Talk of The Villages Florida - Avid Villages Cyclist Answers Your Questions

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Quote:

Originally Posted by kkimball (Post 2090031)

Here are my (opinionated) answers to common cycling questions I've seen recently on this forum.

If you have more questions, post them here, and I'll answer them as best I can.

Q: Why don't cyclists stick to the MMPs?
A: The MMPs are great for a casual ride, but the frequent stops and corners make for a slow ride. Many cyclists prefer the open roads because they can go faster and get a better workout.

Q: Why do people ride bikes when it's so dangerous?
A: Every activity has some amount of risk. Cyclists know and have accepted the risk. My opinion is that The Villages is safer than other areas because motorists are more accustomed to seeing cyclists on the road.

Q: Why do cyclists ride down the middle of the lane?
A: Because they don't want to be passed in *their* lane. Motorists should move to the lane on the left before passing a cyclist in the right lane and only pass when it's safe. Please be patient and always give cyclists at least 3-feet of clearance when passing.

Q: Why don't cyclists follow the rules of the road?
A: They absolutely should, but like motorists, cyclists sometimes don't pay attention as much as they should or outright skirt the rules.

Q: Why don't cyclists have more lights so seeing them is easier?
A: They should. Brighter tail lights and headlights are a good idea. When riding earlier or later in the day, wearing bright colored LED lights is also a good idea.

Q: What happened to ABC cyclist that got hit on XYZ road?
A: Most accidents are not widely reported.

Q: Why are cyclists so arrogant?
A: Cyclists are people, and some of them are arrogant. Most are not, in my experience.

These are my opinions and observations. I'm happy to hear yours.

About riding down the middle of the lane. If I am in a car behind a bicyclist and they are going as fast as the flow of cars are going ( say 35 in a posted 30 mph road because people go OVER the speed limit often) (or say 25 in a posted 20 mph road) then I have no problem staying behind that cyclist. However, if they are going 15 mph on a 30 mph road, then I and most other vehicle drivers are going to WANT to pass them.
.......I do not want to drive close to and endanger a cyclist. But, I would appreciate if they would move to their inside right (to be considerate of me) and I will move to my left when I pass (to be considerate of them). There should be a yard or more distance apart that way.
.......If a cyclist that is going slowly stays in the middle of the lane, then we will BOTH be delayed (going slowly) and I will have to wait until there is no oncoming traffic before I can pass.
.........When I ride a bicycle I know that I am SLOWER than the cars even in a residential area, so I ALWAYS move to the right. I go WAY to the right, even if I have to go about 1 foot onto someone's grass. Sorry grass, but I am more important than you. And I don't trust vehicles to pass me safely - I have had TOO many close calls even as a younger biker. I would even stop if I had to and wait until my road or street was clear. I have seen the older drivers here in cars or even golf cars weave far off the right edge of a street - they lose concentration easily.
........so, in conclusion.......I would NOT ride a bike down the middle of a road unless I could see behind me for a long-distance

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElDiabloJoe (Post 2090189)

Cyclists, in my experience, have earned their reputation. Especially when they are riding in their massive pelotons, these Lance Armstrong wannabes blatantly ignore stop signs, hold up traffic, and arrogantly "Take the lane."

They complain about cars passing them too closely or that they alone should take up an entire vehicular travel lane, but they are also the worst violators.

When I was running dozens of miles per week during marathon training build-ups, they would zoom past me and purposely try to skim shoulders as they did so. Their attempts to intimidate me out of my run often led to me sticking my arms straight out as they passed, and they were none-too-happy about being clothes-lined in that fashion. However, I was just "taking my lane."

Cyclist is just another way of saying arrogant jerk, and dorky looking loser. Clicking around in their little cycle shoes and tight clothes like teen aged girls in high heels walking on the dance floor.

Not here to start a war, but you did open the door to the topic. So, reiterating, I think they have earned their reputation and the disdain of all other road users.

As a cyclist, I always give pedestrians plenty of space on both the multi purpose trails and when they are running in the road illegally. Unless you were training for the marathons on the multi purpose trails and NOT the roads, you were breaking the law. Unlike cyclists, pedestrians do NOT have right to use the roads for jogging. I'm sure neighborhood streets are considered an exception to the Florida Statutes. See the Florida Statutes, below.

The 2021 Florida Statutes
Title XXIII
MOTOR VEHICLES
Chapter 316
STATE UNIFORM TRAFFIC CONTROL
316.130 Pedestrians; traffic regulations.—
(3) Where sidewalks are provided, no pedestrian shall, unless required by other circumstances, walk along and upon the portion of a roadway paved for vehicular traffic.
(4) Where sidewalks are not provided, any pedestrian walking along and upon a highway shall, when practicable, walk only on the shoulder on the left side of the roadway in relation to the pedestrian’s direction of travel, facing traffic which may approach from the opposite direction.
(10) Every pedestrian crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk or within an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection shall yield the right-of-way to all vehicles upon the roadway.
(12) No pedestrian shall, except in a marked crosswalk, cross a roadway at any other place than by a route at right angles to the curb or by the shortest route to the opposite curb.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bill14564 (Post 2090247)

1. The word peloton existed long before a company adopted it. Look it up.

2. ????

3. While looking up peloton, look up bicycling footwear too.

4. The four conveyances would never be side-by-side in a single lane. Only runners would be in the same lane as a bicycle, car, or golf cart. All the others would take up two lanes if side-by-side. Also, unless specifically indicated, the runner/pedestrian has as an equal right to be in the lane as any of the others.

Not according to Florida Laws.

Everyone who drives a car/truck is "autonomous".. you don't have a wingman...

All who fly fighter jets, bicycles and motorcycles always have that SEPARATE eyes and ears on situational awareness....

So, if one bicyclist on the MMP slides to the left, they are telling you it's unsafe to pass regardless of how fast you can accelerate and swerve past a pack...wait until there is a good long straightaway...patience, grasshopper!

[QUOTE=OrangeBlossomBaby;2090215]

3. I don't know what you mean by cyclist shoes. I wear sneakers, just normal sneakers. I also wear leggings or skin-hugging shorts, because otherwise I get chafing on my thighs from constant peddling up and down against the bike seat.

Intriguing! Got any pictures you can share with the group. Not the shoes I’m not a weirdo:popcorn:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glowfromminnesota (Post 2090555)

Very true in Minnesota.

What?

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarenandJohn (Post 2090652)

Great answers!

Who are you referring to?

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrHitch (Post 2090739)

Everyone who drives a car/truck is "autonomous".. you don't have a wingman...

All who fly fighter jets, bicycles and motorcycles always have that SEPARATE eyes and ears on situational awareness....

So, if one bicyclist on the MMP slides to the left, they are telling you it's unsafe to pass regardless of how fast you can accelerate and swerve past a pack...wait until there is a good long straightaway...patience, grasshopper!

Again, I disagree. What makes the cyclist the sole judge of "when it is safe to pass"?
What makes the cyclists' judgement better??? My judgement is better than 99% of the drivers out there, so I feel absolutely no obligation to take "orders" from a random cyclist. THEY do not get to direct traffic. IF, again IF I decide to pass, it is only if I can give the cyclist at least 3 feet, and get back on my side of the MMP before any oncoming traffic approaches, and never in the single lane divided areas. IF, and again IF, a cyclist decides to move left as I am safely passing, that is on him. If you read one of the earlier posts in this thread, someone was stuck behind a cyclist for 2 miles. That is unacceptable, there is no way that the opportunity to pass did not arise in that span, yet the cyclist continually blocked the MMP (IF that post was truthful)

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrHitch (Post 2090739)

So, if one bicyclist on the MMP slides to the left, they are telling you it's unsafe to pass

OR, they are driving/riding under the influence.

:shrug:

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimjamuser (Post 2090717)

Jim, if you are behind a car that's driving slower than the speed limit, and you want to go the speed limit, and you're in a no-passing zone - do you blow a gasket? Or do you just follow along, being somewhat annoyed but not bent out of shape, until the slow car turns off the road or you're finally allowed to pass them?

Or do you pass them illegally?

Or do you turn off the road and take a detour?

It is not illegal to go 15mph in a 30mph zone. I can't stand it, personally, when people go too slow. But I prefer going as fast as I can safely, regardless of some arbitrary number on a sign. In my case, I will gladly take the risk of being pulled over for speeding, rather than be in front of a line of cars that merely want to go the speed limit but can't because I'm driving too slow.

I'm willing to own my choices. But I also accept the choice of the slow driver who chooses to obey the law while still annoying the crap out of me in the process. There are plenty of car drivers, and golf cart drivers, who drive WAY too slowly. On Morse Blvd when the speed is 35mph, they might be driving in the passing lane at only 20mph with no sign of intention to take a left, not approaching a round-about. Just moseying along being in everyone's way.

You don't hear people beeping their horns, you don't see people getting road rage and shooting the slow driver, you don't see multiple posts expressing their anger in a tirade against these miscreants and deviants of our perfect society.

Instead, you usually just see people pass them on the right when they can, or eventually get to their destination 2 minutes later than planned.

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2090821)

ah..but...the cyclist has no clue as to your amazingness. In fact, the smart cyclist if he/she wishes to remain intact, should assume that you are blind in your right eye, have no idea as to the spatial relationship of the right front fender, and your sugar meds are off a tad today.
I lost a friend and neighbor to someone who wasn't as amazing as you, unfortunately. The driver who clipped him was exactly as described above.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laker14 (Post 2090986)

Not my problem

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfing eagles (Post 2091037)

Not my problem

Correct. And it's not the cyclists problem if you have to wait until he/she feels it's safe to move over and let you pass.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laker14 (Post 2091059)

Correct. And it's not the cyclists problem if you have to wait until he/she feels it's safe to move over and let you pass.

It's not up to the cyclist to feel safe enough to move over and *let* someone pass. The cyclist has the right to one lane, not the entire path (or road).

*IF* the cyclist could see something the cart driver could not then that *might* excuse an illegal move to prevent an accident but nothing that was said so far indicates that was the case. If the cyclist simply decided "you're not passing me today, not happening" and blocked the second lane then he/she was in the wrong and it's lucky for the cyclist that his/her actions didn't cause the situation to escalate into something worse.

We all (cyclist, car driver, cart driver) should be calling out bad behavior not trying to defend it.