[Donegalkid]

Originally Posted by 60North

Just to share information to all of us: The governor signed into law CS/SB 950 on bicycle and pedestrian safety.

Some of the bicycle provisions that all automobile and golf cart drivers need to know:

1) Providing that no-passing zones do not apply to motorists who safely and briefly drive to the left of center of the roadway to overtake a bicycle, provided that such a passing continues to give the cyclist the necessary three feet passing clearance. If a motorist cannot safely pass at a distance of 3 feet or more, the law clearly states they must wait until a safe moment to pass.

2) Requiring a vehicle making a right turn while overtaking and/or passing a cyclist to do so only if the cyclist is at least 20 feet from the intersection and at a distance that the driver of the vehicle may safely turn. [Trying to prevent what bicyclists refer to as a "right hook"]

3) Authorizing cyclists riding in groups, after coming to a full stop, to go through an intersection in groups of 10 or fewer. Motorists are now required to let one such group pass before proceeding. [This should allow for better traffic flow for all vehicles.]


4) Providing guidelines for riding a bicycle in a substandard width lane and authorizing cyclists to ride two abreast to avoid dangerous conditions. [This allows bicycle groups to shorten up the length of their group, making passing easier for faster motor vehicles]

5) Requires at least 25 questions in the test bank for the driver license test to address bicycle and pedestrian safety.

Hope this clarifies some misunderstandings that will inevitably occur.

Cheers!

Thanks! An excerpt and explanation of bike laws prior to the 7/1/21 changes. Much of it still applies. Note bikes can use sidewalks and crosswalks in FL. The link provides more good explanation.

“What Rules of the Road Must a Bicyclist Follow in Florida?

That depends on where you are riding. If you are riding on the street, you must obey the same traffic laws and rules of the road as the drivers of motor vehicles as well as laws about bicyclists. This requirement includes yielding to all traffic signs and signals. Despite what you may see some other bicyclists doing, you must stop for stoplights and stop signs. You cannot go through a red light even if there is no traffic coming.
If, however, you are riding your bike on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk, Florida law will treat you as a pedestrian. In that situation, you must follow all the Florida laws that apply to walkers, and you have the same rights as them, except that you must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians and call out before passing them.”

Source: Florida Bicycle Laws: What Drivers & Cyclists Should Know

[Babubhat]

In five years I have yet to see a bicycle obey a stop sign.

[Tim C.]

bikes that run through stop signs aren't just a danger to themselves and others, but **** me off. its a sort of arrogance. especially the ones that wear shirts like they are training for the Olympics or something - we used to call them "Spandex Douchebags" on the Pinellas County trails.

[Laker14]

Generally, good laws. Generally, nothing in there that a reasonably considerate person wouldn't abide by naturally. Unfortunately, actually writing the laws down and making it all "legal" does little to change behaviors. Mostly, all it accomplishes is a methodology to settle arguments over who is right and who is wrong, and even then it often doesn't work. Case in point, the poster who on another thread bragged that he/she refused to turn left at a blinking yellow arrow, even if he/she could clearly see no oncoming traffic. The law is written down, but that person refuses to abide by it. So, be careful, be patient. Try not to hurt anybody, and try not to get hurt.

[Art cov]

Everyone, no matter the means of transportation, must be on alert. Driving, riding, jogging, and walking, please be careful. Please, when out having a few drinks, DO NOT GET BEHIND THE WHEEL! You could regret something for the rest of your life

[brianherlihy]

take all sins down and stop lights down and go for it

[HogPilot]

Originally Posted by Skunky1

If you want to use the crosswalk get off your bike and walk

In some states, that is the law. You have to walk the bike.

[tvbound]

Originally Posted by Babubhat

In five years I have yet to see a bicycle obey a stop sign.

That isn't just a problem down there, it applies to every place I've ever lived or visited. While I make sure to give cyclists a minimum of 3 feet and to watch them closely to not put them in danger should they wobble or have another problem (instant flat tire), the double-standard gets old. Almost all of them are not shy about reminding non-bikers about the laws, yet when it comes to obeying traffic signs and signals that also apply to them - all too many feel entitled to completely ignore them. Still, I love watching the Tour de France every year. lol

[blueash]

We have a conflict in this thread.

Girlcopper who I would suspect is a cop writes with absolute certainty

Your wife isnt a pedestrian when shes on a bike and was she riding or walking it across the street? How about giving more detailed info rather than slamming the suv drivet

Then Donegalkid writes citing a website:

If, however, you are riding your bike on a sidewalk or in a crosswalk, Florida law will treat you as a pedestrian. In that situation, you must follow all the Florida laws that apply to walkers, and you have the same rights as them

One of you is wrong. One of you cited a source from an attorney who practices in Florida. The other simply made a definitive statement that a person is not a pedestrian when crossing the street at a crosswalk and demanded to know whether the person was on the bike or walking the bike. It turns out, if the lawyer knows the law, that it does not matter. On the bike or off the bike, if you are crossing a street at a crosswalk you are a pedestrian under Florida law.

This is a perfect example of why it is a good idea to include a citation in your posts. Turns out the cop is wrong if the lawyer is right. To see the actual law go HERE and read section (9)

[frank1975]

Most auto drivers know and abide by this. Now the golf cart drivers are something else. In fact most don't think a walker, jogger or biker should be on the trails. Most will not give 3 feet clearance. It's a sad situation this has turned into. This will continue until someone gets killed.

[kendi]

Originally Posted by Toymeister

I would like a 'yield to pedestrians in the cross walk' for the SUV who tried to run over my wife in a recumbent at Pinellas Place and 466a yesterday.

No wait, that IS a law already.

Had I not been blocking the SUV with my two wheeled bike you would be reading about her death today. Slow down and LOOK for cyclists!

I fear for those who ride the recumbent bikes. They are not easy to see even with the flag. Especially if they are riding rather than walking across the street.
BTW, your picture makes it hard to take you seriously. Grumpy.

[Windguy]

Originally Posted by Mortal1

Disagree with the "rolling stop"...anywhere. You want to ride a bike? You have to abide by motor vehicle laws where applicable. Most of the cyclists I observe do NOT do even a rolling stop. If you can't do a track stand then you'll have to put your feet down. If you don't like to have to do that then pick routes that don't have lights or stop signs. Also learn to signal your intent when approaching an intersection. Thanks.

{sarcasm}Isn’t just annoying how cyclists think yielding at intersections and not coming to a complete stop is OK, but motorists always come to a complete stop and lock their brakes at stop signs?{/sarcasm}

[Windguy]

Originally Posted by J1ceasar

And yet the other day A large group of bicyclists did not pull over to let me pass they were riding six or eight of breast taking up the full Lane

The law is that if the lane is less than 14’ wide, the cyclists own the whole lane. There are no lanes in TV that are 14’ wide. That was what point 4 was in the original post. And, we never ride six wide. What you saw was an illusion as the riders were shifted forward and backward from each other, but they might have looked six wide from your point behind the group.

[Chellybean]

You can't fix stupid and drivers in cars and carts think they own the road and will continue to treat bikers as having NO rights on the road. That's the Entitled attitude of the Villages, JMHO
P.S. Golf cart path seems to be worse to ride than the roads, its a crap shoot in the villages!

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Windguy

{sarcasm}Isn’t just annoying how cyclists think yielding at intersections and not coming to a complete stop is OK, but motorists always come to a complete stop and lock their brakes at stop signs?{/sarcasm}

Sarcasm noted and appreciated.

Personally, I think coming to an absolute complete stop at a stop sign with no one around is a total waste of time, does nothing to improve safety, and as stated above, not practiced by most drivers of anything with wheels.

I also think 90% of the stop signs on MMPs should be yield signs---they are being treated that way anyway.

That being said, the yield signs should be STRICTLY OBEYED. Want to guess the number one cause of all accidents???? That's right, it is FAILURE TO YIELD THE RIGHT OF WAY.

There are many great examples:

*****On the BV MMP headed north from the Hillsborough gate, you round the curve and have the option of going straight or making a left to go through the tunnel to get to Hendry. There have been severe accidents and many near misses because the person making the left to the tunnel fails to yield to the southbound cart. Because it is only a 30 degree left turn, many think they are going straight and not turning left. They need a sign similar to that by the tunnel under Morse at Saratoga that states "left hand turn yield to straight traffic"
*****Just about any RB as you round towards your exit, a pack of 30 cyclists will blow through the yield sign right in front of you as a single entity. I love to see their faces as I pull up to 3 feet short of them as I lean on the horn. It's like "who, me? I was just playing follow the leader"
*****Then of course , there is the perennial nightmare of the Morse/Paige Pl. RB
*****The tendency of other cart drivers on roads with a cart lane to run right through a stop sign of a side street to get in front of you (and then usually crawl at 13 mph)
*****Then there's the drivers and cyclists who don't bother to stop or yield when exiting a tunnel. This applies to the occasional car that exits a tunnel on a MMP as well

And there's plenty more like this
Bottom line I rather see rolling stops at stop signs than failure to yield when required.