**Update** On Johnny's Ghost Bike

I met with Kyle Meenan of WTLV earlier this afternoon. He did a pretty good piece on this evenings news after "they (WTLV) discovered" that the crossing signals where Johnny was struck were not working correctly. It looks like this mans death is going to maybe bite the City in the ass. And hard. I guess it's not always the cyclists fault after all.

First Coast News Full Article with Video

JACKSONVILLE, FL -- A First Coast News investigation is questioning whether a faulty crossing signal contributed to a bicyclist being struck and killed last week.

52-year old Chef and Restaurateur Johnny Leonard Jones died while riding his bike in St. Nicholas around 7:30 p.m. on the Wednesday, July 23rd. He was less than a mile from his home.

According to police reports, as Jones headed north across the nine lanes and two medians where Beach Boulevard and Atlantic Boulevard connect, he was hit by a truck heading west in the two northernmost lanes.

Witnesses say the truck's driver had the green light.

A "Ghost Bike" now stands on the north side of that road, just a few feet from the point where Jones was hit.

It is a bicycle painted completely white, chained to a pole with a sign memorializing Jones.

The memorial was placed by cycling enthusiast and bikejax.blogspot.com founder, Matt Uhrig.

"Bicyclists who have been killed on the streets. Just a little reminder to drivers that we're there," said Uhrig, who added he doesn't believe the crossing signal at that intersection offers pedestrians enough time to cross safely.

"The crossing light stays lit for a walk signal for a total of five seconds. Five seconds to clear 9 lanes of traffic and two medians! Impossible!" said Uhrig.

First Coast News cameras rolled as we punched the crossing button on the north side of the street. The red crossing hand went to white for exactly five seconds, and then blinked red for another fifteen seconds.

It gave us twenty seconds to cross all nine lanes safely.

Johnny Jones' neighbors told First Coast News he was a cautious bike rider, often riding several miles to his Genesis Café on Old Kings Road.

"And he was a very careful bike rider and he left riding his bicycle many times riding it all the way down to Genesis Cafe. That takes careful!" said neighbor and long-time friend, Ruthie Bretana.

First Coast News went back to the intersection Wednesday afternoon to try to retrace the path of Jones' final seconds. We discovered the crossing signal button on the south side of the road did not work.

We pushed the button every few seconds. We pushed it continuously. We pushed the button more than 40-times over a 5-1/2 minute time period and several cycles of the traffic lights from all directions.

The crossing signal never switched from the red, "STOP" signal, to the white sign indicating it was safe to cross.

Neighbor Ruthie Bretana believes Jones would have taken the safest route possible.

"He wouldn't just ride out in traffic. I'm sure he wouldn't!" said Bretana.

It is not known if the switch was working properly or if it was broken at that fateful moment Johnny Leonard Jones tried to cross the street.

It is not known if he pushed the crossing button attempting to use the cross signal to get across the nine lanes and two medians.

First Coast News called the Mayor's office about the non-working crossing sign button, asking for an interview with someone from the City's Public Works Department.

A spokesperson for the City told us she would find someone for us to talk to, but we never spoke with Public Works Officials.

About twenty minutes after hanging up with the Mayor's Office, a bright orange City Public Works maintenance truck pulled up to the intersection and a worker stepped out and began dismantling the broken switch.

When our camera approached and we asked about his work, the man replied, "You'll have to talk to the Mayor's Office!"

He then stopped working, spoke for a few minutes on his phone, and then our phone rang.

It was the Mayor's spokesperson, acknowledging that we were videotaping the repair in progress.

"I can only tell you that the matter is now under investigation and in the hands of the Office Of The General Counsel," she said.

Johnny Jones' widow, Cindy, said she had spoken with the family's lawyer since his death, but her concentration on this Wednesday was her deceased husband's viewing, and his funeral in the morning.

Matt Uhrig hopes his "Ghost Bike" is the last one he'll have to place on the First Coast.

"My heart goes out to his friends and his families for their loss," said Uhrig.

"A very dear neighbor he was. And we all love him in the neighborhood," said Bretana.

©2008 First Coast News. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, rewritten, or redistributed.

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A Ghost Bike For Johnny

Last Wednesday (7-23-08) at 7:30 p.m. 52 year old Johnny Jones was hit by a truck and killed while attempting to cross Atlantic/Beach Blvds. Today Bike Jax with a bike donated by Zombie Bikes placed a Ghost Bike at the scene of the accident. Our hearts go out to the Jones family and friends for their loss.

If you are unaware of what exactly a Ghost Bike is. Here is the description from the Ghost Bike site.
"Ghost Bikes are small and somber memorials for bicyclists who are killed or hit on the street. A bicycle is painted all white and locked to a street sign near the crash site, accompanied by a small plaque. They serve as reminders of the tragedy that took place on an otherwise anonymous street corner, and as quiet statements in support of cyclists' right to safe travel."

As usual our incredibly efficient and investigative media was chock full of information. Here is the report of the accident from the Times Union.

Update: Bicyclist killed at Atlantic Boulevard crosswalk
Posted: Thursday, July 24th, 2008 at 11:15 am
A 52-year-old man was hit and killed Wednesday evening riding his bike at Atlantic Boulevard and Holmesdale Road.

Johnny Leonard Jones of Sheridan Road pulled out in front of a truck about 7:30 p.m. The crosswalk signal had a steady red hand indicating not to cross when he was hit, a Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office news release said.

The driver of the truck had a green light and did not have time to react before hitting Jones, who was not wearing a helmet, the Sheriff’s Office said. He was taken to the hospital where he died a short time later.

No direction of travel for either the cyclist or the auto. No mention that chances are good the auto was in excess of the posted 40 mph as is most of those who travel this part of Atlantic Blvd. No mention how the police determined the cyclist rode against "a steady red hand indicating not to cross." If you want a better understanding why the T-U reads at something like an eight grade reading level. Go over and read the comments from our highly literate and not so compassionate Jacksonville brethren.

WJXT actually sent a reporter to the scene and also has video on their site. They provide a little more information than what is provided by the T-U. But not by much.

Now the thing that caught my attention was that witnesses say the cyclist was crossing against the walk signal. Who were these witnesses? Was it other drivers that witnessed the accident? Did they see the accident and immediately turn their attention from the accident scene to see if the crossing signal was stop or go? That would totally go against everything I know about human nature. If you have spent any time in Jacksonville driving around. You will know how little attention most drivers pay to their own traffic signals let alone to pedestrian crossing signals. I don't know why, but these reports of Johnny crossing against a do not walk signal kept nagging at me.

Once I installed the Ghost Bike I turned my attention to the intersection.


View Larger Map

I stood there for three cycles of the light and not once did the do not walk signal change to walk. I decided to push the walk button to see if that would trigger the walk signal. I watched and waited. And waited. And then waited some more. And then I was stunned for the briefest moments as I finally watched the the red stop hand flicker over to the white colored walking man. As soon as I realized that I had indeed seen the crossing light change. I started counting, one Mississippi, two Mississippi, three Mississippi, four Mississippi and then back to the the red hand of death. I stood there for awhile in total disbelief at what what I just witnessed. I knew I had hesitated for at least a full second prior to starting my count when the light turned to the walk signal. But five seconds to cross nine lanes of traffic and two medians? "That can't be right. I must have not been paying attention and missed the start of the walk cycle", was what I was thinking to myself as I pushed the walk button for the second time. This time I would be ready and pulled out my cell phone with what has to be the crappest video recorder ever manufactured. The video below shows a very blurred walk signal that does indeed stay on for a total of 5 seconds. Start counting as soon as the video starts to play.



Well of course the witnesses stated he crossed against the red signal. If they they weren't paying attention they would never have seen the walk signal. I'm not a journalist or reporter. It's not my job to collect facts and report them to the public. However I'm pretty sure that is exactly what our local print and television news outlets are paid to do. Not one of our media outlets in Jacksonville bothered to even check to see if the crossing signals even worked. If they had they would of had to notice the ultra-short duration of the crossing signal. But everyone one of them made sure they pointed out that the cyclist wasn't wearing a helmet. I'd like to remind the media that Florida state law does not require the wearing of helmet for anyone above the age of 16. He wasn't breaking any law by not wearing one. Don't report it like he was.

Johnny Jones may or may not be at fault for the accident that cost him his life. And no one should harbor ill will for the driver of the truck that stuck him either. I'm sure he is suffering his own personal hell. The real villain is the City of Jacksonville. Anyone using a cross walk should expect to have ample time to cross every intersection in this city in a safe manor. In Jacksonville, cyclists and pedestrians safety are not only an afterthought. Our safety is not even a consideration with city leaders.

I would like to state once again how much safer you are riding in the road and following traffic laws. It is far more dangerous to ride a bike on the sidewalk, as the stats in this previous post clearly points out. It may seem like drivers don't see you on the road. They sure as hell don't look for you on the sidewalk.

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More Positive Bike Vibes In The News

It is truly amazing how fast things are changing with the medias portrayal of biking since just the beginning of the year. The news reports done on people commuting at beginning of this year was generally one of astonishment and amusement at this wacky folks trying save a few bucks. But in just a short 7 months they have made a noticeable turn towards the positive. The fuel saving, the heath benefits and the simplicity of it all. This truly may be the year of the bike after all.

Is Jacksonville the Nations Least Walkable City?

I was reading Tree Hugger a couple of days ago when I came across this article on the Least Walkable Cities. And I have to admit that I was not that surprised to see Jacksonville topping the chart. This very well may be the case if the statistics on bicycle and pedestrian fatalities are accurate. The charts below show that you are about 3 times more likely to die while walking in Jacksonville than you are riding bike.



While those of us that are lucky enough to live within the Urban Core consisting of Downtown, Riverside, Springfield and San Marco on the south side of the River get to enjoy the functionality of gridded streets with sidewalks. The vast majority of Jacksonville citizens live in a maze of cul-de-sac communities that for the most part have no type of pedestrian infrastructure. Those cul-de-sac communities often only have one or two ways into and out of them off major roads which usually have even less pedestrian infrastructure.

Next time you find yourself traveling down Atlantic blvd. around Kernan Rd. Ask yourself how any of those people that live in the subdivisions on the north side of Atlantic get to shopping on the South side of the road with out the use of a car. Ask youself how this road was designed with 3/4 of mile long blocks without any type of consideration for a pedestrian to cross the road at any point along the way.

Intelligent well designed cities provide infrastructure for all citizens to be able move around on. Jacksonville is not one of those cities. The only people that find jacksonville appealing are the developers that are giving free will (thanks to our city leaders) to design without the foresight or vision for any type of Complete Streets Program.

Pedestrian Fatality Data By County (Click To Enlarge)

Bicycle Fatality Data By County (Click To Enlarge)

If you read the above data on bicycle fatalities for Duval county, you will see that in 2006 there were 7 deaths. While even one death is too many, I would like to show just how safe it is ride bike here in Jax with some pretty simple math.

According to the 2006 census Jacksonville had 1/10 of 1 percent of the population of 850,000 that commute by bike. That would mean about 850 daily riders. Those riders do 2 trips a day. One to work and one home. That is 1700 bike trips a day and 620,500 trips a year. And if you add in all the recreational riders into that daily and yearly total. Well, I don't have any way of calculating how many total trips by bike that would be. But I would have to say, the roads are not near as dangerous as people would have you believe from looking at those numbers.

Metro Jacksonville has just posted a great article on walkable Jacksonville.

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Sweet, Sweet Karma

We all generate our own karma. Sometimes the karma gods take their time with the payback or retribution. Other times karma wastes no time at and just smacks you in the face with your own stupidity.

The latter being the case for this poor dumb fool who thought it would be cool to open his door and mess with the biker as they drove by. Sweet, Sweet karma.



And while we're on the subject of stupidity. The following video will show why you should never, ever ride you bike into a wall. I know many of you will have to scratch that one off your to-do lists.

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"City" bikes get defined

I was pretty happy to read the below article today just a couple of days after this previous post. It looks like the media is starting to get on the style over speed bikes as utilitarian transportation band wagon. 

COMFY NEW COMMUTER BIKES MAKE IT EASIER TO GET AROUND TOWN

By Adam Voiland

U.S. News and World Report

If $4-a-gallon gas has you looking for relief, consider: A concerted effort is underway to attract casual bike riders into the fold. The lure is a range of new commuting bikes that promise to make everyday travel by bicycle as comfortable and fashionable as it is cheap. And if time is the excuse you give for being a bit of a slug, what better way to fit a workout in than to make it your transportation?

"It’s convenient; it keeps me fit; and it’s economical," says Scott Infanger, a professor at the University of North Alabama in Florence, who regularly bikes his daughter Elizabeth, 7, to school on the way to his nearby office in an effort to teach her that bicycling is a legitimate form of transportation. With Elizabeth hitched behind on a trailer bike, it takes about eight minutes to get her to school, Infanger says, about the same amount of time the 1-1/2-mile trip takes by car.

In a country where most grown-ups regard bicycles as kid stuff, there are plenty of signs that attitudes are beginning to shift. Bike stores and manufacturers across the United States are reporting significant upticks lately in sales.

"They’re selling out of all the commuting bikes--all bikes, by the way--that they can get their hands on," says Bill Fields, a consultant who has followed the bicycle industry for decades and anticipates a 20 percent bump in the "comfort bike" category, which includes commuting bikes, by year’s end.

Meantime, a bill that will allow employers to offer financial incentives to bicycle commuters is winding its way through the U.S. House and Senate. A recently unveiled bike-sharing program in Washington, D.C., which allows members to use bikes from 10 rental locations with the swipe of a card, has spurred interest in other cities. And, in Austin, Texas, Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong recently opened a cycling shop that caters not to racing enthusiasts but to commuters.

Barack Obama recently met with bicycle advocates and promised that he would increase funding for bicycling projects, while potential Republican vice presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has taken to biking around Little Rock, Arkansas.

Though old hat in many European and Asian countries, commuter bikes, which run generally between $400 and $800, are foreign to many Americans. A cousin to the mountain bike in the sense that it puts riders in an upright position, as opposed to the aerodynamic crouch of the racing or road bike, the commuter bike is more comfortable than either type of sport bike. Its tires tend to be large but smooth and perform better than rugged mountain bike tires on pavement; its wide seat distributes pressure more evenly than the narrow seats on sport bikes; and its ergonomically designed handlebars are curved back slightly for comfort.

Most commuter bikes come with lights and bells, a basket or rack on the back for a briefcase or groceries, and mud flaps and an enclosed chain guard to protect clothes from grease or tears. Some even come with pedal-powered electrical generators that operate lights.

Shifting these bikes is less of an art; while sport bikes might have 18 or 24 gears, a commuter bike is apt to have just three (though some designed for hillier terrain have more). Many take advantage of an unusual shifting system that makes it possible to change gears when you’re not pedaling, while others even shift automatically.

The Trek Lime, for example, one of a series of coasting bikes designed for especially easy riding, has an automatic shifting system powered by a generator on the front hub, as well as old-fashioned pedal brakes designed to make the riding experience carefree. It runs slightly under $600.

Joe Breeze, one of the inventors of the mountain bike and owner of California-based bike maker Breezer, says sales of his company’s commuter bikes are up 40 percent so far for the year. The Breezer Villager, which features a light aluminum frame and a seven-speed shifting system, was recently named best commuting bike of 2008 by Bicycling Magazine.

Beginners and older riders might like Electra Bicycle Co.’s Townie, whose "flat foot" design allows for planting both feet on the ground for stability while seated. The company’s Amsterdam line is also popular. And Biria, a German company, offers an especially low step-through frame that makes boarding easy, as well as a number of models that come with racks, fenders, and chain guards.

"This is my first bike in 50 years," says Sylvia Reiser, 73, of Hamilton, Ontario. She recently bought her $400 Biria after her doctor suggested biking was a good form of low-impact exercise. She sometimes uses the bike to pick up a few groceries and also rides regularly with her husband for fun.

Since it’s often the serious sports enthusiasts who staff bicycle shops, the vibe can be intimidating for newcomers, cautions Amy Walker, the publisher of Momentum, a magazine focused on the bicycle lifestyle. She advises finding a shop where the service is friendly no matter what your experience level and test riding as many bikes as necessary to find a good fit.

The Internet is brimming with helpful tips for new commuters. Try the Commuting 101 section of Commute by Bike (commutebybike.com): "Essential Tips for New Riders" (wear a helmet, make sure you’re visible) or Paul Dorn’s Bike Commuting Tips for advice on how to plan your route. An online video from the bicycle advocacy group Bikes Belong (www.bikesbelong.org) offers a view of one rider’s commute, along with a series of stats extolling the benefits of biking. A National Highway Traffic Safety Administration video has good safety tips and another from the San Francisco Police Department reminds riders of the importance of riding in the lane as a car would instead of on the sidewalk.

One of the biggest concerns most new bikers have is safety. Indeed, some 773 people were killed bicycling in 2006 and tens of thousands injured. Of all the consumer products considered in a comprehensive report published in 2008 by the National Safety Council, only beds, floors, and stairs were associated with more hospital emergency room visits than bikes. Rutgers University researchers who compared the safety of walking, biking, and driving found that, per kilometer traveled, bicycle fatalities were 11 times higher than car occupant fatalities.

Still, health and cycling experts say, some perspective is in order. In the Rutgers study, the rate of pedestrian fatalities associated with walking on the sidewalk was a full 36 times higher than car occupant fatalities. And the health benefits of cycling seem to far outweigh the risks. Regular moderate exercise is a boon for a healthy heart, and other research has shown that biking helps stave off obesity, arthritis, and depression.

One Dutch study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that the health benefits of bicycle commuting reduced a person’s overall risk of dying by 40 percent in comparison to a similarly matched group who didn’t commute. Another report, published by the British Medical Association, found that the benefits of cycling overwhelmed the risks by 20 to 1.

New Specialty Bike Shop In Riverside

Bike jax has learn that a new specialty bike shop has leased a spot in the Mary Built on Stockton St. I don't have all the details in yet. I do however know that this bike shop will be centralized around the use of bikes as transportation. The grand opening is planned to coincide with (or just prior) to The Night Ride. From what I have already learned about the owner I expect, this shop will be a major and much welcomed contributor to the bike scene in Jacksonville.

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Finding Some Local Style Over Speed

I have received so many emails inquiring where someone can find "dutch type bikes" or "bikes with style" here in Jacksonville after this previous post. I thought It might be helpful to those who have asked and those that have not yet done so to have a list of what "city" style bikes can be found at local bike shops in the Jacksonville area.

I'm also going finish this list up with a few bikes by manufactures that currently don't have local dealers. But, your local bike shop should be able to order one for you. Prices listed for each bike are the manufactures list price.

I have included a link to the website pages of each bike so you can see the spec of each and compare models. There is also a link to any independent reviews I was able to find.

All the bikes listed here have the following:

• Upright Riding Position
  
• Fenders - To keep water and other debris off
  
• Chain Guard - So a rider need not make any alterations to his or hers street clothes prior to riding.
  
• Multiple Speeds (Internal Hubs or Derailleurs)
  
• Kick Stand - To steady the bike while racks and or panniers are loaded/unloaded.
  
• Rack or the ability to install.
  
• Style

Click on images for larger view

Electra Amsterdam - $550

Electra Website

Electra Review

Local Dealers:

Cycle Spectrum
4624 Town Crossing Drive
JACKSONVILLE, FL 32246
904-928-2453

Cycle Spectrum
1263 - 3rd St. S.
JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL 32250
904-249-3959

BIKE FITTERS
1110 A1A NORTH
PONTE VEDRA FL 32082
904-285-3775

Cannondale Street - $ Unknown

Website

Local Dealers:

CITY CYCLE INC.
2740 PARK STREET
JACKSONVILLE FL 32204
904-356-2453

BICYCLES ETC
8036 PHILIPS HWY # 8
JACKSONVILLE FL 32256
904 733 9030

BIKE FITTERS
1110 A1A NORTH
PONTE VEDRA FL 32082
904-285-3775

Giant Tran Send EX - $760

Website

Local Dealers:

CHAMPION CYCLING
1025 ARLINGTON RD N
JACKSONVILLE FL 32211-5899
904-724-4922

CAMDEN BICYCLE CENTER
1929 OSBORNE RD
SAINT MARYS GA 31558
912-576-9696

ISLAND BICYCLE
211 ANASTASIA BLVD
ST. AUGUSTINE FL 32080
904-824-4010

Bianchi Milano - $775

Website

Local Dealers:

OPEN ROAD BICYCLES, INC.
3544 SAINT JOHNS AVE
JACKSONVILLE, FL 32205
(904) 388.9066

OPEN ROAD BICYCLES, INC.
4466 HENDRICKS AVE.
JACKSONVILLE, FL 32207
(904) 636-7772

OPEN ROAD BICYCLES, INC.
1560 BUSINESS CENTER DR STE 4
ORANGE PARK, FL 32003
(904) 541.1816

Redline 530 - $590

Website

Review of 530

Local Dealers:

LAKESHORE SCHWINN
2108 BLANDING BLVD.
JACKSONVILLE FL 32210
(904) 388-0612

BICYCLES ETC
8036 PHILIPS HWY # 8
JACKSONVILLE FL 32256
904 733 9030

BICYCLES ETC
10095 Beach Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32246
(904) 997-8114

Schwinn Coffee/Cream - $390

Website

Local Dealers:

LAKESHORE SCHWINN
2108 BLANDING BLVD.
JACKSONVILLE FL 32210
(904) 388-0612

Schwinn Sid/Nancy - $500

Website

Local Dealers:

LAKESHORE SCHWINN
2108 BLANDING BLVD.
JACKSONVILLE FL 32210
(904) 388-0612

Gary Fisher Simple City 3 - $550 - Simple City 8 - $880

Website

Local Dealers:

BICYCLES ETC
8036 PHILIPS HWY # 8
JACKSONVILLE FL 32256
904 733 9030

BICYCLES ETC
10095 Beach Blvd.
Jacksonville, FL 32246
(904) 997-8114

Trek Bicycles of Jacksonville
9965 San Jose Boulevard #6
Jacksonville , FL 32257-5866
904-880-7227

American Bicycle Company
240 South 3rd Street
Jacksonville Beach , FL 32250-6717
904-246-4433

CAMDEN BICYCLE CENTER
1929 OSBORNE RD
SAINT MARYS GA 31558
912-576-9696

Sprockets Bicycle Shop
34 Riop Vista Drive
St Augustine , FL 32084-4162
904-824-2422

Specialized Globe City - $630 - $910

Website

Local Dealers:

OPEN ROAD BICYCLES, INC.
3544 SAINT JOHNS AVE
JACKSONVILLE, FL 32205
(904) 388.9066

OPEN ROAD BICYCLES, INC.
4466 HENDRICKS AVE.
JACKSONVILLE, FL 32207
(904) 636-7772

OPEN ROAD BICYCLES, INC.
1560 BUSINESS CENTER DR STE 4
ORANGE PARK, FL 32003
(904) 541.1816

LAKESHORE SCHWINN
2108 BLANDING BLVD.
JACKSONVILLE FL 32210
(904) 388-0612

The Following Bike Have No Local Dealer. Your Local Dealer Will Order For You.

KHS Green - $330

Website

Review

Local Dealers:

Jacksonville = None

BIKE FITTERS
1110 A1A NORTH
PONTE VEDRA FL 32082
904-285-3775

Biria Classic Dutch - $550

Website

No Local Dealers

Biria Easy Boarding - $500

Website

Review

No Local Dealers

Breezer Freedom - $500

Website

No Local Dealers - Which baffles the hell out of me

Breezer Uptown 8 - $1100

Website

No Local Dealer - Still Baffled

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I hope this helps some of you find what you are looking for. If you do, send us a picture or two of your new ride. Also let us know about your experience at the bike shop.

There are some really great bikes that I left off this list because they lacked just one of the requirements. They were missing either a kick stand, fenders or a chain guard. But those items could easily be added.

Also don't think you have to purchase new to find a quality  commuter. Visit CycleDelic Fixity and check out what Brooklyn has or have him build you a new old ride. Or go to Zombie Bikes and have them help you build your own. My ride is a vintage Schwinn I picked up on Craig's List for $20 and then put another $40 in repairs and added a rack and panniers for one stylish fun daily ride.

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Emergency Ride Home - One Less Excuse

Have you wondered what you would do if you had some type an emergency while at work after commuting with your bike? The First Coast MPO is now providing The Emergency Ride Home Program for those that Commute by bike, walking, car-pooling and using public transit.

The program funded by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) provides you with 4 free rides per calendar year should any of the below occur while you are at the office.

• Personal or family illness or emergency
• Carpool or vanpool driver having to leave
early or stay late unexpectedly (vanpool
driver is required to leave keys to designated
secondary driver)
• Unscheduled overtime approved by a
supervisor
• Your bicycle breaks down more than two (2)
miles from home
• Inclement weather (precipitation, extreme
heat or high winds) at the close of the
business day (walkers and bike riders only)

The program is easy to sign up for. Just go Here and download the PDF application. Fill it out and mail it to the address listed on the top of the first page.

You now have one less reason not to use your bike to commute.

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Burro's Broke Ass Bag

If you need a quality messenger bag and are on limited funds. You can still get some custom love from the guys over at Burro Bags with their new Broke Ass Bag.

The basic Broke Ass Bag is made entirely out of highly durable recycled billboard material for a sweat shop like low price of $65. Or you can upgrade to one layer of billboard and one layer of heavy duty cloth (your choice of material) for an additional $10.

If you have yet to check out the bags from Burro you are truly missing out. These guys are creating some of the finest messenger bags made anywhere. And they are doing here in Jax. Support your local peeps.

You can find all the Burro info here.

NBC's What Works: Bicycling

NBC News Segment What Works did a 3 parter on Cycling.

Part One: About those making the switch to commuting and the what cities are doing to promote it.
Part Two: The increased health and mood benefits. (Note: Positive Jacksonville Mention)
Part Three: The growth of bike sales and commuters.

The Night Ride

I have mentioned in previous posts that we here at Bike Jax are working on a number of projects. One of those projects took a huge leap to seeing fruition the last couple of weeks with the commitment of a couple of venues. I also received an education of the legal definition of "event" vs "happening" which will allow things move forward without tons of red tape.

I would like to formally announce The Night Ride. A bike "happening" to take place around mid-September. While the details of the everything have yet to be ironed out. Here is what is planned so far.

The Night Ride

Costume Contest: 
Theme: Bringing Back the Funk.
Dust off your best 70's polyester and those leisure suits I know you have in the back of the closet. Also start pickn' out that fro and styling that sweet, sweet, 'stach.

Prizes for best outfit male & female
Best mustache
Best pimp & hoe

Bike Art Contest and Show Opening
Official call to artist.
All submitted work must pertain to bicycles or be made from bicycles in some form whether in part or whole. All works submitted will be available for purchase or auction.
Open to all 2D and 3D medias.
Awards an Prizes yet to be determined.

Bike Films (end destination of the night ride?)
I am working on bring some of the films (if not the whole festival) from The Bicycle FIlm Festival. More news on that as it comes.

And of course The Night Ride complete with disco balls and the finest funk to ever jump out of a woofer.

I thought I was being all creative and smarty pants with this whole night ride thing. But no, those damn Portlanders have already done it.

For a little taste of what to expect for the night ride check out the video from the Portland Night Ride.



I am in desperate need of someone with mad graphic design skills for posters, flyers and whatever else. If anyone needs to pad their book, Bike Jax would be very grateful for the help. You would be rewarded with the self-satisfaction of bragging to friends & family, "Yea, I did that." You will also receive a hardy Bike Jax thank you and a slightly creepy hug.

Downtown Transit Enhancement

"A major component of the Democrats' energy legislation is, and the Democrats' answer to the energy crisis is, hold on, wait one minute, I'm not making this up, it is"promoting the use of the bicycle! Watch this extraordinary two minute video of Rep Patrick McHenry decrying "19th century technology for a 21st century problem."

Oh, how the times are ah change'n. It wasn't long ago we had bobble-headed morons like the one above spewing ridicule at the thought of citizens giving up their cars in favor of the lowly bicycle. And now, a search for bike commuters in Goggle News brings up over 2500 articles since the beginning of June written about the mass of people doing just what was thought so vile by the bobble-headed Congressman from North Carolina.

July 17th is your chance to have some input about the future of transit here in Jacksonville. There are two meetings scheduled for the day. One in the morning and one in the evening for the working stiffs.
Lets pack this meeting out and make sure that this city and JTA no longer make any plans without including infrastructure for both bicycles and pedestrians.

Downtown Transit Enhancement Phase One Public Hearing
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM

City Hall - Committee Room A 117 West Duval Street Open House at 11 am; Presentaion at 1pm

Downtown Transit Enhancement Phase One Public Hearing
4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

City Hall - Committee Rm. A 117 West Duval Street Open House at 4 pm; presentation at 6 pm
( I believe the first 2 hours of the meetings are an open house and the actual meetings don't start until 11am & 6pm)

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Byron's 12 Mile Commute in Video

This is the 55 minute narrated video of Jacksonville bike commuter, local artist and creator of JaxCal, Byron King. The video shot from a camera taped to the front of the riders bike is a bit Blair Witch shaky at times. But it is worth taking the time to watch as the video traces the route of Byron's daily ride from his home in the Southside thru San Marco over the Acosta Bridge and contiinuing thru Riverside, Avondale into his Ortega office.



You'll see from this video just what it is like to commute by bike in Jacksonville. Out of his 12 mile commute, only about a half mile has any bike lane. Due to Jacksonville's total lack of thought for pedestrians or cyclists. You will see what happens when a bike meets a pedestrian while on the Acosta. And most importantly, you'll see that bike commuting in jacksonville is not as difficult or as dangerous as the media would have you believe.

Click to play

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FIve Points First Fridays Chalk Art

I hope everyone had an enjoyable 4th.


Shea owner of Flux Gallery shows some Bike Jax love at the FIve Points First Fridays Chalk Art Contest. If you have not yet visited Flux Gallery. Do so. They feature some of the finest local artists in Jacksonville.

(As Usual, Click On Images for full size)

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July 4th Bike Decorating, Art, Music & Fun

There is a ton of stuff going on this weekend. Springfield is kicking it with Heritage Days. All the details can found on Urban Jacksonville.

Five Points will celebrating with First Fridays Fourth of July Pre-Party. Which include,

bicycle decorating,
a chalk walk contest for artists,
shopping, live music,
art and great food!

We will also do a group ride to downtown for the fireworks. More Info click here.

I hope you will come out and join us for some bike fun and fireworks.

Click On Images Below For Larger View

Tattooed Bike Love

Thinking of sharing your love of bikes with with some ever lasting skin art? Think your planned tat is the coolest design ever or do you already have that one-of-kind branding of your bike love and want to share it with our like minded folks?

Check out Cycling Tattoo Gallery or their Flicker and see just how original you are.

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Work'n the Stereotypes

Apparently, you can take the cop out of the car. But you can't the doughnut out of the cop. I found this great picture over at Chic Cyclist of bike cops keeping it real. Click on the image to view full size.

Craig's List Ad of the Day - Wouldn't You Like To Be a Pepper Too?

While perusing Craig's List this evening I came across this awesome collectable "special edition" Dr. Pepper theme bike. I'm not sure if it's the theme that makes the bike so special or that it appears to have been as assembled by this guy.

(Click For Larger)

I am however really curious as to why the owner would want to sell such a collectable item. I wonder if it could be that the bike is so unstable that it is near impossible to ride with the fork on backwards. Or perhaps it could be that every time he/she would attempt to make a turn the front tire would rub on their forward foot.

People, People, People. Support you local bike shops.

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