[outlaw]

I'm curious if the slower cyclists were riding single file or abreast. I am an avid cyclist and I ride on the cart paths for safety reasons. I always ride single file as far to the right as possible whenever I see a golf cart approaching from the rear (I use a mirror). I am amazed at the belligerent behavior of so many cyclists, demanding the whole lane no matter the safety costs. Full disclosure; I run most stop signs while cycling (slow and go). Unless, of course, I see the po po.

[DAWN MARIE]

Originally Posted by Chazz

Such aggressive behavior by cyclists are pretty rare, in my experience, as they are at such a distinct disadvantage in any physical conflict with any other vehicle. The only thing that I can imagine that might provoke such behavior might have been their perception that they were being passed unsafely and/or illegally (less than the required 3 feet).

I agree but have to tell you that this sort of aggressive behavior in general in the Villages is why we just moved to the Plantation. Been here 7 years and as avid runners have seen so much aggressive reactions unlike anything we've ever seen country wide. Been running in the Plantation now since July and just moved full time in December and it's like a different world. I know why for the most part. The streets are much wider in the Plantation and the golf carts are not sharing the road with the runners/bikers. Now instead of the finger we are getting friendly waves and shout outs encouraging us.

[Miles42]

Idiots are generally that way in all they do. You just happened upon them on the Multi modial path

[biker1]

If you cycle regularly, you will experience some close calls, mostly almost being clipped/side swiped by cars/carts. If I had to guess, the cyclists were probably passed without a "comfortable" amount of clearance. 3 feet of clearance is required, at least on the roads anyway. A typical "close call" is someone passing you in an unsafe manner because there is another vehicle coming in the other direction and they have to move over quickly to avoid a head-on collision. In this case, the cyclists will be squeezed to the right or cut off at the last moment. I am not saying this is what happened but when you see cyclists lose their temper chances are they felt they were just put in a dangerous situation by a car/cart. In this situation, from the cyclists perspective, the car/cart is being the "jerk". While there is always a possibility that the cyclists in question were really just oversensitive jerks, the more likely scenario is you scared the hell out of them.

Originally Posted by cromlich

My friend and I just had a very interesting experience on the "multi-modul path" over by 466 and Belevedere. Two bicyclists
(man and women) were riding in front of us. My friend passed them as they were the slower traffic. When we came to the stop the man intentionally hit her from behind and the woman yelled at her. My friend did nothing wrong. There was plenty of time to pass. No wonder no one wants to share the road with these so called "jerks". I told the lady we passed her because she was the slower traffic and she flipped us off and yelled "go to h---". NICE, real class!

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by biker1

If you cycle regularly, you will experience some close calls, mostly almost being clipped/side swiped by cars/carts. If I had to guess, the cyclists were probably passed without a "comfortable" amount of clearance. 3 feet of clearance is required, at least on the roads anyway. A typical "close call" is someone passing you in an unsafe manner because there is another vehicle coming in the other direction and they have to move over quickly to avoid a head-on collision. In this case, the cyclists will be squeezed to the right or cut off at the last moment. I am not saying this is what happened but when you see cyclists lose their temper chances are they felt they were just put in a dangerous situation by a car/cart. In this situation, from the cyclists perspective, the car/cart is being the "jerk". While there is always a possibility that the cyclists in question were really just oversensitive jerks, the more likely scenario is you scared the hell out of them.

I agree with you 100%. I am surprised at how many posts want to lynch the biker. I questioned the op in a previous post if they gave the bike 3 feet and got no response. My guess is the op came too close to the biker and then cut in front of them before the stop sign. I also highly doubt that the biker ran his bike into the back of the cart at the stop sign. Bike tires are fragile. Probably just another inconsiderate, inpatient cart driver.

[Chazz]

Originally Posted by outlaw

I'm curious if the slower cyclists were riding single file or abreast. I am an avid cyclist and I ride on the cart paths for safety reasons. I always ride single file as far to the right as possible whenever I see a golf cart approaching from the rear (I use a mirror). I am amazed at the belligerent behavior of so many cyclists, demanding the whole lane no matter the safety costs. Full disclosure; I run most stop signs while cycling (slow and go). Unless, of course, I see the po po.

Cyclists are supposed to ride to the farthest right that is practicable, not possible. That is intended to maintain safety on the roads. The cyclist must assess the width of the lane and the ability for a car/cart to safely pass him/her. If the lane is too narrow, as many cart and road lanes are, it isn't safe to allow that. Therefore, cyclists need to "take the lane" the same as any vehicle operator should, under those circumstances. It is not a matter of "belligerence" by the cyclists, although many car/cart drivers may view it as such, but, rather a desire to maintain one's personal safety.

[Happydaz]

Originally Posted by biker1

If you cycle regularly, you will experience some close calls, mostly almost being clipped/side swiped by cars/carts. If I had to guess, the cyclists were probably passed without a "comfortable" amount of clearance. 3 feet of clearance is required, at least on the roads anyway. A typical "close call" is someone passing you in an unsafe manner because there is another vehicle coming in the other direction and they have to move over quickly to avoid a head-on collision. In this case, the cyclists will be squeezed to the right or cut off at the last moment. I am not saying this is what happened but when you see cyclists lose their temper chances are they felt they were just put in a dangerous situation by a car/cart. In this situation, from the cyclists perspective, the car/cart is being the "jerk". While there is always a possibility that the cyclists in question were really just oversensitive jerks, the more likely scenario is you scared the hell out of them.

I would agree that there is a possibility that the bicyclists felt that they were passed unsafely. I move over when I am bicycling to let carts pass me. Sometimes in the divided cart paths I will stay in the middle of the path as it is too narrow for a cart to safely pass me, but I immediately move to the far right as soon as the path opens up. I have been passed unsafely numerous times. I remember one instance when I was doing 16 mph or so and a golf cart passed me on a very tight curve. The cart had just come up behind me and didn't hesitate to pass me on the curve. I remember yelling out that it wasn't a smart idea to pass on a curve. I am going 16 mph and he has an altered cart doing 25 mph so he will get past me fairly soon, but there is a period of time there where if another cart comes around the curve from the opposite direction guess who is going to get cut off? Without a doubt that cart driver will pull back in front of me or into me. At that speed he has no choice but to cut me off or he will collide head on with the other golf cart.

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by Chazz

Cyclists are supposed to ride to the farthest right that is practicable, not possible. That is intended to maintain safety on the roads. The cyclist must assess the width of the lane and the ability for a car/cart to safely pass him/her. If the lane is too narrow, as many cart and road lanes are, it isn't safe to allow that. Therefore, cyclists need to "take the lane" the same as any vehicle operator should, under those circumstances. It is not a matter of "belligerence" by the cyclists, although many car/cart drivers may view it as such, but, rather a desire to maintain one's personal safety.

Sorry but I gotta disagree. Practicable and possible are interchangeable.

[Happydaz]

Originally Posted by Walter123

Sorry but I gotta disagree. Practicable and possible are interchangeable.

As motorcyclist and bicyclist I can tell you that if you don't own the lane when safety demands it, such as on a road or cart path where there is not a safe distance for a car or cart to pass the cyclist you must not ride to the far right as this will give cars and carts the bare minimum where they think they can squeeze by and some will try it and then the possibility arises for a collision as there is not enough room for a safe pass. So the motorcyclist or bicyclist needs to "take the lane" and ride in the middle so as to not get squeezed off the road by an inexperienced or unsafe driver. Many cars and carts are very polite and careful, but we cyclists have to be aware and protect ourselves from some drivers. We live in an active, adult community where many people are out walking, bicycling, etc., to lose weight and stay in shape. Give us a "brake" when you are charging off to play golf or going out to eat somewhere. Thanks!

[Polar Bear]

Originally Posted by Happydaz

...Many cars and carts are very polite and careful, but we cyclists have to be aware and protect ourselves from some drivers...

Pretty well sums it up in my opinion.

[tedquick]

I have started to ride a bike again after about 45 years of NOT riding and the concerns expressed in this string are the reason that for now, at least, I only ride up and down my own street, which fortunately happens to be 1.4 miles up and back. So I do it 3 or 4 times and I get a 20 to 30 minute cardio workout. Haven't been brave enough yet to get on Morse Blvd. M, W and F I work out at the gym.

[GaryW]

Originally Posted by Walter123

I agree with you 100%. I am surprised at how many posts want to lynch the biker. I questioned the op in a previous post if they gave the bike 3 feet and got no response. My guess is the op came too close to the biker and then cut in front of them before the stop sign. I also highly doubt that the biker ran his bike into the back of the cart at the stop sign. Bike tires are fragile. Probably just another inconsiderate, inpatient cart driver.

I was thinking the same thing,,, but to put it like this,,, someone comes on with a complaint about anything, and you can dee how fast people are out to jump on the wagon,,, I read the complaint, but that is the OP story,, I have no idea as to what really happened. Could be a one sided story and the cart cut the cyclist off and almost wrecked them.. I have had that happen many times on the MMP, the roads and so on.

Now I repeat and I STRESS REPEAT, I am not agreeing with any side in this throw the cyclist to shark gimmick here. but am simply stating why hang the poor cyclist when you hear one side,,,

There are bad apples all over,, I got cussed out this morning on the way to work on my bike at 4am because the cat delivering the Daily Sun in BV wants to drive like a bat out of hell down the wrong side of the street with his dome light on and I had to do a tripple gainer with half twist in the pike position like Greg Louganis to avoid being road kill, Then the cat tells me bike don't belong in the road,,, HELLO I AM IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD....

[Chazz]

Originally Posted by Walter123

Sorry but I gotta disagree. Practicable and possible are interchangeable.

I'll quote directly from Florida Statute 316.2065(5), in part:

"Roadway position [316.2065(5) A person operating a bicycle on a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic under the conditions existing must ride in the lane marked for bicycle use or, if no lane is marked for bicycle use, as close as practicable [safe] to the roadway's right-hand curb or edge, except under any of the following situations..."

I think the distinction is that while it may be possible for a rider to ride inches away from the curb, it is not practicable or, safe, to do so.

[joldnol]

Originally Posted by TrudyM

It kills me that some people who ride bikes don't make the connection that they are a vehicle and that road rules apply.
At home our very twisty street runs all the way around the island and there is a park up by the freeway where people can park and they park their cars and bike around the island sometimes in packs. So because of all the curves long lines of cars end up behind them sometimes. If they are obeying the road rules I don't have a problem but....
Just before we came down I passed (in my car) a biker then around a couple curves put on my blinker to turn right but had to wait for a car to clear so stopped in the lane for a sec. Bike passes me between the curb and my car as I am turning and screams I cut him off. Hello my turn signal is on no passing on the right outside the lane get a clue.

law breaking bikes are a problem everywhere....stop signs are merely a suggestion

[billethkid]

Originally Posted by joldnol

law breaking bikes are a problem everywhere....stop signs are merely a suggestion

no mater what vehicle here in TV!