Quote:
Originally Posted by rubicon
The thing about Florida Automobile and Bicycle Laws is that they are only good if you follow them. There are two things I am 99% certain of and that is:
1. About a quarter of the drivers will speed up to pass a golf cart that is merging from the diamond lane to the road at a gate. It happened to me this AM on Bailey Trail. Yes I did give an ample warning with my left signal. No I did not use a hand signal also as I normally do because the sides wre down on my cart as it was cold outside.
2. About half of the cyclist here never slow down for the gate, at intersection etc and just glide on through because they don't want to lose their momentum.
How concerned am I? Very
|
Agree with Number 1.
Agree with Number 2 with this note: I sometime will move thru a gate with out stopping when you can go beside the gate in the cart lane and no other cars are going thru the gate. Most of the time, the gate keepers raise the arm for the cyclist so they do not have to stop and hold up traffic. When coming to stop sign sometimes when I know it is completely clear and no cross traffic I will proceed after slowing down, so I do know get ran over from behind. Which is a great chance of here in TV.
Perfect example: The cross street on CR-101 by the CVS. I do not know how many accidents they have there. Just had one the other day. Cars try to cross to continue down Wedgewood in front of Publix. They do not look to see who is coming. Very busy intersection and should not allow crossing there. But to make it to the point, Car shot across the road and luckily the car in front of me, T-Bone the lady in the door, if not she would have hit the motorcycle in the other lane.
That is how dangerous it is here. One person complains about the Cars. Another about the Golf Carts. Then someone complains about the cyclist. Never amazes me that the most complaints are the cars that think cyclist are not allowed on the roads. Everyone needs to slow down and watch.
On my bike I try to watch everyone. But I will tell you, go out on a bike and you will see some of the wildest stuff people here will do in a car and golf cart. Instead on getting on here and ranting and raving, try to understand the situation when you are in it. Just like complaining about the pack of cyclist going thru a stop sign together. I posted the other day about how 18 of us lined up at a stop sign and went thru one at a time. We got yelled at for holding up the cars. Had no idea that only cars have rights here in TV.
For Goodness sake it is a retirement community. Relax sit back, enjoy the sights,, Rollerblade on the MMP's, get out and walk. Everyone just relax... Enjoy life here in THE VILLAGES..