Share the Road
 

Info for Motorists | Florida Bicycle Association

Sure wish all would comply.I only ride late at night or well before traffic hits the roads in the morning. Sad to think that riding in the dark is the only time I feel safe!!!

The only problem I have with bicyclers is when a large group of them blows right through stop signs. Yes, they may slow down BUT the sign says STOP.

Yes, i realize that it is extra trouble to come to a full stop and unhook feet from pedals BUT they ride on the public roads - follow the same laws as cars. :thumbup:

I share the road but would also like it if bike riders obeyed all traffic laws.

Thanks for posting that.

The Rest Of The Story
 

Your reference and the information provided from the Bicycle Association is helpful. I believe a majority of auto drivers comply for a variety of reasons.
However as other posters indicate bike riders do violate every rule of the road and intentionally most of the time, not unlike motorcycles that intentionally weave in and out of traffic.

I believe you are also aware that bicycle riders are viewed broadly as an inconvenience in many cities across the country; especially in heavy traffic routes. So, and Ï say this with no malice, count your blessings when a driver tips his/her hat to you.

Personal Best Regards

a majority of auto drivers comply ---- Wrong

bike riders do violate every rule of the road and intentionally most of the time ------ Wrong

Useful information, Bosoxfan - thank you for posting it.

We should all consider others from their point of view - how would we like people to treat us if we were out there walking/cycling/driving?

Why don't you ride the cart paths or is that below you?

alzjr Fair enough. You must be a bicylist I am not. My statement was not made in absolutes nor was I taking aim at bicyclist. They exist, I accept it and I share the road

However this topic is so widely discussed that it gained entry into an article published in a respected newspaper some time ago whose main focus were on bike messengers in New York City but ventured into common discussion about drivers thoughts about bicyclist.

I would love to have posters sound off about how many times they actually saw a serious bike rider stop at an intersection, stop sign etc. because I never have. Bicyclist especially in groups/clubs do not want to lose momentum much like a jogger does not want to stop jogging even if they remain in place continuing in their perpetual motion. Again I did say every bicyclist nor am I unaware that some auto drivers ignore the rules of the road also.

Personal Best Regards:

No its not below me to ride on the ( " cart" ) multimodal path if I were on a casual ride but not if I want to move at a cardiovascular workout pace. There are more problems on the paths then you'd realize. Cyclists have the right to be on the roads I just wish ALL motorists would accept this and respect the safety of everyone on the road.

This isn't the first thread along these lines, so at risk of incurring the ire of cyclists, let's bring some clarity to this thread:

First of all, bicycles are vehicles and have the right to use the roads, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAW. I'm all in favor of safety, cyclists are much more at risk for injury than a car. However, in the spirit of sharing the road, there are RESPONSIBILITIES that go along with cyclists RIGHTS.

The link provided is to a cyclist association page, the "information" is NOT THE LAW, it is the author's OPINION and INTERPETATION of the law. So lets look at the actual Florida law:

316.2065 Bicycle regulations.—

(5)(a) Any person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride in the lane marked for bicycle use or, if no lane is marked for bicycle use, as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:
1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction.

2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway.

3. When reasonably necessary to avoid any condition or potential conflict, including, but not limited to, a fixed or moving object, parked or moving vehicle, bicycle, pedestrian, animal, surface hazard, turn lane, or substandard-width lane, which makes it unsafe to continue along the right-hand curb or edge or within a bicycle lane. 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.

The law is vague, it does not give a specific lane width or separation of motor vehicle and cycle. This is likely because the distance is relative to speed. The author in the link has interpreted subsection 3 to mean bicycles can ride in the middle of the road at any speed any time they want and "own the lane". This is NOT what the law states. The bicycle association itself advocates a minimum distance of 3 feet. The lanes on BV and Morse, at least south of 466A are 12-14 feet. My full size SUV is 6 feet wide, so hugging the center line, it allows 6-8 feet for the cyclist. Therefore, UNDER THE LAW, the cyclist has NO RIGHT to ride in the middle of the road at less than the speed of traffic, except as noted in subsection 1&2. It does not matter what the bicycle association has to say, only what THE LAW states. If you are riding in the middle at 35 mph, go for it. There is no reason for anyone to pass you. But if you are riding at 15 mph, you are IN VIOLATION of the law and can be cited.

Also:

(6) Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast may not impede traffic when traveling at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing and shall ride within a single lane.

How many times do we come up on 3-4-5 cycles abreast in the middle of the lane so they can chit-chat?? They are also VIOLATING THE LAW. I also agree with Rubi---there are some (not all) cyclists who are loathe to stop at stop signs or lights because of the inconvenience of toe clips. Here's news--it is also "inconvenient" to stop a car as well, but it is THE LAW.

All that being said, motorists need to realize they are much safer than cyclists and act accordingly. But that does not excuse cyclists from taking over a lane when the LAW clearly forbids it.

Now I'll retreat to the bomb shelter.

The law states bikes must be given 3 feet of clearance in FL, along with I believe 25 other states. Also, the lanes of BV are substandard with regard to width (along with virtually all of the roads in The Villages), therefore a car and a bike cannot occupy the same lane. This means that bikes can occupy an entire lane on the roads in The Villages. This has been discussed numerous times before.

A bit of biased misinformation. In FL, I think the laws state that a cyclist is required to ride as far to the right of the lane as safely as possible. It does not say that the cyclist is supposed to force passing autos into the other lane by riding near the center line. If you want courtesy from drivers, be a courteous rider.

A cyclist with common sense.

I do ride the cart paths, but that is pretty dangerous too. However, I would much rather tangle with a golf cart than a cement truck. Just sayin'.

Wrong again, as you were the last time you tried posting this misinformation. On substandard width roads, as we have in The Villages, cars must pass in the other lane as a car and bike cannot lawfully exist in the same lane. Cyclist should move to the center of the lane during those instances where a car may squeeze them off the road. This is the safe way to ride.