Inside the Lawsuit That Could Change Pedestrian Safety in Tampa Bay

In Episode 119 of the TBD Podcast, Garrett sits down with Chris Waggener, a local attorney fighting for pedestrian safety and legal reform in Tampa Bay. They discuss the tragic case of Maximus Giannikos, a tourist from South Africa visiting Clearwater with his family, whose life was forever changed at a local intersection, and the $200,000 cap that limits justice in cases like his. Chris breaks down the legal obstacles to holding cities accountable, the state-level red tape involved in claims bills, and why so many intersections in the region are still dangerously outdated. From traffic engineering to legislative gridlock, this conversation exposes the hard truths behind Florida's infrastructure and what it will take to make meaningful change.00:00:00 – Introduction to the episode and overview of the case00:10:21 – Background on the intersection and how the incident happened00:18:36 – Explanation of the $200,000 state cap and its legal implications00:26:03 – How claims bills work in Florida and the difficulty of filing them00:32:42 – Why this case could create systemic change in Tampa Bay00:41:38 – Discussion of city accountability and lack of maintenance protocols00:47:30 – Economic impact vs. safety: Clearwater’s tourism dollars vs. payouts00:57:51 – The growing pedestrian and biking culture in Florida01:03:32 – Barriers to safer infrastructure and legal loopholes01:13:56 – Final thoughts on next steps, policy hopes, and long-term reform