More than 450 cyclists gathered in downtown St. Petersburg on Saturday, Nov. 7, for the free Not Just A Cyclist: Share the Road Ride, a community event that combined advocacy for safer roads with a charitable bike donation. Hosted by Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers at Green Bench Brewing Co., the event offered 25- and 50-mile routes before returning for food, drinks, and a bike build competition.
The ride is part of Not Just A Cyclist, a campaign founded by attorney and cyclist John C. Austin to encourage drivers to see the person behind the handlebars. Through community rides, education, and local ambassadors, the campaign promotes awareness and respect between people who share the road. The event's broader significance lies in its dual focus: raising awareness about cyclist safety while delivering tangible benefits to local children.
"The Not Just A Cyclist campaign is a call to action for everyone who shares the road," said John Austin, a partner at Roman Austin and founder of the campaign. "As an avid cyclist, I've witnessed the life-changing impact that road safety can have. That's why I've pledged to follow the rules of the road and advocate for a safer, more respectful environment for all who share it. We're asking drivers to show that same care. Bringing our community together is how we turn that shared responsibility into safer roads for everyone."
After the ride, teams of four competed to assemble youth bicycles, turning the gathering into an opportunity to give back. The competition resulted in 11 bikes donated to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tampa Bay, continuing the campaign's tradition of supporting local children through its community rides.
"The ride is about safety, but the bike build is the part people remember," Austin said. "You spend the morning on your own bike, then you spend the afternoon building one for a kid who might not have one otherwise."
Local cycling clubs, businesses, volunteers, and community partners helped bring the event together. The gathering gave participants an opportunity to connect around a shared message: every cyclist is a person whose safety matters.
The implications extend beyond the immediate participants. For the Tampa Bay region, the event highlights ongoing efforts to improve road safety at a time when cyclists remain among the most vulnerable road users. By framing safety as a shared responsibility between drivers and cyclists, the campaign seeks to reduce crashes and injuries through education and community engagement rather than regulation alone. The donation of 11 bicycles also provides direct recreational opportunities for local children, potentially encouraging lifelong habits of cycling and road awareness.
Community members can continue supporting the campaign by taking the Not Just A Cyclist pledge, becoming an ambassador, and sharing its road safety message. Learn more at romanaustin.com/not-just-a-cyclist.
