[ElDiabloJoe]

Originally Posted by Toymeister

The key, Michael, is to 'take your lane'. Ride the MMP like you are in a cart. This way carts will not try to share your lane. Second, use an ebike. At a top speed of 28 mph you can pick up speed at the blind corners, leaving the carts behind. Generally I don't recommend by this but there are times when it is necessary. It's usually easier to let them pass.

Hypocrisy is a funny thing.

When I was on marathon training runs many cyclists would pass me within inches pretending they were Lance Armstrong. Usually pelotons of these wanna-be's. So, when I started "taking the lane" by extending my elbows and arms as they approached, all of a sudden they would get all upset with me. Some even stopped to try to pick fights. Of course, they had trouble unclipping their ballerina shoes from their pedals, but try thet did.

So, taking the lane is very cyclist popular - when THEY are the ones taking the lane. They don't seem to like it much when others do it to them in order to protect my safety. Cyclists are correct, they suffer the most when colliding with cars or golf carts. However, pedestrians suffer the most when colliding with cyclists zipping around at 25+mph especially with their mass and that of their bike. So who is most entitled to take the lane?

[Battlebasset]

Sadly, I'm thinking the e-bike is the only way to go on MMP. Otherwise, you can't keep up with the golf carts going 20 MPH+ especially on inclines.

And while they have the right, bikes on roads like Morse and Buena Vista are nuts. The can put on their tombstone "I had the right" but that will be cold comfort to your relatives.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by fdpaq0580

Yeah! They can play the video at the funeral.


Look. Every activity has certain inherent dangers. Many times those dangers increase due to age, physical condition, population density, etc. You wanna ride, by golly you ride! Just be as safe as you can. It's your life. Live it as you like, but be aware. Be VERY aware!

At least with a go-pro their death may not go unpunished, while not much of a comfort for the family, at least there could be a usable pic to present to law enforcement.

In our old neighborhood we had a lovely gentleman who walked with his wife everyday. She had serious dementia, but enjoyed looking at the flowers.

He had a GoPro mounted on the walker. About once a month he would post, on the neighborhood site, pic of a car or cart that acted unsafe near them.

Made some take notice, few knew who was posting the pics, and thought what a good idea.

Sometimes some need to be reminded that a golf cart is not a toy, and the injury you may cause, will hopefully not let you sleep at night.

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Twice a day we have group of 10-20 bike groups ride our neighborhood no issues except two residents that live in the neighborhood who truly believes they should be the only driver anywhere, because and I quote “this is the way I drove back home, and you need to get our of my way”

Have been riding in 4 neighborhoods since 2010, never had any incidents or even a close call. Maybe farther south they have the “I own the road (car or cart) get off my road

Younger people using cell phones, nothing to do with owning the road and they are just as dangerous if not more dangerous than drunk drivers.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by vintageogauge

Younger people using cell phones, nothing to do with owning the road and they are just as dangerous if not more dangerous than drunk drivers.

Our kids use GoPro, 20 plus miles on a cellphone video isn’t great on the battery, plus too much storage. But a cell is a cheaper way to go for quick rides.

[VApeople]

No, it is definitely NOT safe to ride a bike on a multi-modal path.

We only ride our bikes on one of the walking-biking paths south of Route 44.

I guess you have read about the person who was recently killed on the MMP in Chitty Chatty.

[Velvet]

Let me tell you my family’s experience with riding in TV. My mother and aunt were both born in Central Europe and went everywhere, including on highways, with their bicycle - their only mode of transportation. When my aunt came to the Villages in 1992 District 1 she tried to go grocery shopping as usual with her bicycle but found it too dangerous. Then she tried to use her bicycle for recreation (I am not sure if there were any cycling clubs back then) but found it too dangerous. Finally, she took her bike to the Chula Vista recreation parking lot and rode around very early in the morning before going swimming.

My mother had a seasonal home in the Historic area. She also tried recreational bike riding but ended up parking lot riding really early in the morning. My brother in his 30’s had several Giant brand (Tour de France -type) bikes at home up north and brought one here to ride around. He rode it only for one day and then left the bike for mom to ride. But it hung up on the wall for years till it got rusty. ($3000 - what a waste!)

[Happydaz]

Bicycling is a great way to stay active in The Villages. You can enjoy riding the Multi Modal Paths, but just watch out for some of the golf carts, especially the ones that will pass you on blind curves. Get front and rear high powered lights and a rear mirror on your bike. People try to scare you to death about walking or cycling on the MMP’s, but remember most people commenting on forums don’t exercise so take their advice with a grain of salt. I choose to ride on the roads on bike club rides in groups of ten and that seems to offer high visibility and a margin of safety. You might want to consider joining a Villages bike club. Most people driving cars and golf carts are nice out there. You just have to watch out for that rare angry or careless driver. Get out and enjoy The Villages! It is beautiful.

[Keefelane66]

My friends and I have been riding bicycles on public roads since we were 5-6. No bike lanes and No helmets and we survived. Maybe it was because we were street-smart. Today I ride with a helmet and go-pro camera rear view mirrors and take nothing for granted.
What's lacking generally is COMMON COURTESY between bicycles, pedestrians and golf carts on mmp’s

[Smalley]

Originally Posted by Keefelane66

My friends and I have been riding bicycles on public roads since we were 5-6. No bike lanes and No helmets and we survived. Maybe it was because we were street-smart. Today I ride with a helmet and go-pro camera rear view mirrors and take nothing for granted.
What's lacking generally is COMMON COURTESY between bicycles, pedestrians and golf carts on mmp’s

As a longtime cyclist, TV is the safest place I've riden. In Virginia we were riding with vehicular traffic on busy roads. On the bike paths there, (no golf carts) there were plenty of near-misses and collisions. Wear a helmet, get lights on your bike for the low light times of day and be careful out there! The benefits outweigh the risks. Exercise is hugely important for our health!

[Flyers999]

Weather permitting, I bike every afternoon on the streets of my neighborhood to get the mail and get exercise. Never had a problem there. Internal streets are the safest ride IMO. At the other end of the spectrum are the MMPs on Buena Vista and Morse Blvd. Especially on the half-circles around the gates. I never got hit but once I was forced to bail out into the brush ( knee high shubery ). That's life in the big city. Guy actually stopped to tell me that he knew an athletic guy like myself would have no problem bailing out, or he wouldn't have cut me off. OK.

[Velvet]

Originally Posted by Smalley

As a longtime cyclist, TV is the safest place I've riden. In Virginia we were riding with vehicular traffic on busy roads. On the bike paths there, (no golf carts) there were plenty of near-misses and collisions. Wear a helmet, get lights on your bike for the low light times of day and be careful out there! The benefits outweigh the risks. Exercise is hugely important for our health!

I think you are jesting about TV being safest, I can’t imagine where you may have been riding before. But if you ride with a group, do believe it is much safer and also if you stay on the neighborhood streets (for the most part).

[tophcfa]

We ride for exercise on the neighborhood streets throughout the various Villages surrounding our home and periodically trailer our bikes south of 44 to ride the pathways that don’t allow golf carts. We only ride on Morse, Buena Vista, or the MMP’s when using our bikes for transportation and it’s absolutely necessary to get to a specific destination, but not for recreation.

[drdoug59]

i feel it’s best to join a bike group and travel with them in groups, biking by yourself on a path you share with elderly drivers is dangerous, and I use pedal bike The villages is a great place, but it values golf carts over biking by a wide margin

[banjobob]

Ride on the side streets stay off the MMP’s