News / Articles

Safety Tips for the Casual Bicycle Rider
by Jim Dodson

Here are some tips I've learned from years of riding with experienced cyclists and bicycle clubs:

1. Always wear a helmet. This seems obvious but they save lives and reduce injuries. Plus, no bicycle club or organized bicycle event will permit anyone to ride without a helmet because they understand the risk of riding without one.

2. Be easily seen. You want to be seen by drivers. Experienced road riders use a forward facing blinking white light even during daylight hours for a reason. They are proven to increase visibility. Always use a very bright blinking red taillight for the same purpose, even during the day. I also recommend wearing the brightest neon yellow or other eye-catching color shirt or top.

3. Signal your intention to turn left or right and always stop for stop signs and red lights. Never assume a driver sees you or understands your intended travel path.

4. Callout before passing another bicyclist or pedestrian. Experienced cyclists always announce themselves by calling out "on your left" as they overtake another bicyclist or pedestrian. Never assume that person is aware you're coming or that they will continue moving straight ahead.

If you haven’t already downloaded my free Cycling Essentials eBooklet, you can get it here. I wrote this eBooklet to help fellow cyclists be prepared before an accident happens, avoid injuries and also know what to do if the worst happens.

Be safe out there and enjoy it. I certainly do!

Could I Owe Money on My Car After it was Totaled in a Crash?
by Jim Dodson

Many people are shocked to find they still owe money on their car after insurance pays them for their totaled vehicle. How can that happen? The short answer is they still owe more money than the car was worth. When insurance pays for a totaled vehicle they pay its “fair market value,” not the amount owed on the loan or what it will cost to get another similar car.

This is especially true when purchasing a new car. The old adage “the car loses half its value when you drive it off the lot” is unfortunately correct.

How Can I Protect Myself?
GAP (Guaranteed Auto Protection) insurance is coverage which pays the difference in these situations between what you owe the bank on your auto loan and what the car was really worth. It generally isn’t prohibitively expensive and can be a saving grace if the unexpected happens.

Here is a common situation. You buy new car for $40,000, and it is totaled within the first six months of purchasing it. With first year depreciation it may be worth $35,000 or less, but you could still owe more than that and are responsible for the difference. GAP insurance pays that difference.

Keep this in mind. No one wants to pay for a car they can’t drive, so if you suspect you could be upside down, get an estimate for GAP insurance before the unexpected happens.

If you would like a free, personalized review of your auto insurance policy, please click here and we would be happy to assist you.

Stay safe out there and I’ll talk to you next week!

Combating Over-Reliance on Cars
by Jim Dodson

It’s not surprising to learn data from the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that our transportation sector is the biggest source of pollution in the country and that passenger cars account for 58 percent of emissions. This is a huge target to hit to meet a goal of reducing greenhouse gases by 50 percent by 2030—just nine short years.

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Dealing with the Insurance Companies After a Bicycle Accident
by Jim Dodson

Although it’s not always easy or pleasant to deal with insurance companies, you need to report the accident as soon as possible to your own insurer and to the insurer of the vehicle driver.

When speaking to the police at the scene of the incident, make sure they take down all the details and include them in their accident report. It’s the official record of what happened and is vitally important.

Don’t give a statement of how the accident happened to the driver’s insurance company until you talk with your lawyer. If they call, be nice, get their contact information and tell them you’ll call them back at a more convenient time.

Finally, consult with a personal injury attorney who is also an active cyclist. This move will insure that you receive expert advice and commensurate compensation for any economic and non-economic damages for loss of income, medical expenses, property damage, and pain and suffering.

Prepare yourself by making sure you know what information to collect from the driver after a crash by requesting one of our free Cycling Collision cards here.

Bike Lanes Close During SunRunner Construction

Here’s the latest report on St. Pete’s SunRunner Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, a new bus route that will connect downtown residents to our Gulf Beaches.

Bike lanes are now installed on Central Ave between 34th and 58th Streets.  Construction will start this winter to completely rebuild Central Avenue between 58th Street and Pasadena – which will ultimately include bike lanes continuously along the corridor.  

When construction is completed – and the bike lanes are replaced on 1st Avenues N. & S. between 34th and 20th Streets – they’ll be wider and will feature buffers with parking removed. 

This project has been years in development. Prior to its final design, all configurations underwent extensive public discussion – from door-to-door surveys through the Grand Central District, parking-occupancy studies, and open requests for public comments – to discussions/direction from City Council.  

For updates to the SunRunner BRT project, click this link.

If you have any additional questions, contact Lucas Cruse, St. Petersburg Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator:  Lucas.Cruse@stpete.org

Is Cycling Bad For Bones?

A recent Norwegian study compared the bone density of male and female competitive cyclists and runners – all of whom were young and fit – and found that the cyclists’ bone density was strikingly lower than that of the runners. More than half the cyclists had low bone mineral density and one man had osteoporosis in his spine. This wasn’t the first study to show that non-weight-bearing activities – cycling and swimming, in particular – aren’t ideal for bones ... On the upside, cycling is great aerobic exercise, good for your heart, brain and blood vessels, as well as balance.

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