Birmingham Fit | Birmingham, Alabama

Archive for April, 2010

Brad Bearden – Sportplex Personal Training Director (Inverness and Hoover):

Q:How did your get interested in fitness?

A: My desire for physical fitness has grown from the age of thirteen when I got my first Joe Wieder machine.  From that day until this one I have always desired to reach new levels of physical fitness and success.  Serving in the United States Marine Corps gave me a different perspective and appreciation for total body fitness which led me to pursue a career in the field. 

Q:What led you to being a personal trainer?

A: I started training clientele on a part time basis until I realized the potential impact I could have on a person’s quality of life.  Once I came to understand that I had an opportunity to not only change someone’s physique but also their personal belief system concerning themselves, I jumped in with both feet. 

I became certified by the American Sports and Fitness Association and have been successful at adding hope and confidence to the lives of many clients who are now all personal friends.  I am very passionate and intense when it comes to training because I am fully aware of the life altering affects the positive results will bring. 

Q:What makes your different as a personal trainer?

I truly believe in the mantra “To get what you do not have, you must do what you have not done.”  Because of this perspective, my training systems are different, intense, and passionate as well as….very effective.  I understand that my continued success is dependent upon the success of my clientele.  I refuse to accept nothing other than that….Success.

Danny Feldman is a local attorney specializing in bike vs. car accident litigations.  The following is Danny’s response to Sheriff Curry’s letter. Let your feelings be known to Sheriff Curry: ccurry@shelbyso.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sherriff Curry:

I read with interest your recent letter opposing designating certain highways in ShelbyCounty as a bicycle trail.  First, let me point out that I am not intimately familiar with these roads, nor am I 100% certain what designating these roads as a “bicycle trail” entails.  However, I am very familiar with the law as regards cyclists’ rights to the road as I spend a good portion of my law practice representing injured cyclists.

First, no where in your letter do you mention that Alabama law guaranties cyclists the right to ride their bicycles on almost all roads (Interstates being the notable exception). Alabama Code 32-5A-260.  Further, cyclists are allowed to ride two abreast.  Alabama Code 32-5A-263(b).  So, criticizing cyclists for doing something that they absolutely are entitled to do does not seem appropriate to me – especially for the highest law enforcement official in ShelbyCounty. 

Second, the fact that trucks or mobile homes or for that matter, any other vehicle may have to slow a bit to pass a cyclist does not ipso facto mean that the cyclist has no right to be doing what he or she is doing.  The fact is that many heavily loaded vehicles, like mobile homes or large trucks, may slow other traffic down – it does not follow that these other slow moving vehicles are prohibited from using the road.

Third, the arguments that you make, that it’s inconvenient to other motorists and that it’s dangerous to cyclists – taken to its logical conclusion – would mean that cyclists should never be on any road that cars use – period. 

Instead of creating two classes of road users, cyclists and everyone else, I would think that the focus ought to be on sharing the roadway – which would mean educating truck drivers and other motorists that: (1) cyclists have the same legal right to be on the road as do motorized vehicles (given that every cyclist I know also is a taxpayer and a motorist – cyclists pay just as much for the roads as do motorists); (2)  motorists need to slow down and drive more cautiously given that they may encounter cyclists (and for that matter, other slow moving vehicles) on the road; and finally (3) being a cyclist on a  road in this State should not subject the cyclist to being hit and killed because motorists don’t want to be inconvenienced by driving a little slower and more cautiously. 

 Please do not misunderstand me – I understand that there are better roads to ride on than others, due to less traffic, wider lanes etc. and that there are better times to ride a bicycle – not during rush hour etc., but that being said, it still does not mean that cyclists ought to be “buzzed” by fast moving traffic or that cyclists ought to be prohibited from doing that which they have every right in the world to be doing. 

I’d be pleased to speak with you further regarding this matter should you so desire.

Sincerely,

Daniel B. Feldman

From: CHRIS CURRY ccurry@shelbyso.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Sent: Monday, April 05, 2010 1:41 PM

Subject: Proposed bicycle path-county roads 61.49.47 

Lady and Gentlemen,  

I was made aware of an article in the printed media about a proposed or planned bicycle trail using county roads 61, 49 and 47.  I had not heard any mention of it up to that point.  The information I was given was that it would not have a separate bicycle path built, only signage designating a bike trail.  As I am familiar with all three roads, and travel 49 some, and 47 a lot, and 61 rarely, my first reaction was surprise.

The second group were residents of Columbiana and county 47 and county 32 that intersects with 49.  These people have motorhomes and pull behind camper trailers. Again, limited sight distances and suddenly catching a 5-10 mph biker over the top of a hill or around a curve is deadly.  They also stressed how when slowed to these 5-10 mph speeds, then trying to swing out over the double yellow line to pass several bikes, they cannot accelerate quickly, takes time to over take, and they are 60-75 feet long.  Anytime they are over the double yellow line, they are automatically at fault with an accident occurs.  They also stressed the wide side mirrors and difficulty judging when they are safely ahead of the bike to move over.

My last observation is personal.  Saturday morning, in my personal pick up truck southbound of 47, I was catching a single bike going up hill and approaching the crest of the hill.  I had to quickly decide to brake down to the 5 mph (he was struggling up the hill) and wait.  At just the moment I would have been over the double yellow line to quickly jump past the bike, northbound appeared a one ton dually pick up, pulling a trailer with a bobcat loaded on riding right on the double yellow.  In that accident I am certain the biker would have been collected and nothing good would have been the outcome.

As a citizen I think this bike trail is a poor decision.  As Sheriff of Shelby County, I want to go on record that the liability and risk to the biking public out weights the value of a bike trail.  

Chris Curry, Sheriff

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office 

P.O. Box 1095 

Columbiana, Alabama 35051 

Phone (205) 670-6030 

Fax (205) 670-6912