Agree. I like seeing what is coming my way for sure.

CONSIDER THAT A WARNING … it’s a Dry Run for SNOWBIRDS

OP you have been Blessed with patience…

Walking
 

I Walk for over two hours each morning. I face the traffic. Thanks to that I saved myself of been run over twice by distracted gulf cart driver.

This kind of "normally" works in most cases. Yet, the lady walking along "with traffic" on a multimodal path near Citrus Grove yesterday, WHILE yacking on her phone, had no clue that the cart which passed within 4 inches of her elbow was in too much of a hurry to get around her than to wait for the oncoming cart. Even after almost getting run down she was completely unaware and kept chattering along.

Walk facing traffic, and be aware of what's happening around you. Listen carefully, and maybe turn down your earbuds enough to hear approaching traffic.

You Are Correct
 

The whole idea is to be able to react to a vehicle which may cause harm to you. If you're facing the traffic you can see it coming and take evasive action, if necessary. If you're walking WITH the traffic a vehicle, especially a quiet electric golf cart, can come up behind you, strike you and you'll never know what hit you.

As for the guy who told you otherwise, he's an example of why here in The Villages you have to have eyes in the back of your head. Too people do not know "The Rules of the Road".

The safest place to walk in The Villages is the Championship golf courses, just stay in the middle of the fairway. No one is every there.

It's not "on your left" it's "PASSING on your left".

Important to avoid confusion with:
Overtaking on your left (I guess that's the same thing)
I am on your left (okay, same thing again)
Alligator on your left
Sinkhole on your left
Attractive Villager on your left (yeah, it's a stretch)

But maybe all of those can be shortened to "on your left" which is quick to say and easy to comprehend.

E-Bikes do not go faster than 20 mph, it's the law that they are set to have a top speed of 20.

I think a green on an Executive course might be even safer?

Class 3 e-bikes have a top speed of 28mph. (See FL law 316.003(22)(c) and 316.20655)

As a Bicyclist; I like seeing the eyes of the walkers I approach. They can see me moving over to give them room & Vice-versa.

When the walker(s) are in the same direction to me; I’m never sure they hear me, or if they will be startled.

Dogs on leashes are a another factor too. Fito can bring down a cyclist Quickly.

"E-Bikes do not go faster than 20 mph, it's the law that they are set to have a top speed of 20."

Yeah. Carts, too. But how often is THAT IGNORED?

I only walk on designated walking/biking paths, not on roads. I don't care which side of the path you walk on, you still don't know what the person coming up behind you is going to do. Now I'm done with this discussion.

In theory that might be true but I've been passed in my golf cart by an electric bike doing well over 20mph.

My dad told us this when we were kids re: walking in a crosswalk. Said we should be aware of drivers when in one. I still use the phrase where applicable.

As for walking in the villages (or anywhere really) I'm always looking around, not staring down into a phone. If I happen to bring my phone (optional) and have to answer a text, I'll step off the road somewhere.

There are 3 classes of E-bikes. Class 1 has a top speed of 20mph and no throttle. Class 2 has a top speed of 20mph and a throttle. Class 3 has a throttle and will easily exceed 20mph. I know, I have one.

As a really avid bike rider, I'm sorry you encountered this jerk. Those of us who try to ride politely don't need people like him creating bad attitudes towards us.

I have hit 31 on mine, but that was with some really aggressively peddling and I probably couldn't maintain that for more than two blocks.

Which is in direct violation of Florida statute 316.130 sec 2 and a pedestrian can be cited for it.

When I walk on the MM paths, I walk to the far left, then when ANY vehicle ( bicycle or golf cart) approaches me, I step off onto the grass. Since I am trying to ENJOY my walk, I have ZERO desire to prove some ill defined point and "play chicken". That would just make 2 people NOT enjoy their time on the path.

It is only common sense. Walk on the left, whether road or MMP, so that you can see traffic coming toward you and move or get out of the way if someone has a medical emergency, is inattentive or looses control. While it doesn't guarantee you will not be hit it improves your chances. If you walk with traffic, you don't know if anyone coming up behind your sees you or is capable of controling their vehicle or bike. It is SAFER on the left side and that's what it's all about.

A couple of years ago a woman was killed in TVs when walking in the road with traffic. I don't remember if it was a car or golf cart but it makes no difference. She didn't see it coming and was killed!

There are E-bikes that can do 70 MPH. Of course they cost $ 30,000 so you don't see TOO many of those around. Many affordable E-bikes can go 30 or 35 MPH. And there are a lot like that in TV Land.

I side with Captain America...

https://media0.giphy.com/media/1HFW57gpsSLEA/200.gif

Walk facing traffic. I learned that at golf cart safety glasses held in in The Villages many years ago. I know 2 friends that were walking on the bath in the same direction as bikes and golf carts. An electric golf cart went to pass them and at that exact moment the one lady stretched her arm out and the golf cart hit it. Electric carts are very quiet and she never heard it coming up behind her.
Thank goodness it was not broken but it was badly bruised. Again, walk facing traffic so you can see what is coming toward you.

Please explain to me how walking facing traffic would have kept this from happening.

if she had been facing traffic she could have seen it coming and stepped to the left, out of the way of the electric bike that hit her. Since she was walking with traffic, she could not see behind her, and had to rely on sound. She couldn't hear the electric bike, so she didn't have the warning she needed to take evasive action.

I’m done.

Am I missing something here? Perhaps you can stick around long enough to explain how walking with one's back to the nearly silent electric bike doesn't make one more vulnerable?

Thought you were done in post 54. You came back in #57. Now you say your done. I think you will be back, even if it's only to tell me to jump in the lake. 😄

These are the three classes of Ebikes. Not sure where those 70 mph bikes fit in.

CLASS I EBIKES
Class I eBike use a battery and electric motor to provide assistance at up to 20 MPH when the rider is pedaling (pedal assist). Class I eBikes can go faster than 20 MPH, for example, when going downhill, but the electric motor will stop providing assistance once 20 MPH is reached.

EBikes with throttles can turn on the electric motor and propel the bike without the rider pedaling. Class I eBikes cannot have a throttle - they can only provide assistance when the rider is pedaling.

CLASS II EBIKES
Class II eBike work in two ways. First, the electric motor provides assistance at up to 20 MPH when the rider is pedaling, just like a Class I eBike. Second, Class II eBikes include a throttle, which can go up to 20 MPH without the rider pedaling.

This flexibility is ideal for many riders. On a Class II eBike, the rider can pedal for fun, exercise, and fitness, but retain the ability to use the throttle for help when desired without pedaling - like getting over a challenging hill.

Class II eBikes cannot be used in some regions. Off-road trail riding locations, like mountain bike trails, often permit only Class I eBikes. Class II eBikes with throttles cannot be used.

CLASS III EBIKES
Class III eBikes provide pedal assist at up to 28 MPH. These more powerful electric bicycles are capable of higher speeds than their Class I and Class II peers.

You’ll notice that some Class III eBikes have a throttle, and others do not. When Class III eBikes include a throttle, they are usually limited to 20 MPH maximum speed on throttle (even though the bike can go faster when the rider is pedaling). The Denago City Model 1 Series EBike falls into this category - up to 28 MPH on pedal assist, and up to 20 MPH on throttle.

The three classes were invented California regulators. The Federal government has the overarching standard of what is an electric bicycle. They set this standard, just as they do for golf carts, motorcycles and automobiles, to define what, exactly, can operate on roadways.

The standard for e-bike falls under the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC standard is under part 16 of the Code of Federal Regulations. It is less than 750 watts, capable of producing less than one horsepower. There are no 'classes' of ebikes under this standard, although some Federal agencies have adopted them for trail riding (National Parks, etc.).

Some states and municipalities regulate ebikes by class, Florida isn't one of them at the state level (to my knowledge). In fact, Governor DeSantis has signed into law protections for ebikes.

No state defines how the wattage output is measured.

The seventy mph "bicycle' is an electric motorcycle by any standard.

The 'glitch' in the Federal definition is what, precisely, is 750 watts? Is is: peak, continuous, nominal? As in all Federal regulations if it is not defined and more than one definition is possible by a reasonable person then it is that definition.

So, how does this play into ebikes? The cheapest ones claim 750 watts but that is only at peak, aka momentary, output they are over rated. While the most expensive models effectively under rate their motor. There are also massive market realities in play here as well. Speed requires humongous batteries that are expensive and heavy.

Is all lost in this regulatory twilight zone? No. Just as a 500hp sports car is not five times as fast as a 100 hp economy box there are mechanical imitations in play

Florida does not regulate by class but they do recognize the three classes in 316.003(22). The section that gives ebikes the same rights as "regular" bicycles is 316.20655.

Toymeister: Florida does not regulate ebikes by class.

Bill14: Florida does not regulate ebikes by class.

One can easily see why posting helpful, informative posts is generally a waste of time.

Toymeister: I am telling you this is the way things are
Bill: Here are the actual Florida statutes that make things the way they are

If everything that was asserted on ToTV was taken as law we would be in big trouble.

But I agree, given a half dozen of the recent post, post #51 seems to have been a waste of time.

Walk facing the traffic. That is the only way to see them coming.