Florida: Support Arnett's Petition

sure thing. Is this the updated version?
Petition Change the Florida bicycle definition

On a side note, are you sure you want to put the 50cc limitation in there? Seems kind of unnecessary, but that's just my opinion.

input, anybody?

sorry for the delay, been busy....changes should be up soon

Received a phone call the other day by Rep Matt Gaetz's office. Apparently someone here in the state is taking notice of the problem, because I was told that there is a Senator here in Florida in charge of changing the definition of the bicycle in 316.003. Don't have all the details yet, but I am suppose to receive an email from his office with all the details here soon. Could be the answers we all are waiting on. Let's keep our fingers crossed. I'll post the info as soon as I get it.

Any changes to statutes have to be passed via bills that are voted on by the masses, yes?

i found these
HB 4017 - Bicycle Regulations
GENERAL BILL by Workman (CO-SPONSORS) Caldwell
Bicycle Regulations: Removes requirement to keep one hand on handlebars while operating bicycle.
Effective Date: July 1, 2012
Last Event: Now in Transportation & Highway Safety Subcommittee on Thursday, September 15, 2011 4:51 PM

SB 334 - Bicycle Safety
GENERAL BILL by Bullard
Bicycle Safety: Revising safety standard requirements for bicycle helmets that must be worn by certain riders and passengers; providing for enforcement of requirements for bicycle lighting equipment; providing penalties for violations; providing for dismissal of the charge following a first offense under certain circumstances, etc.
Effective Date: 10/01/2012
Last Event: 09/21/11 S Filed on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 12:01 PM

SB 390 - Bicycle Regulations
GENERAL BILL by Bogdanoff
Bicycle Regulations: Clarifying provisions relating to when a bicycle operator must ride in a bicycle lane or along the curb or edge of the roadway; removing a requirement to keep one hand on the handlebars while operating a bicycle; providing for enforcement of requirements for bicycle lighting equipment; providing penalties for violations, etc.
Effective Date: 07/01/2012
Last Event: 09/30/11 S Filed on Friday, September 30, 2011 1:05 PM

then this one is weird.
HB 181 - Sale of Advertising
GENERAL BILL by Slosberg
Sale of Advertising: Creates "John Anthony Wilson Bicycle Safety Act"; provides for DEP to enter into concession agreements for naming rights of state greenway & trail facilities or property or commercial advertising to be displayed on state greenway & trail facilities or property; provides for distribution of proceeds from such concession agreements.
Effective Date: July 1, 2012
Last Event: Filed on Wednesday, September 21, 2011 11:16 AM

i did a search on "John Anthony Wilson Bicycle Safety Act"
came up w/..
"HB 181 is dubbed the “John Anthony Wilson Bicycle Safety Act” after a firefighter in Slosberg’s Palm Beach County district who was killed in an accident while riding his bike. Slosberg estimated the bill would garner more than $100,000 for the state, 90 percent of which would go to the Department of Environmental Protection, with the rest funneled to local school districts to use in their bicycle safety awareness programs."

that is pretty stupid. i guy gets killed so they name a bill after him that sounds like it has to do with bikes & safety but all it is for is to sell advertising.

i propose a law stating that no law proposed shall have a misleading name.
it will be called " prevention to kill cute puppies act"

maybe this is it?

"CS/CS/CS/HB 1353 - Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
GENERAL BILL by Economic Affairs Committee and Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Subcommittee and Transportation & Highway Safety Subcommittee and Albritton
Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles: Revises organization & operation of DHSMV; designates director of Highway Patrol as Colonel of Florida Highway Patrol; revises provisions relating to DUI, bicycles, license plates, child restraint devices, alternative procedures for disposition of traffic citation, driver improvement schools, certificates of title, electronic transactions, registration and renewal, specialty plates, voluntary contributions, temporary plates, temporary parking permit fees, salvage motor vehicle dealers, driver licenses and identification cards, commercial instruction permits, traffic law and substance abuse education courses, review hearings, commercial motor vehicles; provides for the Division of Motorist Services; swamp buggies, apportionable vehicles, custom vehicles and street rod vehicles, pilot program to investigate alternative license plate technologies, electronic notices; & removes provisions for expedited service on certificates of repossession & a fee for a procedures manual.
Companion Bill passed SB 2160 Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles By Budget
Effective Date: July 1, 2011
Last Event: Companion bill(s) passed, see SB 2160 (Ch. 2011-66); HB Laid on Table"

Fulltimer said:

It sure would be nice if these guys/gals could get together and combine like legislation's BEFORE they are submitted as a bill. What a mess! BTW, thanks for posting all that!

Terry

Click to expand...

i am pretty sure that is what's going on. the office of Rep Matt Gaetz told me that the bill is being constructed now and the changes are going to the house to be approved and then sent to Gov Scott for signature in to law. What I did on my end is I sent an email to Gov Scott's office requesting the bill be passed into law to allow for the gas powered bicycles. What I ask of everyone on here from Florida is to do the same thing. The more people that write him showing interest in having the gas powered bicycles might help our cause. Here is the link to contact him.
Florida Governor Rick Scott - Email the Governor
This is how we lobby to make this happen, by contacting the law makers directly and voicing our concern. Let's make this happen. It will take everyone on here less time to write and send this email then it would to get your kids into bed at night. Also find your local district rep and email them. here is the list of reps in the state.
Florida House of Representatives - Representatives
if you know where their office is located, take time to go over and talk with them on the issue. These are the things I have been doing for the last couple of months and it seems to be working. The time couldn't be more right for all of us to contact them, when they are constructing the bill. Remeber one thing!! There are only 120 Reps in the state of Florida and there is almost 19 million people that live and work in Florida. We out number them so our voice will be louder in numbers if we act now. With the day and age of computers this will be the fastest way to get our voice heard by the law makers. I do hope you all join me in the pursuit.

here is the email i received just today on the gas powered bicycle in the state of Florida from my Rep Matt Gaetz office. this is a copy and paste from the original.
(Jeff, here you go

Samantha Sullivan
Legislative Assistant to
Representative Matt Gaetz
District 4
1188 Eglin Parkway
Shalimar, FL. 32579
850.833.9328 - phone
850.833.9342 - fax


The legislation will simply remove the word "electric" from the bicycle definition in statute and that change would allow for a gas powered helper motor. I have given the legislation to Senator Latvala and Rep. Albritton and I expect the bills to be filed within the next 10 days. Understanding of course that this little change is part of a much larger package of changes but we are on our way to getting something done.

Steven


Samantha,

Sorry it has been a while since we spoke, but I do have a fix for the motorized bicycle issue in the works. This change will be part of a larger package of highway safety related issues which I anticipate being filed within the next two weeks. Senator Latvala is sponsoring our issues in the Senate and Representative Albritton is handling it in the House. I do not anticipate any problems at this time but naturally it will take time to get the legislation passed and signed by the Governor so nothing will go into effect until the summer at the earliest.

Steven)

it's in the works as you can see, so we as riders must make it known to our reps that we want this to happen. call and make appointments, emails the whole 9 yards. let make it happen people!!!!

So the new statute SHOULD look like this?

(2)**BICYCLE.—Every vehicle propelled solely by human power, and every motorized bicycle propelled by a combination of human power and a an electric helper motor capable of propelling the vehicle at a speed of not more than 20 miles per hour on level ground upon which any person may ride, having two tandem wheels, and including any device generally recognized as a bicycle though equipped with two front or two rear wheels. The term does not include such a vehicle with a seat height of no more than 25 inches from the ground when the seat is adjusted to its highest position or a scooter or similar device. No person under the age of 16 may operate or ride upon a motorized bicycle.

Click to expand...

The bold, italic, underlined part is what should be taken out...

Correct?

I hope they don't take out the words helper motor too, by mistake !!!

Hey Jeff, I've made thew changes to the petition....... check your inbox for a PM