[VApeople]

Originally Posted by toeser

Worst case ever - I was riding south on the cart path adjacent to Morse. I ride quite far to the right to avoid being hit by a wandering car. With very heavy car traffic, a golf cart passed between me and a solid line of cars. He cleared me by no more than one foot.

The only way to avoid these types of situations is to stop "riding south on the cart path adjacent to Morse".

People are not going to change. When I am in a situation that threatens my life, I try to avoid that situation in the future.

[biker1]

I generally avoid the MMPs. I prefer the 4-lane roads like Buena Vista and Morse although they can be busy this time of year in the afternoons. I find the roundabouts the most challenging and visibility is the key. People shooting into the roundabouts from the neighborhood entrances without looking is something to watch out for.

Originally Posted by toeser

I ride over 5,000 miles per year. I hate bikers who do stuff like that because it gives some people a bad attitude towards the rest of us.

It's not just bikers who are the problem, it's anyone who is inconsiderate of others using the roads and paths. That can be bikers, cart drivers, car drivers, and even pedestrians.

Two days ago, I came far too close to hitting a golf cart which did not have it's lights on well before sun-up. I have had a couple of cart drivers yell at me (when on my bike) that I should not be on the multi-modal path. I have come up behind pedestrians walking four abreast on multi-modal paths. I have encountered cars that drifted a good two-feet into the cart path.

Worst case ever - I was riding south on the cart path adjacent to Morse. I ride quite far to the right to avoid being hit by a wandering car. With very heavy car traffic, a golf cart passed between me and a solid line of cars. He cleared me by no more than one foot.

Try to be nice, everyone.

[robinsdw2]

They fail to realize it's for their own safety but it also can show the class of some of the folks riding bicycles. The cyclists seem to have the philosophy that they don't need to abide by the rules of the road just like and automobile. They especially don't stop at stop signs and I had one just pull out in front of me after not abiding by the stop sign coming out of Talley Ridge to Buena Vista. Had I not been paying particular attention or on a phone like many drivers I would have run right over you and it would not have been my fault. Cyclists need to be law abiding and attentive.

[robinsdw2]

It's not just cyclists with foul mouths, there are a lot of folks with foul mouth language. I think many folks never learned how to use the English language.

[Polar Bear]

IMO the MMP's are safer for a lone bicyclist, at least one riding a hybrid. I ride a hybrid so I can easily go onto the grass along the path any time I choose to. I will admit that is a big part of my reason for believing the MMP is safer. If I were on a road bike and had to stay on the pavement at all times, it would not be as easy to always feel safe.

I always try to time my entrance into a divided section (narrow pavement) so that a cart is not coming up closely behind me. I ride quickly through the divided sections so I spend as little time as possible in them. Since I'm biking for exercise this is no problem. It's just part of my routine. If a cart approaches from behind when I'm in a divided section or if carts are also approaching from the front, that is when I take to the grass as needed. It's not required that often, but I usually do it at least once each ride. And I want to stress, going off into the grass is very easy on a hybrid bike using proper technique. No problem at all.

The only potential snag to this approach is if a cart is approaching from behind and the section of divided path is lined with landscaping...no grass. This is an infrequent and easily avoided occurrence. Attention to one's surroundings and a willingness to occasionally speed up/slow down as needed makes this a non-issue.

[Dennis and Rose]

Life should be like hockey. When someone annoys you like that, you should be allowed to beat the crap out of them, then spend five minutes or so in a penalty box.

[Dave@TV]

"The roads are a shared resource. That means cars, street legal golf carts, and bikes are all using the roads, including the 35 mph speed limit roads such as Buena Vista. If there is a slower moving car, street legal golf cart, or bike in front of you, it is up to you to pass them when it is safe and legal to do so. Nobody is being "self centered". They are using a resource that they are paying for. The fact that they aren't going as fast as you want them to go is something you just have to deal with and no amount of whining or complaining is going to change that."


Well said.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

IMO the MMP's are safer for a lone bicyclist, at least one riding a hybrid. I ride a hybrid so I can easily go onto the grass along the path any time I choose to. I will admit that is a big part of my reason for believing the MMP is safer. If I were on a road bike and had to stay on the pavement at all times, it would not be as easy to always feel safe.

I always try to time my entrance into a divided section (narrow pavement) so that a cart is not coming up closely behind me. I ride quickly through the divided sections so I spend as little time as possible in them. Since I'm biking for exercise this is no problem. It's just part of my routine. If a cart approaches from behind when I'm in a divided section or if carts are also approaching from the front, that is when I take to the grass as needed. It's not required that often, but I usually do it at least once each ride. And I want to stress, going off into the grass is very easy on a hybrid bike using proper technique. No problem at all.

The only potential snag to this approach is if a cart is approaching from behind and the section of divided path is lined with landscaping...no grass. This is an infrequent and easily avoided occurrence. Attention to one's surroundings and a willingness to occasionally speed up/slow down as needed makes this a non-issue.

Very sensible approach, but in a perfect world would be totally unnecessary. When I approach a cyclist from behind on a divided section, I just slow down and stay 100 feet behind until that section ends and it safe to pass. Time cost, on average, 40 seconds. Human cost---could be saving a life. And probably most of the cart drivers who get pi$$ed at a bike on the divided section are the same ones who get mad when a car approaches their cart in the same aggressive manner.

[OhioBuckeye]

Originally Posted by shrandell

Yesterday, Hubby and I were driving home south on Morse about 3/4 mile from the gate/exit at 466 prior to Sumter bridge. We enjoy the view across the lake. Traffic was heavy in both car and cart lanes, and moving at a steady pace. In our right cart lane a cyclist enthusiast in full high tech cycling gear simultaneously thrust out his left arm and shot out in front of our car while overtaking a slower moving cart. To say he scared the 💩 out of us, would be an understatement. I screamed and braced for impact. Only my husband's quick reflexes prevented yet another car/bike accident, or worse. My husbands many years of training and driving a police vehicle saved the day. The cyclist wobbled all over the road, having waved his left arm so vigorously he lost control of his bike. My husband yelled in alarm to the cyclist "stay in the cart lane" to which the cyclist yelled "F@CK YOU" while indicating his IQ. It was a very ugly incident, and sadly not so unusual any more . The cyclist hung back (embarrassed, I hope)and eventually took the cart/tunnel under 466. Ugliness and fright caused by one person's lack of patience on a busy road. I could add for good measure the often seen "pack" of cyclist blowing through all the traffic signals at Moyer Loop and Morse, but then I will be repeating a long running thread. No doubt I will also be attacked for daring to call out an ill mannered, but luckily not injured, cyclist.

You know you're exactly right & the carts are the same way exactly, but not everybody. Yea, you hit the nail square on the head, their IQ must be about 10. It's been in the paper several times about cars HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, not carts or bikes. These people probably were bullies all of their lives or always think they're right. Just wish The Villages Sun News would print up flyers & put them in EVERYBODIES mail boxes, & also just up on the top page of the Daily Sun in one paragraph saying very simply, "Cars have the right away, not carts & bikes". The roads in TV are county roads not owned by TV's. There's a lot of arrogant A$$ holes here in TV, we're not perfect. So to the low IQ A$$ holes out there. If you want to live, respect the cars because you're at fault!

[biker1]

I am not sure what circumstances you are referring to but "right of way" is defined by the situation based on the state statutes. Bikes are subject to the same rules of the road as cars. To suggest that cars have some intrinsic "right of way" legal advantage over bikes is inconsistent with what is in the state statutes.

Originally Posted by OhioBuckeye

You know you're exactly right & the carts are the same way exactly, but not everybody. Yea, you hit the nail square on the head, their IQ must be about 10. It's been in the paper several times about cars HAVE THE RIGHT OF WAY, not carts or bikes. These people probably were bullies all of their lives or always think they're right. Just wish The Villages Sun News would print up flyers & put them in EVERYBODIES mail boxes, & also just up on the top page of the Daily Sun in one paragraph saying very simply, "Cars have the right away, not carts & bikes". The roads in TV are county roads not owned by TV's. There's a lot of arrogant A$$ holes here in TV, we're not perfect. So to the low IQ A$$ holes out there. If you want to live, respect the cars because you're at fault!

[Fastskiguy]

I also ride about 5,000 miles per year and live NW of Chicago. We get to our home in TV a few times per year and I really love biking there. Good roads and....for the most part...courteous drivers, much (much!) better than at home. The vast majority of riders want to get along with cars as we are wearing....well, not much in the way of protective gear Bikes a required to follow the same rules as cars. If a biker signals and changes lanes in front of you then you can't just "rear end" him any more than you can rear end a car in that situation.

In the OP it sounds like the guy was having a bad day. He was probably surprised there was a car there too as there is no way anybody would willingly pull in front of a rapidly overtaking vehicle. Fear + embarrassment + maybe in a bad mood = some people turn into jerks. Thanks for not hitting him

Joe

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Very sensible approach, but in a perfect world would be totally unnecessary...

Only one possible reply to that...

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

...When I approach a cyclist from behind on a divided section, I just slow down and stay 100 feet behind until that section ends and it safe to pass. Time cost, on average, 40 seconds...

Also a very sensible approach. But my main motivation...and what should every biker's main motivation...is self-preservation. So I'm not going to assume all cart drivers will exercise your degree of common sense, courtesy and caution.

[Chatbrat]

Its not being right, its not being DEAD right or dead from the neck down--if you're in cart or a bike & you tie with a car, you will lose

Your estate will plead your case

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Polar Bear

Only one possible reply to that...

OMG It's taken almost 2 years but I've finally got you to use . Mission accomplished

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

OMG It's taken almost 2 years but I've finally got you to use . Mission accomplished