Civilized discussion on Recumbent Bikes on the street
 

I came back to SLS this morning from 466A and along the way picked up a stretched out group of cyclists using various types of bikes.

There were recumbent bikes, one bike very long and very close to the ground, one where the rider sits quite far off the ground and pedals with his legs quite high, two tandem recumbents and one double, side by side, recumbent bike. The traffic was light and I had the time to really notice this mode of riding. I could not help thinking that they would be so much safer on the cart path.

This is in no way meant to be a derogatory post, I know and understand fully that we are supposed to share the roads, but I cannot help feeling that these bikes on a Village main road are tempting fate. They are so low to the ground that they are difficult to see and it would only take a driver who maybe has poor sight, or who is not paying attention, to cause a dreadful accident.

What say you?

I had the same situation, I drove around two trucks on Morse then went to pull back into the right lane, there they were, side by side, I did not see them until I started into the right lane. You are correct, they are accidents waiting to happen and I doubt a bike helmet is going to help them when hit by a car or truck. I don't think they're supposed to be 2 and 3 abreast either.

A few momths ago I was heading north on Morse and there was this gentleman on his black recumbant bike,dressed in black, with just a small orange flag waving. It was already dark.

Totally stupid but evidence of the entitlement here in TV.

Wont be long before one of them is killed. As far as im comcermed just another Darwin Award camdidate.

Accidents waiting to happen

Terrified of driving on the cart path since I got screamed out on my bike for stopping at a stop sign coming out from under a tunnel People are so mean

If you can't see a person on a recumbent bike, you shouldn't be driving a motor vehicle.

and, of course, you are correct; however that does not stop people who should not be driving from driving. I can assure you that there are people with 20/70 vision still driving here and unless they see an eye doctor who is prepared to take their license they will drive. You do not have to have an eye test in Florida, you can just send in the form and you are back on the road.

I say live and let live.

I don't have a lot to worry about but these kind of issues are not on any of my worry lists.

If we have made enough good decisions during our life to end up here in TV, what choices we are making now will probably work out just fine.

I think they are getting a lot more benefits from their activities than whatever perceived risks they may be taking.

:thumbup:

Don

If I was in a group of riders, I would use the streets. They are probably safer there than on the MMPs. Car drivers are more courteous than cart drivers.

Good point. Everyone in front of me this morning gave the bikers a wide margin before returning to the right hand lane.

Can't argue with that. But riding solo, I feel much safer on the MMPs...with my own set of safety rules of course. :)

Maybe correct, but the biker will be the one lying in the street, injured or dead

Obviously.

What's more scary is driving a slingshot on 75 alongside a 18 wheeler. Have seen several out there.

True but it's how soon do you see it, maybe not soon enough. And then don't forget about our Texting drivers. There is no way I would ride one of them in a 35 MPH zone but it's legal and to each his own.

At Inverness , on the bike trail, I encountered an entire group of "Wounded Warriors " riding their recumbent bikes. Due to the physical challenges ..their bikes were modified for their unique circumstances. This was a perfect place for the experience.

the trails are converted rail trails so the grades are condusive for bikes,recumbents, and pedestrians. And the environment of this SHARED resource with the positive respectfull interactions was wonderful!

The warriors were having a great time with excersize,comraderie and esprit de corps. The bikers and pedestrians were enthusiastic on their appreciation for these special individuals.

Granted this is the optimum situation for this interaction. But I thought to myself "it doesn't get better than this"

It’s a risk all of us take. Whether it’s a walker, jogger, cyclist or a person on a motorcycle. The same holds true for the risk a person in a car faces with inattentive drivers.

When it comes to recumbent bicyclists, I should probably start taking a more...laid back attitude.





:D

I wouldn't feel any less safe driving a slingshot than a motorcycle, or small hybrid car, and I would feel much safer in a slingshot than in an inappropriately named "smart car".

If all other things were equal,
I would rather be belted in my car
if hit by an inattentive driver.
I believe my risk of personal injury would be
a lot less than if I was in any of the other modes mentioned.

I don't have problem with bikers and the different kinds. Sure, it's inconveniences, but most of use are in too much of hurry. For me I would never ride or buy one for two or three reasons all my opinion of course. The cost too much for me, my balance not all that good with only one ear, the other is pencil rack! And I value my health too much to be on street with obnoxious rude AHs that always in hurry.

Tell that to the grayhair that headed towards me because she thought it was ok to turn left when entering a roundabout.

what is a sling shot?

I must respectfully disagree......To say "to each his own" bothers me. I don't want to be the driver who accidentally hits one of these recumbent bikes and injures or kills someone. It's not fair to the biker or the driver to have to deal with that for the rest of their lives.

I agree that we should share the roads but low light or driving into the son makes seeing rather difficult. AND, why don't we really share? Let's get them registered, insured and licensed . Then we truly are sharing equal road use.

Lone biker today on southbound morse in a regular bike. Guess he was one of the many entitled bikers...he felt it necessary to give everyone who didnt pull into the second lane to go around him the finger.

TV Bikers...the Entitled of the Entitled.

Ahh...love those generalizations.

I don't ride my bicycle often, but when I do, I ride on the MMP's.

It's safe, courteous and the right thing to do.

Stay safe my friends.

You could call the biker 'entitled'.

Or...

You could call all the motorists who did not change lanes to pass 'entitled'.

Plus One. I’m a long time mostly solo rider and have traveled many busy roads, but at this point in life I’ll stay off the roads and ride the MMPs.

Riding in a pack in a paceline works best on roads.

This is clear cut in the statutes and has been discussed numerous times in the past. The roads in The Villages are of substandard width. This means a car and a bike cannot coexist in a single lane with the required spacing between a car and a bike. Cars need to swing into the left hand passing lane when passing and must not attempt to crowd into the same lane as a bike. It would probably be best not to give people the finger but the cars that don't move into the passing lane are the problem. The only entitlement is on the part of the car drivers who don't pass in a safe and legal manner. In the future, you may wish to educate yourself on the statutes before posting.

If they have a death wish let them ride on the roads

You are correct that a car and a bike cannot coexist in a single lane in TV.

However, you are absolutely wrong that TV roads are of substandard widths. In fact very few roads anywhere meet the requirements for a bike and auto to coexist in the same lane. And those roads that do are far wider than the width necessary to be considered a standard road.

The ability for road lanes to simultaneously accommodate an auto and a bike in no way determines whether or not a road meets standard lane width requirement.

Looks like there can’t ever be a civilized discussion about bikes or dog poop. :crap2::mad::mad:
Actually people don’t seem to have civilized discussions about most things these days.

Here is something I don't quite understand. Bicycles have been around forever. Most, if not all, of us rode one before we could drive a car. I doesn't seem to me that bike riders are doing anything differently today than was done 30, 40, 50 years ago. Why such a big issue now?

Sorry, you are incorrect and I believe I have corrected you in the past on this. The term "substandard width" is used in numerous locations in the context of bikes, cars, and the statutes. If you are looking for it in the context of road construction documents then you will probably not find it. It is a legal term. If you go back and reread my post you will see I was referencing the statutes and the only issue here is the statute. In the terminology of the statutes, the roads in The Villages are of substandard width. I do agree that you would be hard pressed to find roads that aren't of substandard width but that is besides the point.

For the purposes of this subsection, a “substandard-width lane” is a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle and another vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane.”

from

Cyclists, pedestrians need to know safe and legal road position | Fort Myers Florida Weekly

There are numerous other references. The net result is that bikes essentially occupy an entire lane because of the substandard width and cars need to use the other lane when passing, regardless of whether it is a 4-lane or 2-lane road. I trust I won't have to go over this anymore in the future.

The truth of the matter is cars will not respect the cyclists clearance rules any more than cyclists will respect the traffic laws and stop at stop signs.

Neither law is enforced by police officers. For their own safety, cyclists should ride on the mmp's, but they won't.

Unfortunately, you can't fix stupid.