Bike Miami Days

Jan 13, 2009 By Arleigh Jenkins Posted in The Archives Tagged with Commute by Bike

Down in Floriday there is a city trying the become bike friendly, that city is Miami.. The city is taking many steps to this bike friendly city. Bike lanes, required bike racks and Bike Miami Days.

Bike Miami Days will be on one Sunday per month : January 18, February 8, March 8, April 26, May 17

The list of events is pretty interesting and wide spread, including yoga, bike tours, clinics and rentals!

More coverage can be found at Miami Bike Scene or Bike Miami Blog. If you use twitter during this event make sure to add the tag #bikemiami. Also if you are in Miami please comment and let us know how the events are!

0 thoughts on “Bike Miami Days”

Richard says:

January 13, 2009 at 8:48 pm

This is a joke. As a resident and daily cycle commuter I can tell you that biking in Miami has to be one of the easiest ways to get yourself killed. Forget Miami Vice, CSI Miami, or even Tony Montana. They don’t show the true mean streets of Miami. Furthermore the majority of biking events held in Miami are so poorly run that at times they have events at locations where bicycles are not allowed. Street cycling surveys have not even been done to help cycling commuters determine the safest routes to take. Not that they are not trying to do something about the cycling reputation but most of the times the efforts made are little more than an excuse to make some money of a street vendor festival. I travel between Miami and further north to a city called Ft. Lauderdale use mixed mode Train and bike commuting. I have been side swiped once and clipped 5 times in Miami In less than 2 years where as I’ve only been cut-off once in Ft. Lauderdale in the last 4 years. Broward has published maps of roads with bike lanes and what is the amount of expected interaction with traffic you will have on most major roads. This small bit of information is vital in determining your routes. Furthermore I have seen several new road projects in Miami where the lanes are not designed for bike traffic. Many of the smaller towns are making changes for this nut Greater Miami in general has not really moved forward.
Anyhow I hope they really do change their habits and past mistakes and try to make Miami a safe cycling city. I live here and would really like to be able to bike to the bookstore without major worry.

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Collin says:

January 14, 2009 at 1:04 am

I disagree Richard, while riding may be risky it’s starting to change. I’ve been working with Green Mobility Network and Emerge Miami to get the City to get more bike lanes, and we’re working on a bike friendly map to help cyclists get around in a more safe manner. The City and County have both done surveys of streets to determine safety. There are ways to get around without getting killed.
If you live on the beach commuting into downtown/little havanna/omni/civic center are not too tough. Coming from West to East are a little scarier and hopefully we can get more bike lanes out there. We are also getting the city to start massive education campaign for cyclist and drivers. Pay attention and you’ll see Miami is making some big changes. Hope to see you at Bike Miami Days Sunday. Oh and the February date is likely going to be the 21st.

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Mike says:

January 14, 2009 at 7:50 am

The Bike Miami Days, and the event the County just ran shutting down 7 miles of the Rickenbacker Causeway are huge community building and awareness exercises. Unfortunately, bicycle infrastructure takes longer to plan, design and build. There are often several bureaucracies to work through, which means in the meantime we need to keep building awareness and education, as well as help more bicyclists become comfortable with the idea of riding on our city streets. These monthly events help tremendously in that way. Onward and upward. Ride safe and be patient. There are plenty more good things that are to be planned and built in 2009.

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david in fla says:

January 14, 2009 at 12:29 pm

After living in south Florida for years, I’d hate to see a critical mass-type event down there. People would die, I guarantee it. Too many old people and unlicensed drivers, and I’m 95% Vehicular Cyclist.

Good luck and if I’m down there for business during these times I’ll make sure to stop by!

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Mike says:

January 14, 2009 at 1:07 pm

We host Critical Mass twice a month. No one has died. South Florida is not very safe for pedestrians and bicyclists on the whole, but there is no need to sensationalize the threat.

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Paul in Minneapolis says:

January 14, 2009 at 4:03 pm

When I was 14, back in 1977 I commuted from school to work in homestead, about 8 or 9 miles. It was a different world back then. Too bad I didn’t have some one to show me how to bike the right way… Sadle too low, wrong gears and so on… Over all, I would have to say it wasn’t that bad as there were less than half the people and maybe one third the cars than there are now…

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Ciego says:

January 15, 2009 at 1:21 am

All my life I’ve commuted by bike, from elementary school in Quito, Ecuador, to grad School in Long Beach, California, and even now to work at Orange County. I never dared to ride a bike when I went to FIU in Miami, but that was more than 10 years ago. It seems like the city wants to change, but drivers are a lot more aggressive than in Southern California for sure.

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Collin says:

January 17, 2009 at 6:54 pm

I agree with Mike, as someone who takes part in bith Critical Mass rides, Miami can be dangerous but it’s not as bad as you make it sound. The FIU area is between 2 major roadways and on/off ramps from the turnpike, that area is particularly unsafe, however much of the rest of Miami is not so bad. I ride downtown everyday and generally have no problems. Come down, ride with us, and then make the judgement.

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Monica says:

January 20, 2009 at 6:19 pm

I just heard about Bike Miami Days and it sounds so much fun! My question: Is this event for beginners? When I say beginners I mean someone that has not been on a bike since the glorious days of childhood when riding in your cul-de-sac was the thing to do. For me that was about 14 years ago.

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Mike says:

January 20, 2009 at 10:14 pm

That is exactly who it is for! We close the streets so that there is no automotive traffic. Thus, you don’t have to worry about cars hitting you, or sweeping by you at high speeds. The event attracts all levels, but is especially nice for novices.

Come ride!

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Anonymous says:

January 22, 2009 at 5:00 pm

The next one is Feb. 21st and it should be really nice. We have old people riding and kids with training wheels. No cars, so no worries. Hope to see you there.

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George says:

January 25, 2009 at 8:11 pm

Ok lets take a good look from the other side of the coin here. I too am a cycle commuter most of the time. But there are times when I have to drive and there are area’s where the bikers think they own the road. This is not always the fact. If you ride down a one lane road during rush hour (either one) and slow traffic because you can not keep the speed limit, you are not helping! Get off the road when I am trying to get to work! Or find a track to ride on. All I am saying is if you want miami to become bike friendly, then the bikers need to respect the others using the roads as well. Besides, those drivers you hate are the reason you have a road to ride on!?!

Take a look at chicago or denver. Two of the greatest city’s to live and commute in. Do you see bikers running red lights or pulling out so far that you can not make a legal turn? NO. Do they hold of traffic so we can all look at the advertisements on your overpriced shirts? NO (Please leave the spandex at home too!) So I would like to see the bikers out there begin to have some respect for the other types of commuters on the road. If that happens then maybe we will see a better commuter setup, as we should since our weather is so much better that those other cities.

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akhil says:

May 26, 2009 at 1:40 pm

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rock
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Fort Lauderdale homes for sale–

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akhil says:

May 26, 2009 at 1:42 pm

hello,
Bike Miami Days happens this Saturday, March 14, at the usual location in Downtown Miami. You can visit the Bike Miami Blog for up-to-date info (which they are extremely good about providing).

I was in Puerto Rico for the February edition, though it wouldn’t have made a difference since, much like this one, it happened on a Saturday, so this Shabbat-observing Jew would have had to miss it. Again, much like this one. I can’t wait for the April event (Sunday, April 26), though that one will be at Coconut Grove, not Downtown Miami (which is cool, since it gives us riders a new area of the city to explore).
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rock
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Fort Lauderdale homes for sale–

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