[La lamy]

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.

[HIgolfers]

Originally Posted by Shadia328

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.😢

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.

[HIgolfers]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

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.

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.

[kansasr]

Originally Posted by skarra

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.

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.

[chrisinva]

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

[Daleholbrook]

Aren’t there cameras

[molddude]

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.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by kansasr

And they're often too deaf to hear "on your left" as you're running off the path to get around them.

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.

[JoeinFL]

Originally Posted by Bizdoc

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!

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

[bluedivergirl]

Originally Posted by JoeinFL

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.

[sloanst]

I would hope that The Villages security start running through their gate videos.

[Fran1952]

One year probation and 50 hours community service for Foxworth who left a woman to die in the bushes in 2017.

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by Bizdoc

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.

WOW ! Probably few remember the giant signs when you entered the villages:

CAUTION, you are ENTERING A GOLF CART COMMUNITY, golf carts have the RIGHT OF WAY.

Has anyone noticed over the years the LACK of common courtesy and sense not only on our residential streets, but on the multi-modal paths as well ? When once folks would all go about the same speed in their golf carts (for instance going toward the squares about entertainment hour), and all would carefully slow down behind bike riders (used to be you seldom saw people riding in the streets but it's very common now) and be content to go just a little slower (what could they miss, maybe ONE song, is that a major thing when considering the possibility of injuring someone ?) and folks were all fine with that.
Now, it's a complete about turn ! Being the fastest cart on the path is the whole focus, giving slower folks the "high sign" as they recklessly pass JUST before the path splits, is the goal. People brag about who and how they have had their carts (race cars) altered to increase the speed and then resent those in carts going at a safe speed. Have any of you had someone pass you at a very high speed, definitely over 20 miles an hour, only to have to STOP right behind them as they were forced to stop at the place where you must stop and turn onto the street to enter Lake Sumter Square ? All that risk and for what ? They finally have to stop and wait for the cars until they can make the turn anyway ! ! So foolish and they don't even SAVE any of their precious time ! ? Some people (as someone on here mentioned) are as hard to understand as smelling the color purple or the number nine (or something like that...LOL !) Seriously, HOW did this all happen ? A friendly little active life style community that encouraged physical activities like bike riding, built dedicated trails for this so people could inline skate (sure don't see that any more, what a shame, good exercise with proper protection, keeps away the arthritis...lol, but not now, dangerous as bike riding. People on here can, of course, make fun of those of us who long for the "old days", but why should the "new days" be less courteous, or more dangerous, than the "old days". We "could" make this a friendly, polite, safe community just like the "old days" ! !

[Hifred]

I am horrified to hear this. My husband and I rotate between walking at that time and walking very early at 5:00 am. We walk down Hillsborough and we have seen cars driving on the wrong side of the road as well as speeding. I have tried to get license plates but when a person is flying by in a car it is impossible to see. I hope they review the cameras at the gates to see if they can identify the car from the gate cameras. Possible the community watch would let you review the camera tape to see if you recognize the car. We will continue to look for a car matching your description when we walk.

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

WOW ! Probably few remember the giant signs when you entered the villages:

CAUTION, you are ENTERING A GOLF CART COMMUNITY, golf carts have the RIGHT OF WAY.

Maybe that sign was taken down because it was not true then and it is not true now.