Coffee Talk: Road Safety Focus of Inaugural Presentation in New Health Series

It won’t exactly be Coffee Talk with Liz Rosenberg, but close enough:

Florida Hospital Flagler is sponsoring a new Coffee Series hosted by Palm Coast’s Park and Recreations department and designed to provide valuable information on a variety of health-related topics at Palm Coast Parks & Recreation Department’s new Coffee Series.

The Coffee Series kicks off Wednesday, Jan. 10, from 9 to 10 a.m. at Palm Coast City Hall Community Wing, 160 Lake Ave. Kim Smith from the Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization will give a talk on WalkWise Florida, reviewing pedestrian, bicyclist and driver safety tips and laws to improve road safety.

Florida remains the deadliest state for pedestrians killed in traffic collisions with vehicles, and Palm Coast’s notorious (but slowly diminishing) deficit of sidewalks has been a recurrent concern for residents.

A year ago on New Year’s Eve, Kelvin Smith, 16, was killed in a hit-and-run collision as he rode his bicycle on Old Kings Road at night. two teens were killed (one on foot, one on a bicycle) in collisions with vehicles. Nine weeks later 16-year-old Michelle Taylor was killed after she was struck by a passing car as she walked along Lakeview Boulevard in northern Palm Coast. Just days later, Richard Lee, 59, was struck by a car as he crossed Palm Coast Parkway on his bicycle, and was killed.

Cyclists must follow all the rules of the road that apply to motorized vehicles, from respecting stop and traffic signs to hugging the right side of any road without a bike lane, to properly equipping a bicycle, including functional lights at night. Riders are also prohibited from wearing headphones or earbuds while riding. But many drivers in Florida consider the road their domain alone, often showing indifference toward bicyclists by ignoring state laws that, for example, require vehicles to give cyclists a minimum of three feet clearance when vehicles pass them by, or require turning vehicles always to yield to cyclists in bike lanes.

Pedestrians also have reason to feel as if motorists ignore them. Smart Growth America’s annual survey of pedestrian fatalities tallied 46,149 deaths across the country in collisions with cars from 2005 to 2014, the last year for which numbers were available. But eight of the top 10 most metropolitan cities for pedestrians are in Florida, with Deltona-Ormond Beach-Daytona in fifth place.

The Coffee Series is free, but registration is required at least 48 hours in advance (while space available) at: www.palmcoastgov.com/register. (Click on Adult or Senior Activities and look for Coffee Series.)

Additional dates for the new Coffee Series include:

• Wednesday, Feb. 21 – “Digestive Health and Importance of GI Screening” with Dr. Joseph McKinley and Pam Grantham, ARNP, from Florida Hospital Flagler
• Wednesday, March 21 – “Alzheimer Support Group” with Nicole Cella of Amedisys Home Health
• Wednesday, April 11 – “It’s All About YOU!” with Nicole Cella of Amedisys Home Health

In addition to the new Coffee Series, the New Year brings a new season of the city’s popular monthly Lunch N’ Lecture Series and Discover Trips to see attractions beyond Palm Coast, also organized by the Parks and Recreation Department. Registration for all three is now open through the City’s new, easy-to-use Civic Rec online registration program.

Lunch N’ Lecture: Join professionals during lunch for informational discussions, with lunch provided by Dominic’s Deli. The program and light lunch are free, but registration is required at least 48 hours in advance (while space available) at: www.palmcoastgov.com/register. The Lunch N’ Lecture Series is also sponsored by Florida Hospital Flagler.

Upcoming lectures:

• Friday, Jan. 19 – “Shopping Local and What’s New in Palm Coast” with Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland
• Friday, Feb. 16 – “Florida Licensing on Wheels (FLOW)” about driver’s license and ID card information with Jamie Tally, Community Outreach Specialist for FLOW
• Friday, March 16 – “The Aging Brain and Memory Loss” with Dr. Sharrell Cooper of Florida Hospital Flagler
• Friday, April 20 – “Finding Life Beyond Earth” with Lee Bentzley, volunteer NASA Solar System ambassador

Discover Trips

Bring your friends or meet new ones on all-day adventures through Discover Trips. The registration fee includes round-trip motor coach transportation and admission fees for the attraction. Registration is first-come, first-served: www.palmcoastgov.com/register.

Upcoming trips include:

• Friday, Jan. 26 – The Holy Land Experience in Orlando, leaving from Palm Coast City Hall at 8:30 a.m. and returning at approximately 5:30 p.m. Cost is $80.
• Friday, Feb. 23 – Cedar Lakes Woods and Gardens and Two Tales Elephant Ranch in Williston, leaving City Hall at 8 a.m. and returning at approximately 3 p.m. Cost is $60.
• Friday, March 23 – Canaveral Locks Boat Tour and Exploration Tower in Port Canaveral, leaving City Hall at 9 a.m. and returning at approximately 5:30 p.m. Cost is $75.

For more information on any of these programs, please contact Palm Coast Parks & Recreation at 386-986-2323.