This whole thing is stupid.

Riding a bicycle in 35-45 mph car-truck-trailer traffic is like riding a 50cc mo-ped on I-75 (which is prohibited BTW).

It is stupid to take such risks and then blame the motorists for passing you too closely, or for wiping out yourself when you hit some gravel or other obstacle in the roadway.

Be responsible for the risks you take as a bicyclist instead of accusing motorists of "not sharing the road".

My bad, I thought you were referring to what I put in bold and underlined, which was directly copied from the statute. Hang out on this site long enough and you do need a psychiatrist:1rotfl::1rotfl::1rotfl:

Almost all bicyclists also drive cars. We don't instantaneously become idiots just because we are on a bicycle.

Most car drivers do not ride bicycles on our streets in The Villages so they cannot have any idea what is safe for a cyclist.

How many times have you been out in your car and not seen a bicycle? Bicycles are not that big a problem.

Driving a bicycle in the middle of a lane is safer because I know from driving a car I do not run into the back of slower vehicles in front of me. If I did run into a slower vehicle in front of me it would really delay getting to my destination. (wait for the sheriff and he would have to call the FHP because it is a personal injury accident, and then the time in court for a ticket for hitting a vehicle from behind, and then the increase in insurance for an at fault accident)

It is much easier and little effort (power steering) to signal and move over to the other lane.

Besides, regardless of our interpretation of the law the Sumter County Sheriff's deputies' have agreed that on our four lane roads a bicyclist can use the whole lane, and they are the ones that write the tickets.

You're right, but maybe a bit late to the party. I started out to show that cyclists should generally stay out of the middle of the road, but through posting the actual law, the actual lane widths and the size of motor vehicles, I think I proved that cyclists are CORRECT riding in the lane, when appropriate.

As far as "Almost all bicyclists also drive cars. We don't instantaneously become idiots just because we are on a bicycle." goes---some do
Just like some drivers become idiots in a golf cart. I don't think too many would let their 8 year old grandchild drive their Mercedes SL 550, but have no problem handing over the wheel to a kid. Some drivers become idiots as pedestrians, walking and texting with no idea of their surroundings. Some drivers just start off as idiots in the first place, just watch traffic at the average RB. Enjoy your ride!

Friends, please.

Those people on the bicycles are our neighbors. They just want to be safe. I am troubled by what I read here. Riding a bike is a healthy, enjoyable activity that they do. They do it on the roads because that is where it is done. The law, and common sense, provides for the proper sharing of the road with them. They are not an inconvenience. They are people who are simply using a different, legal mode of transportation.

Unless one of them runs into the side of my car (or comes close to doing so), I am not really affected by whether or not they fully stop at signs. So, I am just not going to care about it. I am going to continue on my way and enjoy my day. BTW, I have a lot more near misses with golf carts and autos than I do with bicycles.

Thank you. Please have a safe, and enjoyable day.

A kind and thoughtful post has no place in this thread, but thank you.

Wow!! By far the best post I've seen on this topic. :BigApplause:Now if we all could just accept the fact that there are cyclists on the road and they should be treated like a slow moving vehicle you'd pass safely then I've accomplished what I set out to do when I started this thread.:pray:

Hmmm you and tomwed have been measuring the width of the main thoroughfares here Morse/Buena Vista Blvds and found that they are approx 12 feet wide, with a three foot space needed between car/bicyclist. Seems to me Sumter County was sending a subtle message that perhaps bicycles do not belong on the road in The Villages because given the choice between cars/ bikes we know who is going to get preference.

Oh I'm just joshing:pepper2: I respect bikers rights to ride and their need to take responsibility for safe biking but don't ask me to like it because the last thing as a driver that I need is another obstruction to hamper my travels

My thoughts exactly. Thanks for posting.

In our society, roads are a shared resource.

yes, and I guarantee both of us were out in the middle of the boulevard moving much slower than a cyclist!

Wish all here had your common sense.Thank You!!!:mademyday:

Hi golfing eagles: Actually not when it comes to slow the only reason for me for being slow is an obstruction like a bike a slow car, construction etc. My sin is impatience with slow traffic

My only point in this thread is that the realty and human instinct (natural reaction) is to be somewhat annoyed with obstructions. Just because one has that thought it doesn't mean malice etc directed at anyone, Its just a fleeting thought, like a bad golf shot it disappears in seconds. but everything is politics and this thread reminds us of that fact.

Personal Best Regards:

Here are my musings on this subject, for what they're worth:

I'm only impatient with slow traffic when there is no reason for it.

After all the research I posted above, including walking out to the middle of Morse Blvd. with a tape measure, I feel cyclists should take over a lane for their own safety unless the lane is at least 14 feet wide, which is not the case in TV. I'm referring to serious cyclists who are riding in the 20-25-30 mph range, not a super senior tooling along at 8-10 mph--they should stay on the MMP. The roads were primarily designed for motor vehicles, the is no bike lane BECAUSE there are MMPs for vehicles travelling 20 mph or less.
Other legitimate reasons for slow downs include heavy traffic, construction zones and accidents. I don't get impatient with any of these, it's just a reality of driving.
Like you, I am not a "slow driver"--I don't speed in TV, I'm usually 1-2 mph under the 30 mph zones, 1-2 mph over in the 35 zones, and usually right at 45 in the 45 zones. Going any faster makes little sense, you gain a minute or so at best
Interstates are a different matter, especially on a long trip. I'll admit I set cruise control to 73 in a 65 zone and 78 in a 70 zone. At that speed, I'm usually passing 2/3 of the cars on the road and getting passed by 1/3. Which bring us to slow downs for absolutely no reason, which, like you, I get impatient with.
Number one pet peeve---some bozo chugging along at 55 in a 70 zone in the left lane. WHY? There are lots of these drivers on the interstates---even with no car for 1/2 mile ahead or behind in either lane, but there they are, just la-de-da-ing in the left lane. "Keep right except to pass" has a 2 syllable word in it--maybe it's too much for them to handle intellectually. I'll also admit that upon encountering these idiots, I pass them in a fashion that makes my displeasure pretty clear. I just wish a few of them would get cited by LEOs for failure to keep right, the word would get around pretty quickly and cut down on offenders. I'm always in the right lane, except to pass. Again, these people may not get into an accident themselves, but are likely to cause one in moderate+ traffic as the rest of the drivers make stupid moves to get around them.
Pet peeve #2---truckers that are going 56 pulling out in front of me to pass a truck going 55, especially when approaching an upgrade. 17 hours later and 10 miles of traffic back up and you may get past them.
Pet peeve #3. The guy who climbs up my back while I am passing slower traffic---even though I may have sped up to 80+ to pass and get over to the right to let him pass--then he passes me and drops down to 66, forcing me to get left and pass him---but upon noticing this he speeds back up, I drop in behind him and he slows down again---ARRRGHHH. The cousin to this guy is the one who comes up from behind like a bat out of he!! so I drop behind slower traffic that I had intended to pass, then he rides just off my back fender instead of passing, forcing me to brake for the cars ahead.
End of rant.

well said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!