Perhaps it's because some cart drivers hear "multi-modal" but think "cart path". And then operate as if anything on the path but a cart is "trespassing" on their right of way.

In general, the golf cart paths are more dangerous. Serious bike riders prefer the road.

Some statistics for 2012 show that there were 33,561 motor vehicle deaths. There were also 4,743 pedestrian deaths that year. Bicyclists were involved in 729 fatal accidents of which 29% involved a crash with a motor vehicle. So 210 bicyclists were killed by cars in 2012. Obviously there are a lot more people driving around in cars and for a lot more miles, but overall, bicycling is a fairly safe activity. Also bicycling has become much more popular over the last ten years so there are more bikers out there on the roads.

When I lived in New England people were very careful about passing bicyclists and gave them a wide berth. I didn't hear as many negative accounts as I do here. Maybe the best way to help people understand why many bicyclists prefer the roads is for those posters who think that the multi modal paths are so safe, is for them to venture out on these paths either for a nice walk or a slow bike ride on their old Schwinn and see how comfortable they are coming through tunnels and going around hidden curves with golf carts racing all around them. That will be an eye opener for them. Come on, give it a try!

High-mileage road bikers seem to be in general agreement that roads are safer than the paths. They're far more experienced than I, and I respect their opinion. I'm not one of them, but I'm not a slow biker on a Schwinn either. I ride fairly quickly for exercise. And speaking for myself (and possibly a few others?) I feel safer on the paths. Here are a few thoughts why...

* I'm extra careful around the tunnels and sharp turns. They seem very manageable with some extra caution;
* I feel more in control of my own fate on the paths. If a situation I don't like arises, I have several options how to deal with it that are not available on the road;
* In general, things happen more slowly (not slowly...just more slowly) on the path, making all sorts of adjustments easier to make;
* No matter how hard I try, I just don't feel like I belong on the highway. People approaching me much faster than I'm traveling, etc. Sure, they can give me space, but what if the adjacent lane is occupied? That situation alone is impossible for me to reconcile. I am much more at the mercy of the traffic and the approaching driver than I ever feel on the paths;
* If, in the worst case, an accident of some sort happens, I like my chances of survival or lesser injury on the paths.

Again, this is just the opinion of one mid-level exercise rider. YMMV. :thumbup:

Bike rider perspective
 

If I ride to the extreme right, cars think they can zip by me and they can ignore the 3 foot rule. Cars are supposed to stay at least 3 feet away. When cars are getting to close to me, I will move into the middle of the lane and it forces the cars to slow down or pass in the other lane. It is safer for all. Florida law says if the lane is less than 11 feet wide, if a biker feels threatened or uncomfortable they have the right to take the entire lane. This applies to all the roads in the villages. Let's get along and share the road! Why is everyone in such a rush - enjoy life. As you approach a rotary, the speed limit is 20 mph. A great many of folks seem to ignore this. Texas Bob.

The law, Florida 316.2065(5), does not require bicyclists to ride to the furthest right possible. It requires the furthest right practicable (safe). There are exceptions to this and the one that applies most frequently in TV involves undersized lanes (i.e. under 14' wide, per FDOT engineering guidelines). In this case, the lane is too narrow for some motor vehicles to share the lane with a bicyclist and still allow the required 3 foot clearance. Therefore, the bicyclist is permitted to take the lane, as it is safer to do so. Most of the lanes in TV are undersized. Unfortunately, most drivers and bicyclists are not aware of this. The result is that most bicyclists, fearing the ire of angry drivers, ride too far to the right, inviting motor vehicles to unsafely pass them. The few bicyclists who correctly take the lane, invite the angry response of motor vehiclists who, wrongly, interpret bicyclists riding position as "do they think they own the road", instead of that they are riding safely.

Thank you for your excellent post!

I agree with you. Outside of The Villages in many places all you have is the road. And the far right side of the road has all the grates, nails, broken glass and litter. So it's best to take over the lane. But inside of The Villages, for me it is safer on the paths. If you catch me, I'll pull over and let you pass me. It's my guess that Village people are not used to driving with bikes and it's a little late to educate most of them.

Riding the multimodal paths is perfectly fine. As a matter of fact, I often do so, on those rare occasions that I ride in TV. The same safety principles apply to riding paths. As far as educating drivers to how bicycle riders should behave around them, the way we ride our bikes does exactly that. Whether we intend to, or not, we condition people to expect to see, what they are accustomed to seeing.

Ride, be safe, and have fun!

GOLF CART ROAD RAGE - This morning we went for a bike ride returning via Buena Vista golf cart path past Evan's Prairie. A man in a light yellow golf cart with clubs in the back, flew past me and screamed 'get the f*** off the road'. I was over on the right side of the path and he had plenty of room to go around me - golf cart traffic was light and no other carts in sight. My husband was riding ahead of me around the corner and not visible to the driver when he yelled at me. When he caught up to my husband, he did not yell at him - not sure what I hate more - a coward who bullies a girl he thinks is alone or road rage. We tried to catch up to him and I would have called the police but we lost him. He either went straight down BV or turned into one of the golf courses but thankfully it does not appear he went down Pinellas. I did not want to think he lived in our neighborhood. It is so sad on a beautiful sunny day that some people have so much anger / hatred in them. Biker Bob's Wife.

I have had similar experiences on the road but never on the multi-modal paths. I suspect most people who yell at cyclists will only do so from the comfort of a vehicle moving faster than the cyclist.

Sounds like you ran into a mentally deranged cart driver. He may ride that area frequently. If he did that to you, chances are he will do something similar to others, in the future. Be alert and careful, in case he decides to go beyond just hurling insults.

Funny how emboldened some crazies get when they are behind a car or cart wheel. With some of the road rage incidents in the news (weapons etc) they'd better think twice.

I'd like to give him the benefit of the doubt, in that he was having a tough day - but nope he's just an angry man. Thankfully we don't have many around here but the rotten sour apples tend to stand out. He'll get his sometime - yelling at the wrong person at the wrong time...

The bikers have the exact rights and responsibilities as every car driver. There is also a minimum distance ( I think three feet) that a car driver must allow when they pass a biker. I too recently saw two decked out bikers on Buena Vista as they ran every red light and drove in the car lane when a cart was available. This act did force autos out into the opposing lanes as they passed. This was not good PR for bikers.

Cyclists are allowed on the roads and have every right to occupy a lane when there is insufficient room for a bike and a car to safely occupy the same lane with 3 feet of clearance. Consider cyclists to be slow moving cars and you should pass them in the left hand lane on 4-lane roads and when it is safe to do so on 2-lane roads. Crossing a double solid line to pass on a 2-lane road is not legal or safe. Many cyclists prefer Buena Vista over the more crowded multi-modal paths for safety reasons. Unless you ride you probably can't appreciate why this is so. While it is possible, I doubt you will find anyone running the lights on Buena Vista at 466 and 466a. Aren't those the only 2 lights on Buena Vista?

it is still illegal here and everyone that does it is endangering themselves and others......and quite honestly I don't want you affecting my safety

I am pretty sure I am not affecting your safety. By the way, there are way more cars rolling through stop signs than cyclists and they are affecting my safely.

it is still illegal here and everyone that does it is endangering themselves and others......and quite honestly I don't want you affecting my safety
__________________ :rant-rave::swear::shrug:
looneycat





:BigApplause::BigApplause:

I am down with that. :22yikes:chilout

Wow. A continuation of the WEEKLY discussion on bicyclists vs vehicles vs carts vs pedestrians that started back in October; blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Unless they die, move or just get tired of putting up with the CRAZIES, no one is going to quit riding bikes, no one is going to quit walking and no one is going to quit driving carts or vehicles. Learn to coexist.

I don't roll through stop signs in my car. I don't roll through stop signs in my cart.

I do roll...very slowly...through stops sign on my bike. I'm one of those that has toe clips and does not want to pull them out unless necessary. I do it with the utmost caution and will stop every time the situation warrants. (Even without toe clips, it's much easier for a car or cart to stop/start than it is for a bike rider.)

Where do these overall stop sign habits fit in this discussion? :D

If I had to sum things up I would say:

"There are a bunch of us who ride bikes on the street. If you hit us with your car we may die. Give us a wide berth. In other words, share the road."

:BigApplause::bowdown::bigbow::bigbow::mademyday::MOJE_whot::Bi gApplause:

:BigApplause:

Somehow I knew you would enjoy that.