87th and Flagler...Avoid at All Costs

Miami is not what you call a "bike friendly" place. With hardly, if any, bike paths, crazy drivers, and absolutely no public awareness that there may be another mode of transportation other than the car out there. Every time my destination is reached safely, it is met with gratitude and extreme relief. Some things I've learned is that surprisingly, it is safer sometimes to be on the street, not always though. When I hustle through the Fontainebleau district, every complex and association is like a mini intersection with drivers looking to gain the slightest edge over any and all cars. So often they don't stop, with no consideration of even a passing glance, cyclist and pedestrian beware. In fact, I'm not sure that Miami motorists even realize that bikes are offered the same protections and follow the same rules of automobiles. If you still find this hard believe, I have an ever aggravating right foot I can tell you about.

However sketchy Miami may be for us, I can make do. I have dedicated routes of low traffic and school crossing guards, who I think Like me. I can never tell. They talk to fast. SIDE NOTE: TO ALL GRINGOS COMING TO MIAMI, BUENOS DIAS AND A SMILE GO A LONG WAY. AND IF YOU TRY TO SPEAK SPANISH, LOOK CONFUSED AND STUMBLE THROUGH IT. IT WORKS. But there is one intersection I will avoid at all costs. 87 and Flagler. Why it's a death trap with the worlds shortest lights. Which makes for antsy drivers not afraid to run the red three cars deep. Compound the fact that is a mere 8 lanes wide with a median and you are sure to come across someone who hasn't seen you and likely doesn't care. I draw these conclusions from two experiences, both today. The first one involved a biker and my Chevy. As I made a left turn the biker suddenly appeared in my cross hairs and I was going to be picking his Huffy out of my grill. But here I proclaim my innocence. YOU DON'T CROSS A EIGHT LANE STREET WHEN THE PEDESTRIAN SIGNAL SAYS NOT TO. the other was me crossing legally and a over zealous right on red guy nearly ran me over. And with that this blog is getting long and you've probably stopped reading it so for those of you who stayed with it, much thanks and be sure to check for bikes.