Bikers - use the BIKE path!

[scooterbug44]

Is there a way to get the word out to the Lance Armstrong wannabees that they should ride their bikes on the bike path instead of on the nonexistant shoulder of 30A?

I think it's wonderful that they are out exercising and enjoying the great weather, but my pet peeve is a line of cars waiting to pass a biker ....... when there is a beautifully maintained and empty path just feet away.

Safety issue too - there are some quality and distracted drivers around here who have enough trouble keeping it between the lines and avoiding clipping other cars, let alone a biker they may not see or be aware of.

There are a bunch of reasons that I've heard as to why they don't use the path - skinny tires (BS as I think the path is better than the road in some places), don't want to interfere w/ walkers or slower bikers etc. but I think part of it is that in other areas bike riders aren't supposed to ride on the sidewalk/path. One guy on the road was yelling at other bikers on the path that they were supposed to ride on the road until a friend corrected him.

 

[Smiling JOe]

You will just have to be patient. Re-freaking-lax. You are at the beach. I cannot tell you how impatient people are down here. I see drivers who do not stop for people waiting at crosswalks, and the whole issue of drivers impatience with bikers is just as bad. I've written plenty of posts on my reasons why I choose to ride on the road, as opposed to the Timpoochie Trail, which might work well for beach cruiser bikes, but it not so great for road bikers.

That said, I see plenty of tourists on bicycles who should not be riding them as they zoom through stop signs thinking that they don't have to follow the rules of the road.

 

[Beach Runner]

I don't know what the law is regarding whether or not bicyclists are required to be on the bike path, but I don't really want to be on the bike path with serious bikers because they travel too fast. I always stay to the right, but sometimes I move to the left to avoid a deep puddle from a sprinkler system. Sometimes I thoughtlessly don't look behind me before I move to the left. There are a lot of visitors here who don't know the rules for staying to the right on the bike path and are casual bicycle riders or walkers, often with small children in tow. A serious biker on the bike path could easily wipe someone out.

In addition, during spring break there were so many people strolling or casually riding bikes on the path that the bike paths looked like downtown Atlanta during rush hour. There was simply no way a serious bicyclist could share the paths with them. It'll be the same problem in June and July.

I saw a bicyclist traveling down West Peachtree (four-lanes one way with traffic moving along at 50 mph in a 35 mph zone) the other day during rush hour. He traveled in the middle of a lane (and not the rightmost one because anyone who travels that street knows how bumpy the outside lanes are north of 10th Street). Amazingly he held his own amidst all of the traffic. Traffic coexisted with him because he was pretty much keeping up with the vehicles.

 

[Kurt]

We have had some good discussions about bikes.

The bottom line is that most of Scenic 30A is for pedestrians and bikers (many kids!) who often have trouble operating or have their minds on other things, so it is best to drive on eggshells.

 

[Uncle Timmy]

I know we've had a few discussions on bikes on 30-A before, and lots of you have made good comments about why bikers want to be on the road as opposed to the bike path, but..........

I'm starting to get pissed at some of these bikers. Yesterday, there was a long line of cars held up behind a bike, everyone patiently waited their turn to pass him. Shortly after getting around the biker, about 4 of us cars were stopped at the Grayton Beach stop sign when the d*mn biker just blew past all of the cars waiting to go thru the intersection and we were stuck behind him yet again.

Doesn't "Share the Road" (as all the bikers say) mean they need to obey all the traffic laws too? Wait your turn at the stop sign.

I'm afraid I'm going to have to throw my opinion on the side of bike path, not 30-A.

 

[John R]

scotterbug, remember that even though you don't like the bikers being on the road, the are entitled, by law, to 3 feet of clearance by you.

 

[Bob]

http://www.wolo-mfg.com/truck.htm Just a light tap for courtesy.

 

[Kurt]

http://www.wolo-mfg.com/truck.htm Just a light tap for courtesy.

:shock:

[nomedia]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YUTdsU3f2U[/nomedia]

 

[TNJed]

Bike riders, on the road or path, are SUPPOSED to stop at all stop signs and actually dismount their bike and WALK it across the intersection.

While I don't have a problem with road bikes at all, if it's too much of an inconvenience for them to follow this law because it would break their stride/momentum, then perhaps 30A is not an ideal place for them to ride due to all the stops and congestion. If they want non-stop action HWY 98 may suit their needs better.

 

[scooterbug44]

Oh, I give them more than 3'-0", I'm almost completely in the other lane, especially if there are kids - I'd feel so awful if they swerved and I hit them! I love that they're moving the path off of 30A at the Eastern lake bridge and wish they would do the same over Western for all the novice riders there. I don't like driving a car near a biker and don't like riding a bike next to trafiic.

Don't get me wrong, I love bikers (especially since I am one, albeit w/ looser shorts and thicker tires), just get frustrated by them insisting on using the road when there isn't room and did the post because I wondered if part of it was that they didn't know they COULD use the path.

Part of sharing the road is that both parties are courteous and follow the rules - I stop for pedestrians and bikers (even where they're not at a crosswalk or the crosswalk is empty at "dangerous" locations) when I'm in a car & stop at stopsigns and obscured driveways when I'm on a bike.