[dbussone]

Originally Posted by alzjr

Do you really think auto registrations pay for all the road maintainence?

No, but taxes on auto fuel are designated for road development and maintenance. There is no equivalent for bicycles. And I personally do my best to watch for and monitor the movement of cyclists.

[tomwed]

Originally Posted by tuccillo

That not what the law says. Go read it again.

I reconsidered and I changed my mind.
I ride on the paths because I know that on Buena Vista someone might clip my elbow with their mirror or I will get a flat riding close to the curb with all the debris. On the path I can always pull over in the grass. I'm in no hurry and just want to not get hurt.

[tuccillo]

If you are looking to complain about some perceived inequity in life, surely you can do better than this. I own 2 cars and pay plenty to support our roads. I won't even get into the amount of sales, fed income tax, or property tax I pay. I also won't get into the massive amount of tax I have paid over the years to support public schools that I never received a direct benefit from. If you want to campaign for "ala carte" taxing, fine, I am with you. But until you do, complaining about bikes not being taxed is just absurd.

Originally Posted by Shimpy

I know what the law says but to me a bike is not a licensed vehicle and pays nothing to use the roads as does cars, trucks and motorcycles. I would love for the state to require and issue license plates for a fee to bikes since they insist they have the same right as other licensed vehicles. If they want to use our roads then why not pay like all of us do? I have a motorcycle and have to pay a fee just as I do for my car. Why does bicycles get an exemption?

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by tomwed

I reconsidered and I changed my mind.

I ride on the paths because I know that on Buena Vista someone might clip my elbow with their mirror or I will get a flat riding close to the curb with all the debris. On the path I can always pull over in the grass. I'm in no hurry and just want to not get hurt.

Tom - I'm not in any hurry and I do not want to hurt you...on the road or the path.

[alzjr]

Originally Posted by looneycat

why would I re-read a POST?? a post is not the law nor are assumptions...unless you believe you are cycling a 35 mpg average and not impeding traffic flow...

nope your wrong
standard lane has to be 14 feet wide, lanes here are 11 feet wide (sub-standard)
traffic cannot be impeded because there is a parallel lane to use. the parallel lane can be found a little to the left of the right lane (the lane the bicyclist is using) and is separated from the right lane by a broken white line marked on the pavment between the right and left lanes. since the right lane and the left lane are only 11 feet wide each there is no room for a car and a bicycle to occupy either of the lanes at the same time so they each have to use either the right lane or the left lane but not at the same time. neither can impede traffic flow because the traffic can also use either of the lanes by moving either to the right or the left by crossing the broken white line marked on the pavment between the right lane and the left lane.

[tuccillo]

That is probably why the law is written that way - bikes don't have to hug the right hand part of the lane if it is unsafe to do so. This has been stressed in a film by the Orlando police and is a frequently mentioned safety point made by the Sumter Landing Bike Club: "own the lane". You can take up a whole lane and it is often safer to do so.

Originally Posted by tomwed

I reconsidered and I changed my mind.
I ride on the paths because I know that on Buena Vista someone might clip my elbow with their mirror or I will get a flat riding close to the curb with all the debris. On the path I can always pull over in the grass. I'm in no hurry and just want to not get hurt.

[Chazz]

Originally Posted by tomwed

I reconsidered and I changed my mind.
I ride on the paths because I know that on Buena Vista someone might clip my elbow with their mirror or I will get a flat riding close to the curb with all the debris. On the path I can always pull over in the grass. I'm in no hurry and just want to not get hurt.

You've made a reasonable decision for your safety. However, please consider the following. If you ride lawfully and safely on Buena Vista by not hugging the curb and, in effect, controlling the substandard sized lane (less than 14 feet wide), you will be safer by having cars passing you in the left lane, instead of illegally and unsafely trying to share the substandard lane with you. Whether you're riding on the road or the cart (MMP) path, the same safety principles apply: don't hug the curb or edge of the road; if it's unsafe to share a lane with a car or cart, control the lane. Enjoy the ride!

[dbussone]

Originally Posted by alzjr

nope your wrong

standard lane has to be 14 feet wide, lanes here are 11 feet wide (sub-standard)

traffic cannot be impeded because there is a parallel lane to use. the parallel lane can be found a little to the left of the right lane (the lane the bicyclist is using) and is separated from the right lane by a broken white line marked on the pavment between the right and left lanes. since the right lane and the left lane are only 11 feet wide each there is no room for a car and a bicycle to occupy either of the lanes at the same time so they each have to use either the right lane or the left lane but not at the same time. neither can impede traffic flow because the traffic can also use either of the lanes by moving either to the right or the left by crossing the broken white line marked on the pavment between the right lane and the left lane.

Please- can't we all just watch out for one another? If I had to get out of my vehicle to determine if a lane was standard or not I'd be run over by the bicyclists and cars.

Get a grip folks. The law is "share the road."

[tomwed]

It's not a question of right or wrong, the law or not the law. It's safe or not safe. As long as there are drivers that see a bike as an impediment it's best to be ready to "exit, stage right". You can't do that if there is a curb to your right.
That's why bikers use mirrors.
Even if we all agree that bikers have a right to the right lane, you know there are many thousands out there who will never read these posts, So why take chances? When your loved ones come down to bike won't you tell them to wear a helmet, use their mirror and stay on the paths?

[alzjr]

Originally Posted by dbussone

Please- can't we all just watch out for one another? If I had to get out of my vehicle to determine if a lane was standard or not I'd be run over by the bicyclists and cars.

Get a grip folks. The law is "share the road."

Share with cars, scooters, pedestrians, motorcycles, skaters, and bicycles. Sumter County just REMOVED 21 Share the Road signs in and around The Villages. They just don't get it.

[Challenger]

Originally Posted by tomwed

It's not a question of right or wrong, the law or not the law. It's safe or not safe. As long as there are drivers that see a bike as an impediment it's best to be ready to "exit, stage right". You can't do that if there is a curb to your right.
That's why bikers use mirrors.
Even if we all agree that bikers have a right to the right lane, you know there are many thousands out there who will never read these posts, So why take chances? When your loved ones come down to bike won't you tell them to wear a helmet, use their mirror and stay on the paths?

"But I have a right to be there and do that" was the inscription on his tombstone.

[Walter123]

I'm surprised we don't see more injured or dead bikers. More than a few times I see bikes ride on the part of the road after the golf cart merge with the diagonal stripes coming up to to a light or stop sign instead of waiting in line with the cars and carts. They sit there because they are going straight and interfere with carts and cars wanting to turn right on red. I do my best to let them know it is dangerous, illegal and just plain stupid.

[Mikeod]

Originally Posted by Walter123

I'm surprised we don't see more injured or dead bikers. More than a few times I see bikes ride on the part of the road after the golf cart merge with the diagonal stripes coming up to to a light or stop sign instead of waiting in line with the cars and carts. They sit there because they are going straight and interfere with carts and cars wanting to turn right on red. I do my best to let them know it is dangerous, illegal and just plain stupid.

Not to say you are wrong, but I wonder whether it's a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. From some posts I've seen in the past, if the bike rider pulled into the regular lane in those cases, there would be a car driver ticked off they were there and not off to the side.

I'm not a bike rider, so I'm just speculating.

[tuccillo]

The goal is to adopt a strategy that will prevent you from getting hit. I believe the biggest threat is getting clipped by a car from behind or having a car make a right turn in front of you. I have seen a car make a right hand turn in front of several cyclists and put them all on the ground and it was the direct result of hugging the right side of the lane and not being visible. The best way to reduce these threats is by being more visible and part of this is not hugging the right hand side of the road all the time. I am not suggesting that you ride in the middle of the lane all the time - I don't. But there are times you need to "own the lane" and the law permits this. You can see this practice at work on Hillsborough Trail on the south side. There is a "diamond" bike and golf cart lane but it disappears before the cross-streets and all traffic must merge into a single lane. This is done to prevent cars from make a right turn in front of bikes and golf carts - everyone is now in the same lane. If someone tries to intimidate you then you should take down their license plate number and call the police.

Originally Posted by Mikeod

Not to say you are wrong, but I wonder whether it's a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. From some posts I've seen in the past, if the bike rider pulled into the regular lane in those cases, there would be a car driver ticked off they were there and not off to the side.

I'm not a bike rider, so I'm just speculating.

[Walter123]

Originally Posted by Mikeod

Not to say you are wrong, but I wonder whether it's a case of damned if you do and damned if you don't. From some posts I've seen in the past, if the bike rider pulled into the regular lane in those cases, there would be a car driver ticked off they were there and not off to the side.

I'm not a bike rider, so I'm just speculating.

I hear what you're saying. As for me, I'd rather pee off a car driver and follow the rules of the road than put myself in a very dangerous position. Let's face it, someone is always going to be pee'd off no mater what. I will continue to inform idiots that ride up on those diagonal strips that they could get run over by a car or a golf cart.