Florida Walks and Bikes is a non-profit, statewide bicycle/pedestrian advocacy group, created in 2011, to educate the public about how to improve walking and bicycling in Florida. We are a coalition of individuals and organizations who want all Floridians to be able to walk and bike anywhere in the state, safely and easily.
Florida is acknowledged as the nation’s worst state for walking and biking safety. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics show that since the early 1990’s, Florida has always been in the top five states for bicycle and pedestrian fatalities per capita. From 2001 to 2009, Florida was in the top three in both categories. During that period, 1 of 6 US bicycle fatalities happened in Florida and 1 of 9 pedestrian fatalities occurred in Florida. Florida is frequently #1 in either category. No other state even comes close to Florida in this tragic consistency.
Florida, with its relatively flat terrain and warm weather, could be a paradise for walking and biking. We ask for your help in making that happen.
Why do we support walking and biking?
1) Health: Exercise is medicine. Biking and walking are much healthier than riding around in cars, trucks, buses, trains, or planes.
2) Clean air: Walking and biking don’t pollute the air.
3) Efficiency: Biking and walking, relative to other transportation modes, use dramatically less resources and energy…….less material and energy in manufacturing, no fossil fuels to operate. Energy-wise, these are the most efficient modes of personal transportation. And, the fuel for biking and walking is food, not petrochemicals.
4) National Debt and Security: Biking and walking reduce dependence on imported oil. These modes help our country reduce the billions in dollars spent on imported energy every month and military actions to protect the oil supply. Biking and walking involve no wars per gallon.
5) Personal economy: every time you see someone walking or biking, they are moving for free.
6) Availablility: Biking and walking are available to all income groups. According to AAA, the average cost of car ownership in Florida is at least $7,000 annually. Everyone can afford to walk and bike. And, walking and biking are available to all age groups, including the children and elderly.
7) Space: Biking and walking save space. Roadways and parking lots are expensive to build and maintain.
8) Simplicity: Biking and walking are technologically simple, thus reducing stress, cost, complication, and dependence.
9) Real Access: Biking and walking provide door to door access.
10) Self-Reliance: Because it’s easy, simple, door-to-door, and low-cost, walking and biking give people independence and freedom.
10) “Great Places”: The desirable public spaces, are pedestrian and bicycle friendly.
11) Silence: Biking and walking are silent.
12) Fun: Biking and walking are fun.
13) It’s all of us: Everyone is a pedestrian and most people can bike. We are the 100%.
Move yourself!
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Florida Walks and Bikes Takes Action to Stop Bike Lanes from being eliminated on future State Roads
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