[Number 10 GI]

Originally Posted by Bogie Shooter

Really?

Yes, really! I think most people know that a cart doesn't have the right of way on the paths. However, I'm smart enough to know that I need to place myself in a position of safety to avoid tangling with a bicycle or a cart regardless of who is in the right. If you are dead does being right matter?

[Pairadocs]

Originally Posted by EdFNJ

Agreed but unfortunately those rules/laws wouldn't apply to the MMP's as they aren't public roadways covered under those laws. If you are from the UK it seems you sometimes get confused. We see that just about every morning and that is what some guy actually told us.

Exactly ! Unfortunately a great many do not realize those things in this community which operate completely differently than the "laws" as applied to other forms of civil/community organization; we have no mayor, elect no city council, and not all "laws" apply as written for other cities and town in Florida; it's a very confusing situation for many/most who are used to more traditional city/town formats. Just one week ago a man took the time to turn around his golf cart, and come some distance BACK from the direction he was going, to inform me I had "no G.D. business" walking on the MMP, which according to him is for GOLF CARTS ONLY. I smiled and kept walking, wondered IF my husband was walking with me he'd have taken the time to cuss me out as he did ? Hum ? ?

[MX rider]

Originally Posted by Pairadocs

Exactly ! Unfortunately a great many do not realize those things in this community which operate completely differently than the "laws" as applied to other forms of civil/community organization; we have no mayor, elect no city council, and not all "laws" apply as written for other cities and town in Florida; it's a very confusing situation for many/most who are used to more traditional city/town formats. Just one week ago a man took the time to turn around his golf cart, and come some distance BACK from the direction he was going, to inform me I had "no G.D. business" walking on the MMP, which according to him is for GOLF CARTS ONLY. I smiled and kept walking, wondered IF my husband was walking with me he'd have taken the time to cuss me out as he did ? Hum ? ?

Good for you taking the high ground there. As longtime runner I plan on using those paths when I go running during our visit. I would have told him to f**k off. lol . But then again, he probably wouldn't say that to a guy. That dude's a tool!

[VApeople]

Originally Posted by MX rider

As longtime runner I plan on using those paths when I go running during our visit.

Well, bless your heart, as we say in the South. If you survive your visit, please let us know.

My wife and I love to walk and ride our bikes, but we stay away from the dangerous MMPs. We drive to the Southern Area to use their walking/biking paths where no golf carts are allowed. The new walking path in Hawkins is our favorite, but the one in Bradford and St. Catherine is pretty darn good as well.

When they first built the beautiful walking path around Hogeye, several people would drive on it with their golf carts. Then The Villages put up VERY substantial barricades to keep the golf carts off, and now that walking path is much nicer.

[MX rider]

Originally Posted by VApeople

Well, bless your heart, as we say in the South. If you survive your visit, please let us know.

My wife and I love to walk and ride our bikes, but we stay away from the dangerous MMPs. We drive to the Southern Area to use their walking/biking paths where no golf carts are allowed. The new walking path in Hawkins is our favorite, but the one in Bradford and St. Catherine is pretty darn good as well.

When they first built the beautiful walking path around Hogeye, several people would drive on it with their golf carts. Then The Villages put up VERY substantial barricades to keep the golf carts off, and now that walking path is much nicer.

Thanks good to know. We will see. That's why we're doing the visit. I'm used to being alert as I run on county roads here.

[Two Bills]

Originally Posted by tmbozoki@gmail.com

You obviously never been to England and took first step off of a curb to cross the street? If you did you wouldn't made your comment

Wouldn't go near the place.
Country is a nightmare!

[ThirdOfFive]

Originally Posted by MX rider

Good for you taking the high ground there. As longtime runner I plan on using those paths when I go running during our visit. I would have told him to f**k off. lol . But then again, he probably wouldn't say that to a guy. That dude's a tool!

You're apt to see anything on those paths. A few days back we saw a guy driving a cart at about 4 MPH--with one of those canes used by the blind strapped to the back of his cart! True story.

For myself I'll echo what other posters have said. I've never lost anything by being courteous. Whenever I encounter a cart when I'm walking I'll step off the path into the grass, smile and wave. It inevitably results in the smile and wave being reciprocated.. Sometimes I get a thumbs-up or other form of recognition that my courtesy was appreciated. However being courteous does NOT mean being a pushover. If I see someone endangering others by what they're doing I will let them know.

[Knighterrant]

Originally Posted by andercat

When walking on a road or path that has motorized vehicles, pedestrians should walk on the left side of the road facing traffic. That way the pedestrian can see carts and cars approaching and can jump out of the way if need be. I assumed that this would apply to the bike and pedestrian paths as well. I found myself in the minority when walking on the pedestrian paths and even had one woman yell at me that I was walking the on the wrong side of the path. Well, that bothered me, so I went home and searched the internet to see if I could find out what the correct side of the path to walk on. To my surprise, almost all of the articles I could find said that on pedestrian paths walkers and bikes should walk/ride on the right side of the road. This allows the faster bikes or walkers to pass on your left. So there are different rules for paths or roads with motorized vehicles and those with nonmotorized vehicles. Live and learn

Walking on the left is the correct side for all paths. You still want to see bicycles approaching you for safety reasons. This practice started centuries ago so travelers could view the right side (or weapons side) of other travelers as they approached and passed by. There was a time when being left handed was considered evil - LOL. As a courtesy, travelers would raise their right hand to approaching travelers to demonstrate they had no weapon (the origin of waiving to people). Also passing travelers might grip each other’s right forearms while passing as a greeting and to demonstrate their sword / weapons arm was empty (the origin of the handshake). Lived and learned.

[davem4616]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

Similar. I once asked a walker why he walked in road as apposed to the side walk, and I was told the road was softer!

now there's a walker that must of been 'gellin'

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by VApeople

Well, bless your heart, as we say in the South. If you survive your visit, please let us know.

My wife and I love to walk and ride our bikes, but we stay away from the dangerous MMPs. We drive to the Southern Area to use their walking/biking paths where no golf carts are allowed. The new walking path in Hawkins is our favorite, but the one in Bradford and St. Catherine is pretty darn good as well.

When they first built the beautiful walking path around Hogeye, several people would drive on it with their golf carts. Then The Villages put up VERY substantial barricades to keep the golf carts off, and now that walking path is much nicer.

It seems the majority of the users are pedestrians on those paths like the Hogeye and there is no set rule on which side to use. Most people I've seen walk on the right side. I think the onus is on the bikes to ride responsibly.

[capecoralbill]

Originally Posted by mlmarr1

Golden eagle stated: MMP's are not sidewalks. There are almost no sidewalks in the villages, so Golden Eagles point is not universally applicable to the villages.
Bicycles and golf carts are not allowed on sidewalks, bicycles and golf carts are allowed on multi modal paths, therefore multi modal paths are not sidewalks. Thus, a pedestrian does not have to use an MMP, as some here are implying.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by capecoralbill

Golden eagle stated.

who?

[Bilyclub]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

who?

This guy???

[coffeebean]

Originally Posted by Two Bills

Similar. I once asked a walker why he walked in road as apposed to the side walk, and I was told the road was softer!

Asphalt does seem "softer" than concrete.

[golfing eagles]

Originally Posted by coffeebean

Asphalt does seem "softer" than concrete.

Apparently, it is, and serious joggers know it. However, that DOES NOT give them carte blanche to violate Florida statute 316.130 sec 3 just because asphalt is softer. What other laws would they like to violate because it is convenient??? Bikers already ignore most stop signs, maybe I'll do that in my car too, since just like they claim it is "inconvenient" to stop because of toe clips, it is inconvenient for me to stop because I have to move my foot 8 inches to the left (and press down). Maybe it's more convenient to drive at 100 mph on the Turnpike when meeting someone at the airport. It seems, for many, it is more convenient to walk their dog on their neighbors property, or the postal station, or the side of the boulevards----anywhere but their own property (oops, I've done it now), And 1000 other examples.....OR.......

Perhaps everyone could obey THE LAW, as written, rather than dreaming up their own little excuses for NOT following it. Just a thought......