A nonprofit is taking over the streets with an idea to bridge the gap between bicyclists and motorists.
After the death of Gainesville resident and cyclist Shawn P. Smith from injuries after a crash in May, according to the Gainesville Sun, Gainesville resident Alex Khokhlov said he was inspired to start the nonprofit, called Safe Gainesville, to improve the attitude of commuters on the road and give away free bicycle lights.
Safe Gainesville, which started in August, is in the process of giving away 2,000 free bike lights to people in need, Khokhlov said. Volunteers will also hand out educational safety equipment and pamphlets to commuters.
The organization is currently halfway through handing out its first batch of free bicycle lights. The funding comes from donations of about $6,000. Khokhlov said the lights are high-quality, USB-rechargeable and bright.
“We want to avoid the perception of a bunch of angry cyclists that got together because they were pissed off at drivers,” Khokhlov said. “We really want to try to heal the community and create a long-term solution.”
There are people who bike miles to go to work and cannot afford a car, said Katelyn Edwards, the nonprofit’s project manager.
“It’s really important to improve the relationship between drivers and cyclists because everyone should be able to feel safe while commuting from point A to point B,” Edwards said.
Conor MacDonnell, a 25-year-old UF soil and water science graduate student, receives a free bicycle helmet at the Keep Calm and Helmet On event held by UF Campus Diplomats, Alpha Epsilon Delta, Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety and Regional Transit System. Paul Simpson, a 50-year-old PedBike Safety Resource Center employee, demonstrated how to properly strap a helmet.
