[collection6]

The only serious bike accident I have read of in the villages was a couple of months ago on the cart path by the Bridgeport gate. It seems that a golfcart ran over a biker, and then backed over him again. Seems like there's crazy drivers on the cart paths also. To add to my incident,the only reason I wasn't hit was the fact that I left the road and ended up on the grass. That alone could have caused an injury. To you people that have replied that I should not have been on the road, or that bikers fail to stop at stop signs, get a life, it has nothing to do with what happened to me. Start a blog on those issues if they bother you.

[NotGolfer]

That was a horrible, scarey thing to happen! Not sure why someone would say "probably a worker" in T.V. The OP said she looked to be 75..probably not a worker.

We have a street legal cart and were a roundabout recently. A car was rapidly approaching and didn't look like they were planning on "yielding" (we were far enough along they would need to). We would have been t-boned "IF" they'd not applied their brakes. THEN they had the audacity to lay on their horn. Now I'm not necessarily an advocate for LSV's...makes me nervous to be a passenger...but "someone" insisted we "needed" one!! I won't mention who.... That being said though we ALL need to show care when we're on the roadways and trails as well. IF that lady reads this post...I'd say "shame, shame, shame on you!"

[collection6]

I'm an older rider myself and understand that driver reaction slows down as we get along in age, I also have a problem with the way some bikers don't signal or run stop signs. I think that it is a common complaint, however to end my story, this was not the case in my incident.

[njbchbum]

Originally Posted by gomoho

i respect bike riders on the road, but please show the same respect by riding in single file rather than 2 or 3 abreast. Just saying it goes both ways.

Originally Posted by gemorc

oh by the way, when riding in a pack, please stop at stop signs and all red lights.

amen!

[janmcn]

It's going to be a long hot winter...old ladies trying to kill bicyclist. On another thread the OP said inebriated 90 year olds were spilling their drinks and trampling the flowers with their walkers and wheelchairs, and it's not even winter yet.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by jnieman

Probably a worker in the Villages. I have encountered some of them in my car that behaved horribly. It would have been great if you could have gotten her license plate. I'm glad you are ok.

Jnieman,
Um, ahem... I am a worker in TV. Rest assured I would never do such a thing, nor, I'm fairly confident, would most of my colleagues. "Probably" a worker in TV? Ouch.

[Chazz]

Originally Posted by Pturner

Jnieman,
Um, ahem... I am a worker in TV. Rest assured I would never do such a thing, nor, I'm fairly confident, would most of my colleagues. "Probably" a worker in TV? Ouch.

I agree. Most of the workers are just as courteous as most Villagers, and deserve our respect. The word "probably" would better apply to the alleged perpetrator (me being legally correct) as presumptively out of her friggin' mind.

[Vinny]

One day that woman may find out that it is legal to use deadly force when attacked by a vehicle. Just a matter of trying that with the wrong person before she learns the hard way that people have the right to defend themselves when in reasonable fear of their lives. You would think that she has heard about our Stand your ground law. There is lots of legal precedence about what is allowed when someone uses their car as a weapon whether it is a bluff or not.

I am also a bike rider but while many can keep up with traffic on the major roads I do know some that cannot but do ride on them because it gives them a sense of power. You know the type. The ones who do things just because they are allowed to no matter how it affects others. I stick to the local roads without cart lanes as I would not take it very well if someone tried to run me off the road. Heck, I would drive around looking for their car for weeks.

[Pturner]

Collection6,
Sorry, I also meant to say that what happened to you is unconscionable. I'm so glad that you are ok. Hugs.

[ijusluvit]

Originally Posted by collection6

The only serious bike accident I have read of in the villages was a couple of months ago on the cart path by the Bridgeport gate. It seems that a golfcart ran over a biker, and then backed over him again. Seems like there's crazy drivers on the cart paths also. To add to my incident,the only reason I wasn't hit was the fact that I left the road and ended up on the grass. That alone could have caused an injury. To you people that have replied that I should not have been on the road, or that bikers fail to stop at stop signs, get a life, it has nothing to do with what happened to me. Start a blog on those issues if they bother you.

Terrible! But likely it would not have helped much to have gotten the license number. It becomes (tragically) a case of he said/she said. Here's a possible protection fro you: some cyclists are using video cameras attached to their handlebars. There is one case in Texas where a person who did exactly what happened to you was successfully identified and prosecuted on the basis of the video tape. Good luck! Do your best to stay safe!

[Down Sized]

Originally Posted by Peter@PeacefulPL

Doesn't FL have a "Castle" law allowing you to defend yourself against aggressive acts. Just sayin.

HERE WE GO!!

[anarick]

How would someone on a bike defend themselves against someone in a car? Even if you stop the offender would probably take off.
Unless you carry a weapon, I don't see how you could defend yourself.

[collection6]

A little shaken up but ok, just blowing off steam on line, I thank you all for your comments

[cquick]

[QUOTE=goodgrief;588996]That was actually my thought. I'm a bike rider too and use the lanes and paths versus the road. And in very dangerous areas like pinelles I will occasionally use the sidewalk (giving pedestrians right of way of course).I know a lot of folks want to ride on the road with traffic and all I have to say is be careful. /QUOTE]

Speaking of Pinellas......we live in Sanibel and it seems to me that Pinellas Place is very oddly designed. So many times the golf cart path has to merge with the cars in the road....I can only hope that it settles down some after the construction workers are not using the road so much.

But the sidewalk is much too narrow for bicycles.....and I am not sure if the law allows bicycles on the sidewalks.

[carlthomas975]

Originally Posted by collection6

You get golf cart drivers yelling at you to get off of the cart paths. I have lived in the villages for seven years and find that the roads are safer than the cart paths for a biker.

Im curious why the cart paths are less safe than the roadways here for cyclists? There is so much construction going on and roads so heavily travelled that with all the big trucks and trailors (while loaded) absolutely cannot stop even if they try to. I've noticed that many cyclists usually ride at the very busiest time of day and take up the whole road. If the roads are so narrow then there really isnt room for yielding. It would have been nice to have a cyclist path along the roads or designated areas for bike travel. As I am an avid biker myself. It takes great courage to cycle on the roadways here at certain times of the day. Use extreme caution. Lots of crazy drivers out this time of year.