Bike Path

It's a challenge, everyday riding the path. Was riding with a guy here on vacation, and, again, had someone pull out onto the path, without looking.

Bike paths, bikers, lotsa people--recipe for a future problem....folks, we gotta work this all out so everyone benefits. Hate to be negative, but I think nothing will get done on this matter until there is a major accident on 30A--seems that it what it takes to make the neccessary changes.

Both bikers and drivers need to be alert and aware of each other - whether on the path or the road. It's rarely just one person's fault, especially on a crowded and hectic weekend.

I am a biker and am very careful whether on a bike or in a car and I still have "oops, sorry" moments.

In fact, I almost took out some bikers yesterday - riding in the dark w/ no helmets, reflectors, or lights. :roll:

From a fellow biker perspective, it is frustrating to watch people not watching for who might be on the paths, but please don't allow yourself to feel entitled to your right of way. Defensive driving is the key.

When I pull up to cross 98 at 393 like I do nearly every day in my pickup, I've learned to drive with both feet, just because about every 10th time or so, somebody in the turn lane going East or West will think they can pull right out when I'm going straight through. Both feet gives me the quickest reaction time.

I'm also braced better to use both hands on the horn.

Beach, great thread - scooter, that must have been scary!!

I have this fear that I am going to get down to BMB and get smashed. I think about it over and over. I know this sounds silly, but I just see so many exits and entrances and I know that all it takes is a second and WHAM!

I am an early bird so perhaps if I get my cycling done early and avoid the busy times, I'll be better off.

If one really wants to get a good ride in - say at least 15 miles - without fear of lots of people pulling out of restaurants and homes, what's the best stretch of road? Like I said though, early would be best wouldn't you think?

Thanks
G

In Daylight just east of the stop in Seaside. He turned w/o looking. Just wish it was a Range Rover or Benz, maybe next time.

Bottom line, bikers need to be on the lookout, everytime when riding. It's not going to change. It's just like riding my cycle, you have to be defensive. But, it's still enjoyable.

Beach, great thread - scooter, that must have been scary!!

I have this fear that I am going to get down to BMB and get smashed. I think about it over and over. I know this sounds silly, but I just see so many exits and entrances and I know that all it takes is a second and WHAM!

I am an early bird so perhaps if I get my cycling done early and avoid the busy times, I'll be better off.

If one really wants to get a good ride in - say at least 15 miles - without fear of lots of people pulling out of restaurants and homes, what's the best stretch of road? Like I said though, early would be best wouldn't you think?

Thanks
G

If you avoid the busy times/places you are usually okay. Drivers have definitely gotten more distracted, so a helmet and vigilance are key. There are still lots of longer stretches where you can relax and most of the year you have the path to yourself.

The cars don't single bikers out - the ones that almost run over bikers are the same ones that blow stop signs, red lights, veer over the center line, almost take out pedestrians etc.

I use the same method w/ cars crossing the bike path that I use crossing the street in a big city - if you have eye contact w/ the driver, you're good. 99% of the time they just don't know you're there or can't see you coming.

I pull out onto 30A frequently from the small streets in Old Seagrove, which means crossing the bike path. I am very aware that the bike path is there and always stop before reaching the bike path and then creep forward until I can see in both directions. However, even with this method, there have been many times that I have almost hit someone on a bike. The visibility from some of these side streets is terrible and it takes a very conscious effort to avoid hitting someone. It really takes both the bikers and the drivers being very aware of what is happening around them.

I refuse to ride a bike from Seaside to Seagrove, and and don't walk if I can avoid it. It is insane and dangerous. I keep telling my mom that she will probably die on that bikepath, not from cancer, pneumonia, or other ailment, but from riding her trike on that stretch of bikepath!

I saw a near miss driving by Stinky's tonight. A family was biking west on the path, and someone turning into the parking lot almost hit them all.

I bike and ride and I feel that a large part of this problem is that bikers often don't follow the rules of the road or common sense. Daily, I see bikers blow thru stop signs and cross walks without even thinking of stopping. Many times bikers and pedestrians will walk out of blind spots or not use the cross walks. That is jaywalking...I have no problem sharing the road when I'm in my truck or on my bike but I do have a problem with bikers who act like they're entitled or more important than a vehicle on the roadway. As a biker, you can't assume that you don't have to stop for any reason and that is often the case. Peeps get on the bike path and just ride without looking, they cross intersections at full speed.

Anywho...enough blah blah blah.
We all need to drive more carefully, I admit to having some OH S^)T!!! moments in my truck and on my bike.

Thanks for starting this thread. I, for one, will be more aware when I pull out onto 30A in the future. I will also remind everyone else in my family to be aware.

I refuse to ride a bike from Seaside to Seagrove, and and don't walk if I can avoid it. It is insane and dangerous. I keep telling my mom that she will probably die on that bikepath, not from cancer, pneumonia, or other ailment, but from riding her trike on that stretch of bikepath!

I dunno about that. Your mom nearly took Merman and me out two weeks ago. We're lucky to be alive...she's one hot-roddin' Grandma!

(Just kidding. It was actually the two of us who were hogging the path in Seagrove Beach not the other way around, and we were only walking! ;-) )

Thanks for starting this thread. I, for one, will be more aware when I pull out onto 30A in the future. I will also remind everyone else in my family to be aware.

It is a good thread...knowledge is power. Remind me where the stop sign is located...before or past the bike path? Many times, I have had to remind Mr. K to not pull out to the street to check traffic w/o stopping and looking for people on the bike path. It is counterintuitive to how we drive elsewhere where there are no bike paths.

beachsteelers...did you get hurt?

While on the topic of pedestrians/bicycles vs motor vehicles, what is the law regarding yielding to pedestrians crossing 30-A? I have had to literally stomp the brakes a few times in Blue Mountain where the speed limit is 35 mph and people will amble out into the hwy 15 yards or so ahead.

It is a good thread...knowledge is power. Remind me where the stop sign is located...before or past the bike path? Many times, I have had to remind Mr. K to not pull out to the street to check traffic w/o stopping and looking for people on the bike path. It is counterintuitive to how we drive elsewhere where there are no bike paths.

beachsteelers...did you get hurt?

That is my problem, most of the bike path is before any stop sign and there isn't enough visual clearance to pull out onto 30A w/o creeping up. The bikers/pedestrians act as though they have to yield to nothing as long as they are on the bike path. In effect, the county created a frontage road with the bike path and users should use the same caution that they would driving. I do look out for peeps using the path but in places like Seaside they can just seem to pop out of nowhere.

I bike and ride and I feel that a large part of this problem is that bikers often don't follow the rules of the road or common sense. Daily, I see bikers blow thru stop signs and cross walks without even thinking of stopping. Many times bikers and pedestrians will walk out of blind spots or not use the cross walks. That is jaywalking...I have no problem sharing the road when I'm in my truck or on my bike but I do have a problem with bikers who act like they're entitled or more important than a vehicle on the roadway. As a biker, you can't assume that you don't have to stop for any reason and that is often the case. Peeps get on the bike path and just ride without looking, they cross intersections at full speed. ...

I hope the one that ran into the side of my truck the other day at the stop sign on 30A/395 is reading this. They even lowered the height and adjusted the sign there to let cyclist know that they have to stop at that intersection but as you say this one just barreled on thru it. I was going west/ turning north there and after waiting for about 5 bikes I go to turn and BAMM... another decides to play catch up to the others and runs into the side (rear passenger door). Probably the same type of person that speeds up to try and catch a light and ends up running it while in a car.

While on the topic of pedestrians/bicycles vs motor vehicles, what is the law regarding yielding to pedestrians crossing 30-A? I have had to literally stomp the brakes a few times in Blue Mountain where the speed limit is 35 mph and people will amble out into the hwy 15 yards or so ahead.

Pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk in most states in the U.S. Motor vehicles yield to bikes and pedestrians; bikes yield to pedestrians. Bikers are supposed to walk bikes in a pedestrian crosswalk unless otherwise indicated, but they may ride with the flow of traffic in intersections. It is usually recommended that bikes walk across intersections with 4 or more lanes.

For me, working all day on 30-a driving is a daily challenge. We all have to be carefull. The bike path in Seagrove has so many side street blind spots. Cars can't see people and people can't see cars. I have to inch up to the path in a lot places and just keep creeping hoping no one is coming, or that they see me before I see them. Sometimes I get into the path and have to back up so people can go in front of me while waiting for traffic to let me pull out on the road. People who are not here all the time could have lots of problems taking the path into account when driving, especially if they are out of beer and have to get to the store quickly to avoid being sober to long on vacation. I know it would be expensive and cause a great debate but the path should have lines on both sides or yellow stripes at intersections. It should be better marked. This time of year the vegitation grows so far out it really blocks a driver's and walker's view. I have had several close calls over the years and got lucky more than once.
I do not speed on 30-a EVER. It's just too dangerous, too many people. I don't mind being held up by a cyclist on the road, but sometimes they take up a little too much road to be considered "polite". All of us using 30-a, especially in Seagrove and Seaside need to be SUPER careful. It could turn out bad for any of us at any moment. Just face it, it takes extra time to get through there safely. Try not to get pissy about it and understand getting frustrated will end up with an accident.

Who do we talk to about marking the path better?

Thanks KittyI'm Ok.I think my shades saved a broken eye sockets and dinged my ankle. Luckily it didn't reinjure my back. On the Bright side, Now me and Big Ben have something in common. Kissing cars with our face and walking away. Everyone be careful you don't know when your number is up!
I will say this path is marked with lovely new signs which cost way too much and are very misleading in places as to yielding and right of way. Seagrove Crossing near the Wheelhouse is one of the worst. Yield signs for motorist blocked by trees. And the Bike path sign is a Stop for Cyclists. If I stop and the car yeilds, No one is moving. I kinda see the thinking but in realitly who yields to whom? I will say when one yield was missing there I called Walon's Road Division told them that one yield was missing another blocked by trees and I'll be testifying for the next deceased at that intersection amazingly a New Yield appeared that day and the trees trimmed. But that crossing is bound to get someone bad. It's marked 15mph everyone drives 40. I heard a BMW got totaled near there this week.
My wreck was bad timing for the most part. A car pulls out to 30A West by the cottage rental in Seaside W/O Stopping and the eastbound cut into same road W/O looking as i was eastbound on the path. So at busy weekends I'm sticking to the road or backroads.

I've been riding to the golf course for over 3 yrs now. Doesn't matter , in the daytime, where you are, but, as a runner, turned biker, we need to be on the defense. Said this earlier, but, we as bikers, need to be more aware of what lies ahead. I still enjoy it, even in the heat. Even when I ran, I still needed to be on the defense, even back in cheeseland. There's always someone on thier cell phone, not paying attention. I won't stop. The ride is enjoyable. Keeps me young{er}.