Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 998549)

According to the 2012 National Survey on Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behaviors, nearly a third of all injuries are caused when bicyclists are struck by cars.

Six most Frequent Sources of Injury Percent
Hit by car 29
Fell 17
Roadway/walkway not in good repair 13
Rider error/not paying attention 13
Crashed/collision 7
Dog ran out 4

Struck by golf cart doesn't even warrant a mention.
The paths are in excellent repair. I have been chased down by dogs over the years but not much more then a bark in TV.

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 998549)

According to the 2012 National Survey on Bicyclist and Pedestrian Attitudes and Behaviors, nearly a third of all injuries are caused when bicyclists are struck by cars.

Six most Frequent Sources of Injury Percent
Hit by car 29
Fell 17
Roadway/walkway not in good repair 13
Rider error/not paying attention 13
Crashed/collision 7
Dog ran out 4

Struck by golf cart doesn't even warrant a mention.
The paths are in excellent repair. I have been chased down by dogs over the years but not much more then a bark in TV.

Originally Posted by Skybo (Post 998560)

You may very well be correct...it just seemed to me that I'm not seeing as many as I had in the past. Happy to hear that the sport is thriving!

Originally Posted by Chazz (Post 998565)

If memory serves me, a couple of years ago there was one very serious accident involving an upright bike on the cart path near Bridgeport at Lake Sumter. The cyclist was hit by a street legal cart (LSV) driven by someone who had a medical condition that prohibited him from driving a motor vehicle. He drove his LSV (which he shouldn't have been driving) over the cyclist then backed over the cyclist again. Miraculously, the cyclist survived.

Originally Posted by Wandatime (Post 998319)

A recumbent bike on a main road? Whether it is legal or not -- nutz!

Originally Posted by Chazz (Post 998405)

Nutz(sic)...not at all!

I ride recumbents all the time. As a matter of fact I just finished a ride this morning with the Sumter Landing Bike Club. I was the only recumbent in the group. I ride a trike with bright lighting and a 6 foot flag. I ride very defensively and have been doing so for the past 6 years. I have never so much as had a close call. The only time I feel I am at a disadvantage, compared to an upright bike, is in the roundabouts. I use particular caution when riding in these. I have had well meaning drivers, on rare occasion, yell at me to get off the road, or even the cart paths (which I, also, ride), and that they can't see me, even as they are looking straight at me. My belief is that it is not so much a matter of not being seen, but the other drivers just not wanting me, in particular, or any other cyclists in their way, for that matter.

As far as safety goes, compared to an upright bike, my trike is far safer. I never wobble, I don't need to balance, and I stop at stop signs, in part, because I don't need to put my feet down when I stop. Also, if I were to run into something, I would be thrown feet first, rather than head first, as on an upright, and I have a lower height to fall from. Also, if I hit a slippery patch on the road, I never fall, even if a wheel loses traction, while an upright will likely wipe out.

The greatest threat to cyclists safety, in my opinion, is unsafe riding by cyclists themselves, regardless of the type of bike they ride.

Originally Posted by Chazz (Post 998565)

If memory serves me, a couple of years ago there was one very serious accident involving an upright bike on the cart path near Bridgeport at Lake Sumter. The cyclist was hit by a street legal cart (LSV) driven by someone who had a medical condition that prohibited him from driving a motor vehicle. He drove his LSV (which he shouldn't have been driving) over the cyclist then backed over the cyclist again. Miraculously, the cyclist survived.

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 998717)

I found the accident report about the biker who was struck by a golf cart.
click here
Read the golf cart accident reports. Much more then I imagined.

Originally Posted by Happydaz (Post 998726)

Wow! After reading about all the golf cart accidents It is obvious that it is not bicycling that is dangerous, but it is riding in a golf cart without seat belts. 15 deaths in 4 years is very high. This is typical about people, they tend to fret over a perceived danger, even though it rarely happens, and not pay any attention to a real threat. I think the real issue in this thread is that some automobile drivers do not like slowing down for bicycles on the roads. They do not like having to merge into the other lane on Buena Vista Blvd. and Morse Blvd.. Their dislike of bicycles on the roads is palpable. Thank goodness the vast majority of drivers are courteous and careful and slow down or merge into the other lane.

Originally Posted by GaryW (Post 998708)

You are absolutely correct. And it was the day before that I was riding with my wife and daughter on the MMP between Morse and Buena Vista on 466, we were doing 20-21 mph, A older gent on a cart passed my daughter and ran into my wife from behind and wrecked both of them. Had to call 911, my daughter was taking to TV Hospital. The gent said he was just trying to pass us. We were in a single file line heading into one of the divided sections on of the MMP just past Laurel Valley. There is no room to pass on that part of the MMP. SCSO asked him why in a hurry, he told the Deputy he had no idea just want to pass us.

Originally Posted by Bonanza (Post 998689)

Originally Posted by Bonanza (Post 998689)

Originally Posted by tomwed (Post 998717)

I found the accident report about the biker who was struck by a golf cart.

click here

Read the golf cart accident reports. Much more then I imagined.

Originally Posted by biker1 (Post 998802)

It isn't clear to me that the multimodal paths are safer than the roads. I ride a fair amount and believe the roads are safer. Caution is certainly needed in the roundabouts. Riding in a group increases visibility and therefore safety.