Bicycles on MMP
 

After my experience yesterday, I hope to never see posts how golf carts need to be more courteous to bicyclists. Here is 2 examples we had. Two, 3 wheeled bicyclist spaced just far enough apart, had traffic blocked all the way from the rotary off of the Waterlily bridge all the way to Brownwood parking lot. By the time we reached the Brownwood parking lot, there had to be at least 40 carts backed up and took almost 25 minutes. On our way back to St Catherine. there were 40-50 bicyclist approaching the tunnel that crossed over by the Waterlily bridge with well over 50 carts following that couldn't have been going 5 miles per hour. When bicyclists start to respect golf cart drivers, they can than earn the respect to them.

agree.

Hum, if 40-50 bike riders were riding at 5 mph, they would fall over. I'm sure they weren't riding that slow. Also, take a picture of 40-50 bike riders grouped together on the path. I don't think that happened.

Did it occur to anyone to pull over and take in the majestic sights.. for say 10-15 minutes... let the mob of carts go by... Why sit behind that nonsense.. sniffing the exhaust of 50 carts?? - it was also the berry festival and everyone who loves crowds attended!

Remember folks crowds = traffic

No likey stay homie

Strawberry Fest is always a cluster.

And this year it's a 2 day CLUSTER!

love it!

Bicycles have every right to be on the MMPs.

The reason that there was a backup was because the first cart determined that there was not enough room to perform a safe pass of the cyclists.

If that bothers you or slows you down then get your keys, open your garage, and drive your automobile.

Your privilege of operating a cart on the MMP ends exactly where the cyclist's begins. Your privilege is not greater than anyone else's in The Villages.

They have the right to use, but not to block it. Anymore than a group of walkers could walk ten abreast and not permit others to go by.

They can and should take the entire lane and walkers should as well.

If a cyclist rides towards the right in the MMP then carts will "share the lane". That is extremely dangerous for the cyclist. Cart drivers can and do force cyclists off the path. If you are in such a rush to pass (an emergency) pass on the grass. All golf carts are designed to do this, most bicycles on the MMPs here are not.

Replace MMP with a two lane public road, carts for cars, and bicycle or ebike for motorcycle.

At anytime in your LIFETIME have you intentionally shared a lane with a motorcycle? What about a 150cc motorcycle (very small, not powerful but road legal)? No, you have not. For exactly the same reason you, as a cart driver should NEVER share a lane with a cyclist. If it is not safe to pass then you follow the cyclist until it is safe to do so. It's pretty simple. Your privilege of operating a cart on a mmp IS NOT SUPERIOR to a cyclist, never.

I can't believe that's have to explain this to an adult.

It isn't about rights, it's about respect and courtesy. Knowingly impeding others is not very courteous or respectful even if it is your right to do so.

How, exactly, can a trike give anyone room to pass without a cart entering the other lane? This is what this thread is about, although the same concept applies to two wheeled bicycles


They can't. It is a physical impossibly.

The OP did say that the procession "couldn't have been going 5 miles per hour", and I think we can all agree with that.

Both correct ... to a point. Respect and courtesy is a two way street. Walkers, and most bikers cannot travel at 20 mph. Since I know this, I never try to push them or expect them to do more then they can. After all, they are working at getting some exercise while I'm just sitting on my fat butt. A couple of minutes is no big deal unless your having a heart attack.

There was a group of 10 or so cyclists on Morse yesterday. I was behind them in my golf cart, on my way from the "historic" section to Brownwood for the Strawberry Festival. Never been down there by golf cart so I thought I'd enjoy the beautiful day and give it a try.

There wasn't any vehicular traffic behind me so I sped up to pass them. But then it turns out, they were speeding up too and were going close to 19MPH. I was very impressed. I also got back into the golf cart lane and slowed down so as not to tailgate them. Any group of cyclists who can maintain speeds of over 15mph deserves respect, not disdain. If they hadn't sped up, they would've been going around 11mph - which in my opinion is slow enough for me to pass them.

Could they pull off the path for a minute to let the backed up carts go by???