[Peggy D]

Originally Posted by GMONEY

Could not agree more... But Tried something out this weekend... 10 of us riding Sunday, came to a stop sign. we each stopped as if we were in seperate cars. man in the car behind us, told us to all go thru together we are holding up traffic. Imagine that..

Saw this happen at the new 4-Way STOP sign on DelMar outside the SS gate.
Car was behind a car that stopped. Guess they considered they had stopped
already once, and actualy ran the sign!!

As for the cycles, it erks me to see them ride 2 and 3 abreast down Morse and Buena Vista--or anywhere else for that matter. But I am happy to see them wearing bike helmets

[GMONEY]

Originally Posted by SABRMnLgs

I have found it very strange to accept the way supposedly adult people ride a bicycle here. They put a funny hat on their head so that they won't get hurt while going up against a 3000 to 5000 car or truck. And a bright short sleeve shirt and and shorts so that when they go flying off their bicycle, theyll look good in the air.
Maybe I'm, old fashioned but when I was a kid, I never wore any kind of funny hat, we absoultely positively stayed on the sidewalk (guess what, no cars there) and when we came to an intersection, we stopped, got off our bikes and walked them across the intersection.
Followed these rules to this day, never had a funny hat or Bozo clothing and never ever ride in the street. And got a real bicycle (Schwin) not one of these things with skinny tires and a seat about six inches wide. UGH!!!

Helment is not to just protect from a car, it is mainly to protect from falling and hitting your head at any point. The clothing is to keep cool while riding, if you tried doing something that might cause you to work up a sweat you would understand, and the bright jerseys are for visibility for some people that are blind. Yep you might be old fashioned, because back in the day The Villages wasnt here, and you could ride down the road or the sidewalk with out fear. but I have seen cars trying to drive on the cart paths, even trying to drive under the tunnel at cr-101 and 466. So you might dig alittle deeper.. Or get out and realize this is not Mayberry RFD there Barney.

[Talk Host]

I think is is not legal to ride bikes on the sidewalk in most places.

[ohiogolf]

Sometimes the postings on this board scare me. Please, as an avid cyclist who loves cycling in the Villages, I get madder than you when I am stopped at a red light and a cyclist rides past me through the red light. I get mad because I know that I am abiding by the law and that a cyclist like that peeves the car drivers at the light and that they may take their anger out at me. I also get mad when I am in a traffic circle with the legal right of way and a car enters and almost kills me. But I do not condemn all car drivers.

BUT, to chastise bikers because they wear protective helmets (I personally know riders whose helmets saved their lives when they fell) or for wearing high visibility clothing is plain hateful and stupid (or jealousy). Also, on those spandex shorts...those are worn for comfort on the bike seat and contain chamois padding that makes all the difference in the world to the man region. Try hopping on a bike for exercise and you would understand.

TV is suppose to be a great place for all folks to enjoy all forms of recreation and entertainment. Let's settle down on this one. If this is a safety on the road discussion, let's have at it.

[Ooper]

I thiink this post is entirely about safety... both for the bikers and the motorists. It seems that when bikers form packs, they take on another persona. Another example... I was in the roundabout near the Savannah Center when a pack of riders was entering the circle ahead of me. There was plenty of time for the first few riders to enter, but the pack was so huge, half of them still were approaching the circle when I got to their entry point. I had to come almost to a complete stop or I would have hit many of them had I not. The end of the pack not only didn't slow down, it seems like they sped up to stay together. I couldn't believe it! What makes them so special that they don't have to yield and follow local traffic laws. When there is only 1 or 2 bikers, they seem to follow the laws and are very considerate and safe. I have no problem when bikers follow the rules, Mrs. Ooper and I also have bikes and helmets. It is just when they form packs and become "entitled" is what I have a problem with. Now I realize some motorists run yield signs also. I have the same disregard for them. But bikers are so much more vulnerable, they should be on the defensive all the time, or as one poster mentioned, when they come up against a 2k or 3k pound vehicle, there will be no contest who will lose.

[Talk Host]

My original post still has not been answered by anybody involved in organized bike clubs. Do bike groups stop at stop signs, if not why not?

JLK

Originally Posted by Talk Host

My original post still has not been answered by anybody involved in organized bike clubs. Do bike groups stop at stop signs, if not why not?

JLK

It is part of the "Rules of the Road" section for the Florida Bicycle Association. They assert that they have the rights of any other vehicle out on the road. It also sounds like a group of cyclists is seen as a single vehicle.

"The bicycle driver, or group of cyclists, has the right of 'first come, first served' and the full use of lane. Motorists wishing to pass, must yield and wait until is is safe to do so."

and


"Competent cyclsts 'ride big.' They ride several feet from the edge of the road to increase their visibility to other drivers, give themselves operating room and discourage motorists from trying to squeeze past them in narrow lanes."









http://www.floridabicycle.org/rules/motorist.html

[Ooper]

This also:
Should a traffic signal change from green to yellow, a group’s lead rider should alert all other riders and come to a stop (if there is time to do so safely). Only if riders cannot safely stop should they proceed through a yellow light. The lead rider(s) should wait for others in the group to catch up once the light turns green again.

From the same organization: http://www.floridabicycle.org/rules/groups.html

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by Taltarzac

. It also sounds like a group of cyclists is seen as single vehicle.

They are not a single vehicle unless they are tied together. No more than a group of cars or motorcycles.

[GMONEY]

evidently you cant please all.. Just becareful when on the roads and remember, share the road...

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by Talk Host

They are not a single vehicle unless they are tied together. No more than a group of cars or motorcycles.

TH, are you sure the safety rules don't treat a group of bicycles as a single vehicle through an intersection?

My guess is that having them go through the intersection together instead of one at a time substantially improves intersection safety and traffic flow. This opposite would be true for cars and motorcycles-- although exceptions are made for motorcades.

Would you want to diminish the safety of all motorists and impede traffic flow by having individual bicycles in a group go through intersections one at a time?

[otherbruddaDarrell]

I prefer riding in my underwear wearing a cowboy hat and drinking a cocktail while I pedal......and I don't worry about them silly stopsigns or traffic!!



Did I mention I have a stationary excercise bike in my courtyard....

[Taj44]

Originally Posted by Pturner

TH, are you sure the safety rules don't treat a group of bicycles as a single vehicle through an intersection?

My guess is that having them go through the intersection together instead of one at a time substantially improves intersection safety and traffic flow. This opposite would be true for cars and motorcycles-- although exceptions are made for motorcades.

Would you want to diminish the safety of all motorists and impede traffic flow by having a bicycle group go through intersections one at a time?

I agree completely. Also, there was a blurb somewhere on the Florida DOT webpage about a bicycle group being treated as one when out on the road.

[Talk Host]

Originally Posted by Taj44

I agree completely. Also, there was a blurb somewhere on the Florida DOT webpage about a bicycle group being treated as one when out on the road.

Let's assume that they are treated as one vehicle. Does the first bike stop at all stop signs. I don't think so. If they are all one vehicle, then they must all stop at one time and proceed safely as one. They can't just whizz through traffic control devices.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by otherbruddaDarrell

I prefer riding in my underwear wearing a cowboy hat and drinking a cocktail while I pedal......and I don't worry about them silly stopsigns or traffic!!



Did I mention I have a stationary excercise bike in my courtyard....

Um, I'm glad you mentioned it.