Some Cons and Pros that Florida Cyclists Should Consider

There’s a lot about Florida you can enjoy. There’s the weather. You can get lovely days often, especially if you live by the beach and feel the refreshing breeze blowing off the water. You can walk along the shore, or you might swim, fish, or surf.

You can eat at any of the delicious restaurants, or you can visit one of the world-class amusement parks that bring in international tourists every day. You can go shopping or check out one of the nightclubs or bars.

You can also buy or rent a bicycle and go for a ride. We’ll talk about biking in Florida right now. You should consider some cons and pros if you feel like taking a bike ride.

Florida Sees Many Bike Accidents

Though biking in Florida has many pros, there’s one major con that you must consider. This state has more bike accidents than several others, and that remains consistent every year.

In 2021, Pinellas County had 546 bike accidents. That’s the Saint Petersburg area. If you look at other Florida metropolitan areas, such as Jacksonville, Miami, and Orlando, you’ll notice high bike accident stats there as well.

That’s because some drivers don’t respect Florida cyclists much. If you ride a bike in Florida, you can legally share the roads and ride on them, just like cars can. However, you don’t have a car’s same speed.

That means some drivers might feel irritated if you’re up ahead and slowing down traffic on a main thoroughfare. They might honk at you, or they may try going around you by driving on the road’s shoulder in some instances.

That’s unsafe behavior, and cars hitting Florida cyclists happens relatively often. To avoid this, you should stay off main roads during high traffic times, like during morning or evening rush hour. It’s unfair, but you must stray safe if you’re a Florida cyclist, and that sometimes means letting cars have the road, especially on busy, multiple-lane streets.

You can also stay on lesser-used back streets, and you can ride on bike paths as well. Florida has many bike paths, and you can use those with less fear that an inconsiderate driver might hit you.

It’s Great Exercise

Now, let’s go over some pros when you buy or rent a bike in Florida. If you ride frequently, you can get some exercise. You can burn some calories, and if you’re dropping a few pounds this year, you can jumpstart the process this way.

You can ride in the early morning before the sun gets too hot. You might also ride in the evenings after work. You can ride any time you like, and when you do, you will stay in shape. You will have strong legs, but biking works other muscle groups as well.

You might not need a gym membership if you ride often. You can pay for the bike, and you’ll have that initial expenditure, but after that, you’ll pay almost nothing. You should buy a helmet to protect yourself, but beyond that point, you might only pay a small amount occasionally if the bike needs repairs.

You’ll like not having that monthly gym membership expense. You can bike year-round since Florida does not have harsh winters like the Midwest or Northeast.

You Can Ride with Family or Friends

You may also ride in Florida with your family members or friends. You might ride bikes as a kid, but you can also do it as an adult. Like people say, if you learn bike riding skills as a child, you never really forget them. They might stay dormant for a while, but once you get back on, you will quickly remember.

You might have some work friends, and you decide you will all get in shape together this year. You can meet at a public park or some other place you like and all ride together. You can encourage each other and fire each other up.

You can get your kids and spouse or partner bikes as well. You can all go riding together. When you do, you can bond. You can have fun biking fast, or you can slow down and check out everything the neighborhood offers.

You Can Explore

You can also go on long bike rides around your neighborhood or further away. You can explore all the roads and streets in your area without too much traffic.

You might find some interesting landmarks or historical sites. You may find some thrift stores, ethnic food stores, coffee shops, restaurants, bars, and other places. You can stop and check them out, or you might return later when you have more time.

You can ride through public parks and see the local wildlife. You might spot various bird species, turtles, frogs, foxes, raccoons, and other Florida animals.

You Can Burn Off Some Steam

If you have a stressful workday, you can hop on your bike and peddle hard. You can forget about what happened and get yourself into a better head space.

If you had a disagreement with a family member or friend, you can ride and clear your head. You can lose yourself when you peddle up and down. The natural rhythm should quickly make you feel better.

You can ride when you must make a tough decision. You may find that during the ride, you will discover an obvious answer that you couldn’t otherwise see. Physical activity can clear the mind like nothing else.

Biking in Florida has some obvious pros and not many cons. Traffic and possible accidents can happen, but if you stay off the busiest roads and use back streets and bike paths, you should stay safe. You can also wear a helmet everywhere you go. You can usually avoid the worst injuries that way if you fall off.

Exercise, exploration, and hanging out with family and friends all await you. Florida biking should appeal, and once you try it, it might completely captivate you.