking in the “sharrow” lane on the Boulevard.
Starting last May, Larry Murray, the hardest-working member of the School Board (as its conscience), tried to find out what the rules are for renting school space. It took dozens of public records requests to pull out the rules and who is indeed renting what, over the course of four months. Compare this to the usual two-day service I get when requesting much more complex information from our Key West City Clerk’s office.
Well, Larry uncovered one clear error: A church, Eagle’s Rest Ministry, has been renting the auditorium at the Poinciana School for $6,760/year less than the stated rules for rentals say they should be paying.
I have asked the District whether they will collect the proper amount—remember, it is my tax dollars that bought the auditorium–, change the rules so that less is charged for all, or tell me something I don’t know.
They’ve not yet answered, but I’ve heard action is finally being taken. It is always so nice when the right thing is done without lawsuits being filed. Our judges are busy enough. They don’t need more work.
If you only read our print edition—ah, the joys of real newsprint—you miss out on the occasional spirited discussion at the end of the article in the E-Blast version. I need to report a number of insightful comments made in response to my Biking the Boulevard column two weeks ago. In it, I dared to test the enticing “sharrows” painted on the asphalt and the cute [picture of a fat-tired bike] “MAY USE FULL LANE” signs.
Heading out just past Kennedy a Sheriff’s deputy couldn’t bear watching my 66 years on my lumbering conch Cruiser and pulled me to the side. Having made my point, I ended the experiment. When the cops pull you over and even then admit you have every right to be making an idiot of yourself, we have to admit there is a problem.
Most everyone agrees with me, we should remove the sharrows and signs. While intending to make bikes on the boulevard safer by warning cars about them, they have the unintended consequence of creating the very danger they want to alleviate: Getting 8 mph Conch Cruisers, that would never dream of dumping their own slow asses onto Highway 1, think that hey, it’s my right to mosey along in traffic, gosh darn it. Despite being right next to a wide promenade perfectly designed for slow bikes.
One suggestion was to add “Minimum Speed 20 mph” signs. I agree that fast bikes might use the roadway—it is safer for them and less of a hindrance to cars, as their greater speed gives more warning time to cars coming up from the rear. Another person remembered the old rule for bikes, like pedestrians, to ride facing traffic, to see when you have to dive for cover.
One honest and fed up biker and driver says either get rid of all of the cars in Key West, or else he “will continue to drive my 8 cyl truck at 40 mph up a bike’s ass if necessary. Whatever the consequences.”
Two avid bikers applaud the sharrows. They simply say bikes have rights, and cars need to know about them. But the point of my column is that these “rights” are actually dangerous to have, and completely unnecessary—both of these fast bikers admit they themselves use the wide promenade where the sharrows are merrily encouraging us 8 mph-ers to become moving speed bumps.
One of these “handsome riders” (his term) suggests we add the “may use full lane” signs on other often-biked streets in town like Eaton, United, and Flagler. I actually agree. But I would install those signs at reduced cost by taking them away from the Boulevard and moving them to where they might save, not endanger lives.
So far, our Commissioners are staying away from this hot potato—they have been so burned by FDOT over the 850 Days of Hell and Counting, they just want to wake up and have the nightmare be over. Mr. Scholl, you have already tried to do the right thing, and at least the remainder of the sharrow signs have not gone up. Any way We the People can help you out?
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Have we lost our practical sense? Key West is a congested place. Bikes do not mix well as equals with motorized vehicles in this island traffic, especially when driven by sightseeing tourists who come here yet leave their heads at home. Though we do need to share the road, it’s imperative that ALL OF US be mindful of safety, not just motorists.
Though I applaud the many cyclists who ride safely, many others are a menace (including some skateboarders). It seems the “rights” these folks feel entitled to extend to doing just about anything they please. This includes riding in the center of the lane (or enough of it to impede traffic flow), couples riding abreast to chat, cruising through stop signs/red lights, going the wrong way down one-way streets, not signaling for turns, not wearing helmets/safety gear, not having lights or reflectors, and riding the lane in the opposite direction. I have even seen cyclists talking and TEXTING on their cell phones! The government tells motorists that driving on the roadways is a PRIVILEGE. When did it become a RIGHT to cyclists and skateboarders?
I hear so much whining about how unsafe it is to ride a bike in Key West yet see many taking little responsibility for their own safety. As a motorist, I want equal “whine time.” If you want safety and equality on the roadways, respect the same rules of the road as motorists and don’t be a “street terrorist”. Adjust your view that it’s a motorist’s responsibility to simply “watch out for you” while you do as you please. Try giving the same courtesies and be as mindful to motorists as you expect them to do for you.
You want more equality? Perhaps cyclists need to take a class on safety, pass a test for a cyclist license and have insurance like motorists. If a cyclist is the cause of an accident, points should be assessed against that license or else take “driving school” or a retraining class.
I could go on and on highlighting the disproportionate set of circumstances motorists face to retain their “privilege” while cyclists skip everything, be exempt from licensing & insurance, graduate college straight from kindergarten and automatically receive the “right” to the roadway. I guess it’s just another “welcome to America” scenario. Now go to Germany and observe the harmony between not only motorized and bicycle traffic but pedestrian traffic too. It works in that country where folks know and obey the rules. God forbid we try it here! It’ll be like converting to the metric system! It makes too much sense! lol
It’s time motorists put a foot down and push back a little. Yes, we all have to safely share the road. However, cyclist “street terrorism” is out of control. I curse myself every day for not installing a dash cam in my vehicle. It’s just a matter of time before a cyclist runs another stop sign and ends up under my truck. Of course, it’ll always be the big bad truck’s fault for not driving defensively while my insurance skyrockets and I’m charged with manslaughter.
Regardless of your means of transportation, your expectation as an equal on the roadway comes with the responsibility to obey the rules and have common sense with regard to safety. Don’t make it another “welcome to America” scenario and have it ALL ABOUT YOU!
Sam Clemens, aka Mark Twain, said: “When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained.”
Sterling! 😀