Another Hit and Run 11/3
 

At around 6:45 this morning, a bicyclist was hit on Hillsborough Trail eastbound just after the enterance to Manatee Rec. I heard the impact (sounded like a gun shot) and saw the car as it passed me (I was walking my dog and was next to the eastern most cornhole box). The car did not stop and was accelerating as it passed me. I could not see license plates, but I am certain that it was a dark grey color sedan or coupe. Some pedestrian were nearly hit and saw the accident. The impact was so great that the bicyclist was thrown some distance, the bicycle basically destroyed. The car did not stop or even slow down. Bicyclist had head injuries (helmet was scattered over about a half block), one or two broken arms and was taken to Ocala as a trauma patient.

So, if you know someone who normally drives a sport dark grey car (most likely a Mercedes) and like to speed and who suddenly is not driving their sporty car, you may want to notify the State Troopers who will want to talk to him/her.

Let's get this POS off of our roads!

Passed by the scene about 6:55----didn't look too good, hope the injured recover fully and hope they catch the SOB

not to excuse the hit and run, but was the bicyclist wearing a bright shirt and flashing light.. yes get the pos driver off the road

So awful to read. I know so many bicyclists. Meta is always riding around and several folks in our neighborhood.

I cannot understand how anyone would not stay to try to help.

Sad to read about another hit and run. I hope the biker recovers and I hope the police catch this person. It's shameful that this driver drove off!!

This is why I stopped riding my bike in TV two years ago. Between the golf carts and cars it's just too dangerous.

It's why I don't ride a bike or a golf cart.

Don't know. But while poor cyclist visibility could be a possible CAUSE of the accident, there is NO EXCUSE for speeding away.

Shirts and lights
 

Cyclist has bright pulsing lights and was wearing reflective shirt. The pedestrian who were right there said car swerved into bike lane and hit the bicycle.

absolutely correct.... catch his/her a s s . but sunrise was 6:45 am still a little dark... for safety sake be visible... it’s my mantra as a biker

most likely the cellphone rang and the driver was picking it up or trying to find it.

Always take your phone out if you have a chance at anything just in case

sportsguy

then charge could be murder, felony hit and run if cyclist dies. doesn’t sound too good from what doc says.. hope he/she recovers fully

All I can say the driver must have been under the influence of something. Anyone who wasn't imparied and who had the one ounce of compassion would have stopped.

Godspeed that the injured person recovers and has a speedy one.

Unfortunately too many people these days have no character or compassion or even decency.

Hope thy find this lowlife.

John41....the sun is shining brightly at 6:45AM now. that changed Sunday morning

Therapy fee
 

let's all pray the victim recovers and that the assailant is brought to justice. Between the various cameras throughout the villages and intersections, cell phone pinging, gps data , and past historical video they have a good chance to apprehend the criminal
everyone be safe.
Session over

How about we let the cops do their job and stop the rumors. She saw that.....he saw that......i heard. Because your statement makes it s deliberate hit not an accident. Expect to see cops at your door shortly now that you made that statement

I’m curious as to how dangerous cycling is around TV - I was hoping to do lots of it but maybe not now.

Anyone who leaves the scene of an accident clearly has something to hide. I would hope some serious jail time is the result here if only to keep us all safe.

Safety
 

The Villages is bike riding Heaven. For a year, I belonged to one of our great bike clubs. However, I grew too uneasy riding in the street. I ride exclusively on the multimodal paths. Going through a lot of brake pads, making poor time, but much less anxious. With older drivers who may have vision issues, bright sun, and many confused visitors driving, it is not worth it to me. Praying for all of the accident victims. Cannot believe drivers do not stop.😢

Please, if you see an accident like this, grab your phone and take a picture of the driver and the car.

I was riding my recumbent trike on Bonita Blvd by myself and as I constantly check my rear view mirror saw a class A motorhome coming up behind with his steps extended into the bike lane. Fortunately I was able to swerve out of the way. I think roundabouts are where most of the accidents occur. If you ride with a club i think you’re pretty safe.

There is no excuse for not stopping if there is an accident. Sometimes I have seen some very poor driving on the part of a bicyclist. The other day I was on Bailey Trail and a guy on a recumbent bike was in the middle of the road coming toward me waving his hands in a slow down motion. I looked at my speedometer and it read 25mph. This guy kept it up until he almost crossed the double line into my lane. I still don't know what his problem was. Those recumbent bikes are very dangerous and should not be on the road.

Well, it is too dangerous for us. We rode once on an MMP for a short distance and it was not fun at all.

When we want to ride our bikes, we put them in our SUV and drive to the Southern Area, especially Bradford and St. Catherine. In those areas, we can ride for miles on paved walking/biking trails and never have to cross a road or an MMP.

By that time on Tues the sun was up.

I think you don't realize that the Villages streets and thoroughfares don't have cameras at intersections or cameras generally unless people have security cameras on their homes. Also, this is the first in my memory of a hit and run(s) in The Villages. We have had upwards of ten golfcart accidents that were fatal in the last couple of decades, but the only hit and run I can think of was the one where a man made a quick turn in a golf cart and the woman fell out and he drug her body into the bushes and left her there to die. It was their first date. That was about three years ago. Does anyone remember that he was punished for that? He was a visiting son of a Villager.

This is my plan for when we move to TV.

Which may of created blind spot from glare?, A pillar, or rear view mirror. If you can’t see the drivers face they can’t see you in most incidents?

Last night we were heading toward Brownwood on Hillsboro, there as a man riding his bike in the golf cart lane. He didn’t have any lights on his bike and it was extremely hard to see him. Please buy lights sir.

Actually, the accident was on the south side of Hillsborough, so both the car and bicycle were driving east towards the sun. But even when I passed about 15 minutes after the incident, the sun was barely up and not an issue

i remember that story. he was punished eventually, & then I THINK he got off with the help of an atty. i do not remember his name, but it was big in the news when we 1st moved in. awful story, but alcohol was def involved

How horrible. I agree with a lot of people that riding a bike around TV can be very dangerous unfortunately. Glad they've started to incorporate better trails for bikes and pedestrians in the southern part of TV.

I don't understand why more bicyclists don't ride on the MMPs. I can see if there is a group of 8-10 bicyclists riding in a group, then on the road it makes sense. But one or 2 bicyclists riding alone? Seems to me that the MMP is much safer. I know legally bicyclists are allowed to ride in the street but with MMPs here in TV I just don't know why they want to.

GracieGirl- he got off because the statute he was charged under was for "leaving the scene of an accident" and his attorney successfully argued that he was never in "an accident." He did not collide with another vehicle/golf cart, he merely swerved and I believe ran off the MMP or road. Shortly after, his Villager parents moved away from TV I believe.

It's not for the faint of heart. If you ride the pedestrian/bike only trails, you're dealing with walkers who don't face the traffic, can't see what's coming at them, walk 2 or 3 abreast and often with a dog on a leash. And they're often too deaf to hear "on your left" as you're running off the path to get around them.

If you're using the multi-modal paths, you're dealing with narrow areas where golf carts don't have enough space to get around you, but they try anyway. Or going through one of the tunnels and suddenly a golf cart comes around the curve into the tunnel, on your side of the path. Your choice, hit the golf cart or the wall (I chose the wall.)

Or you can ride on the streets and suffer the fate we've seen with 3 bicyclists in just the past week. If there's a golf cart lane, you'll deal with golf carts that don't check to see if they are past you before cutting back in or almost run into you before seeing there is a bicycle in the path in front of them. And if you're on one of the major streets, they are even more bicycle unfriendly as there are no bicycle lanes and usually little or no space between the road and the curb. My favorite is Morse Blvd south of FL44 which has now been rebuilt 3 times and absolutely no place for a bicycle to ride, except take your chances in one of the lanes.

For a community that claims to be "Bicycle Friendly", we leave a lot to be desired.

************** (https://www.**************.com/ has description of the Jaguar & license plate - 2003 Jag, license NWQG97 per police report.

Aren’t there cameras

Biking question
 

My wife and I are trying to move here, for some time now, and just retired to Florida in 2015. Of course we went out and bought bikes but found out that you have to ride with the traffic flow in a bike lane, when no sidewalk is available. When did these laws go into effect? We won't do this, even though we were informed by a police officer last week, because I want to see what's coming. Since we moved here, it seems like I hear about 2 accidents a night.

It sounds like you are riding too fast and not slowing down when passing walkers.

If you want to ride fast, then stay on the roads and take your chances.

OMG. That’s so horrible. It’s beyond comprehension that someone could leave a person like that.
I hope the cyclist is ok.

Reading the article in the unnamable on-line paper, I think he will be. He reportedly suffered a broken rib, a separated shoulder, stitches to the forehead and lost a lot of skin. He had been wearing a helmet.

I will never understand how a person can hurt someone, and simply take off. I hope the guilt is as bad as I imagine, and both drivers are caught soon.