Small bite update: Why are cyclists still riding on the road, not the path along SW 136 Street

I received the following text from a teacher at Howard Drive Elementary yesterday (October 12, 2021):

“Two days in a row I have seen people biking on the road instead of the new path.”

I answered that cyclists will remain using the road as they do on Old Cutler Road and Red Road. A shared path is not a bike lane. In Florida the bicycle is defined as a vehicle and the bicyclist is a driver. Bicyclists have the same rights to the road ways. HOWEVER, bicyclists must use a bike lane where provided (subject to certain exceptions).

Her response was in the form of an emoji. It was very telling as well as amusing (emojis can be so revealing - and saved so many words):

See: July 8, 2021, Cycling/Rules of the Road update: Changes in Florida Law that impact Motor Vehicles / Bicyclists effective July 1, 2021. This article is an update of a Rules of the Road post of November 28, 2018.

The bottom line is that there will be little change for the cyclists. It is the motorist who lost out when the bike lane plan was changed to the shared path. Get used to SW 136 Street working as depicted in the photo.  And please don't yell at the cyclist for remaining on the road and not using the path as they are doing what was intended, recommended actually by at least one of mayor Cunningham's advisers to the 136 Street shared path project. 

Also see PRIOR RELEVANT POSTS:

June 22, 2021, Palmetto Bay can change the project, but municipal officials cannot change State Law which determines where bicyclists may ride.

October 2, 2021, Special post - Photo(s) of the day. Reader submitted photos of the Palmetto Bay designed shared path. Or is it a car park? 

June 24, 2020, Yet another car v bike conflict along the Old Cutler Trail – a multi-use path, not a dedicated bike lane.