[Number 10 GI]

Originally Posted by Velvet

And watch out for people with metal walking sticks. I’ve seen them stop motorcycles dead by being shoved in the spokes, when a biker got too close.

I would not recommend that at all. That could yield a long stay in a place with bars on the windows and doors or could possibly end up with a severe beating from an irate biker.

[Fuzz323]

Sorry - I dont get it! From what I have seen myself there are walkers all the time in the golf cart lanes on the main streets in the villages. Why is this? There are sidewalks right next to them that cost (us) a lot of money. If I was a walker I would be ON THE SIDEWALK. Why put yourself in a situation where you may be run into/over by a bike or a golf cart. The most dangerous thing in the villages is a golfer on his way to an early round in the dark. They are not thinking of much but the game or are still asleep. (Three close calls with them on a residential street while walking my dog while waving a very bright LED flashlight at them.)

There is another thought here - you now have electric bikes that are doing 20 or more mph in the golf cart lane. Will a walker survive an impact like that - maybe or maybe not. You can not or will not hear these coming like you might hear a golf cart. When a sidewalk is available USE IT!

[Rosebud1949]

Also to joggers and walkers on the road at any time, beware..... Use the path or golf cart lane next to it, with your flashing lights attached to your body.....please do not use the cart lane with no path access adjacent. Otherwise a cart has to move out into traffic to avoid you.. With the speed that some cars are driving at now there will be an accident it is only a matter of time.

[Number 10 GI]

Safety is a personal responsibility, don't depend on the other person to be responsible for it. A person walking or bicycle riding in the dark without lights or reflective clothing is a prime candidate for the Darwin Award. While you are recuperating in the hospital from being struck by a car, golf cart or bicycle or possibly in the morgue, does it really matter if you were in the right? Common sense!

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Are you serious???

I don't ride a bike or a motorcycle, but if someone tried to shove a metal pole in my spokes, they would be getting an impromptu colonoscopy, sideways.

We had a bank robber trying to escape in my north city on his trials motorcycle he had parked on the sidewalk. As he got on his bike and passed a little old lady on the sidewalk she whacked him with her heavyIsh purse and he fell off. He was arrested. I don’t remember if she was charged or decorated.

There are many other stories. It is just better to be considerate for others (and not rob a bank) in the first place in my opinion.

[MPStrange]

Walkers facing traffic solves this along with reflective clothing

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by golfing eagles

Are you serious???

I don't ride a bike or a motorcycle, but if someone tried to shove a metal pole in my spokes, they would be getting an impromptu colonoscopy, sideways.

[Ndomines]

Simple fix
Ride on the road. You are less apt to run into a walker as you peddle along at 12mph. At the time you ride there is not much traffic. You can exercise your right of way, and remember stop signs are not just for when you feel like stopping. BIKE RIDERS GET PRETTY MILITANT when it comes to how the motor vehicle laws protect their rights.
Yield to faster moving vehicles, keep to the right and when you see a large group of bike riders on the road exercising their right, be sure to tell them large groups impede traffic and creates dangerous situations. Also tell the block head at the rear of the group, you know , it’s the one on the left hugging the line as if to protect the group from behind, only a complete idiot would put their body out there with this false sense of safety. Better yet
Get them to take a safety course.
I agree about the walkers wearing dark cloths on the MMP and the streets as well. Dummies are not in short supply.


QUOTE=Graspher;1819343]For the active folks who are walking and jogging in the early morning (read that as in the dark) - for gosh sakes - carry a flashlight or wear some form of lighting gadget or at least put on a reflective vest.

If one is walking in the dark while wearing dark clothing - I as a bicyclist can not see you. I don't have a 12 volt headlight on my bike revealing dark objects 150 feet in front of me.

As part of my 20 mile bike loop I travel along CHURCHILL DOWNS between 5 and 6 a.m. There are street lights and ambient light along that road but there are also MANY pockets of absolute pure DARKNESS.

Over this past weekend I encountered 3 individuals walking along the MMP who perfectly blended in with the darkness.

I'm traveling along at 12 mph with white blinky lights on the front of my bike and a red blinky on the rear. My white lights do not illuminate anything - they are eye catchers for others to see me.

I'm coming up from behind - you don't see my lights and my bike is quiet - you are camouflaged in the darkness - I may or may not be able to see you.

Don't chance an unwelcomed intersection between you and me.

If you walk, jog, rollerblade, skate or longboard in the dark - make sure you can be seen by those in front and in back of you.

The majority of folks I encounter in the early a.m. are highly visible - thanks to all who are.

For those who aren't - use a smidge of common sense and light yourself up. It's about safety - be safe![/QUOTE]

[LLamers]

Anyone out walking after dark should have at least a flashlight - even better light & reflective clothing and please also put something reflective on your dog!!! I don't want to hit either one of you, but at night even with headlights in dark clothing you can not be seen from a distance. And your dog may be at the far end of your retractable leash - not near you and not seen without reflective accessories. Whose at fault is secondary to injuries or death of either person or pet! Please be safe!

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by Fuzz323

Sorry - I dont get it! From what I have seen myself there are walkers all the time in the golf cart lanes on the main streets in the villages. Why is this? There are sidewalks right next to them that cost (us) a lot of money. If I was a walker I would be ON THE SIDEWALK. Why put yourself in a situation where you may be run into/over by a bike or a golf cart. The most dangerous thing in the villages is a golfer on his way to an early round in the dark. They are not thinking of much but the game or are still asleep. (Three close calls with them on a residential street while walking my dog while waving a very bright LED flashlight at them.)

There is another thought here - you now have electric bikes that are doing 20 or more mph in the golf cart lane. Will a walker survive an impact like that - maybe or maybe not. You can not or will not hear these coming like you might hear a golf cart. When a sidewalk is available USE IT!

Not only the safety factor, but it is ILLEGAL. Florida statute 316.130 sec. 3 states "(3) Where sidewalks are provided, no pedestrian shall, unless required by other circumstances, walk along and upon the portion of a roadway paved for vehicular traffic." I have no idea what the attraction is to walking in a lane designated for carts going 20 mph . (and I'm not talking about the few feet people jump into the cart lane to maintain "social distancing", I'm talking about those that just take their whole walk in the cart lane)

[Debfrommaine]

Originally Posted by Fuzz323

Sorry - I dont get it! From what I have seen myself there are walkers all the time in the golf cart lanes on the main streets in the villages. Why is this? There are sidewalks right next to them that cost (us) a lot of money. If I was a walker I would be ON THE SIDEWALK. Why put yourself in a situation where you may be run into/over by a bike or a golf cart. The most dangerous thing in the villages is a golfer on his way to an early round in the dark. They are not thinking of much but the game or are still asleep. (Three close calls with them on a residential street while walking my dog while waving a very bright LED flashlight at them.)

There is another thought here - you now have electric bikes that are doing 20 or more mph in the golf cart lane. Will a walker survive an impact like that - maybe or maybe not. You can not or will not hear these coming like you might hear a golf cart. When a sidewalk is available USE IT!

Well said. Every day I travel Morse Blvd and there is at least one car travelling with no headlights on. Today again .....6:10am, no car lights the entire way. Seriously, every week I witness it.

I raced bikes, raced mountain bikes through the woods in the dark and road my bike across the country. I regularly put 20 to 30 thousand miles on my bike yearly for at least 5 straight years. I only say this to show where I'm coming from.
I want to say the headlights I used had around 1800 lumens? I had them on the stem and one on my helmet. The helmet light made cornering much easier as the light followed my eyes.

If memory serves me well I want to say running over the end of a stick was my biggest concern. In a corner you could roll the front wheel out and low side the bike. In a straight line a stick could flip up into my spokes and high side me over the bars. I never did crash my bike while using these lights. I did have some very bad daylight accidents. One with a dog that ran away from his owner and hit my front wheel while I was going about 22 mph. I was paralyzed for a few terrifying minutes and spent 5 days in the hospital. While riding to the beach on a training ride another cyclists swerved and took out my front wheel. My helmet retention system failed and I now have a TBI (tramatic brain injury) that is permanent. I suffer terrible headaches that can last for weeks.

It's great that TV has all of these trails to keep cyclists off the roadways. I may get a bike for the trails some day and enjoy riding again?

I took precautions and still had to replace a disk in my neck, a simple accident now could leave me paralyzed and I have my brain injury. Consider looking into getting a decent riding light for riding in the dark. I wouldn't use the law as my guide. 500 lumens is not enough.

My .02

[talleyjm]

Highly recommend Amazon’s BSEEN LED dog collar for dusk or night walkers. It’s a USB rechargeable Glowing Pet Collar also used by humans! It puts out a super bright blinking light and only costs $9.97. Hangs around your neck like a long, thin necklace. Look it up. My son scoffed at me for using it until I sent him one for his night walks and night bike rides. He no longer carries a flashlight when he walks at night!

[Graspher]

Originally Posted by donassaid

And quit walking in the cart lanes. That's what sidewalks are for!

I didn't mention that in my original post cause I didn't want things to get too heated. But yes, thank you - I agree 100% with that as both a bicyclist and walker.

All the "invisible" folks that I referenced in my original post were in the MMP which is alongside a sidewalk. Where there is no sidewalk - no issue.

Today I approached two "invisibles" - one in the MMP and the other next to her walking in the car lane. They weren't social distancing...just living dangerously. Since they were in front of me they didn't see the blinkys and they didn't hear the peddling or the sound of me gasping for air.

And so it goes.....

[Graspher]

Originally Posted by dnobles

Thank you Grasper!! We also ride our bikes and have trouble seeing people in dark clothing.

I knew I wasn't the only one!!