Go get them Ian!

[FrankT]

After a recent incident on 12th Ave. in Pensacola, Ian Lintner(the GCGF Founder) now worries about law enforcement's knowledge of the laws aimed to keep bikers safe.

PENSACOLA, Fla. -- A Pensacola man is raising awareness for bicycle safety after several scary experiences while riding on local roads.

Channel 3 spoke to Ian Lintner, who started biking about five years ago as a replacement for running. He found a great community in the process, but also learned just how dangerous biking on the roads can be.

After a recent incident on 12th Ave. in Pensacola, Lintner now worries about law enforcement's knowledge of the laws aimed to keep them safe. Cont, too long to post

Following police confrontation, Pensacola man aims to raise bicycle safety awareness

PENSACOLA, Fla. --A Pensacola man is raising awareness for bicycle safety after several scaryexperiences while riding on local roads. Channel 3 spoke to Ian Lintner, who started biking about five years ago as a replacement for running. He found a great community in the process, but also learned...

weartv.com

 

[Jester896]

GA has some pretty tough laws when it come to cyclists. They can ride 2 abreast, the car has to pass them with a minimum of 3' of clearance and several others. Basically you have to treat one like any other slow moving vehicle.

I feel his pain...I used to ride about 200 miles a week prior to an auto accident that injured my neck. I still ride my mountain bike around the neighborhood for about 12 miles every once and a while.

COEXIST

 

[billrv]

I agree 100% with giving bicycle riders all of the room they need. However I have come across several "packs" of bicycle folks that will take up an entire lane and not yield to autos, this mostly happens on two lane roads with little or no shoulder which is in my opinion a dangerous situation for them and vehicles. I have no problem with SHARING the road with bicyclist or joggers but as vehicles should do for them they need to be a bit more courteous to drivers. I had no idea what the law is as I am sure is the case with most drivers.

 

[LowRiderRed]

After reading this I still don't know what the law is.

 

[ChrisC]

In Florida the bicycle is legally defined as a vehicle and the bicyclist is a driver. Bicyclists have the same rights to the roadways. They are entitled to a lane just like a motor vehicle. They don’t have to move aside to let you pass. And lane sharing is illegal in Florida.

 

[44Ruger]

Yup we got a bicycle law EXCEPT the bike law has lots of excepts in it. It would be naive and complacent to stop reading after the first few words of the Florida law:

Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine

"316.2065 Bicycle regulations.—
(1) Every person propelling a vehicle by human power has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this chapter,"

I personally think Ian is a bit complacent in his judgement. The Excepts kill his automobile (or motorcycle) rights:

"except as to special regulations in this chapter, and except as to provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application."

First I ride a motorcycle a LOT with over 500,000 miles traveled so I agree bikes need the space. What I don't like is the bikes thinking it's fine to slow down the regular traffic. The Florida law says they shouldn't:

"(5)(a) A person operating a bicycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing must ride in the bicycle lane or, if there is no bicycle lane on the roadway, as close as practicable to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway except under any of the following situations:"

There is more so go read it if you cipher different than I do. My pet peeve is the two or four bikes across the lane when there is a single width bike lane (Scenic Highway, most Saturdays and Sundays).

Touchy subject I know, so is motorcycles. I try to give bicyclists a beep beep 1/4 mile before I surprise them as my Honda ST1300 is as loud as a sewing machine coming up behind a hard working huffing rider. This Ian guy says he hates it???

You ever have a bicyclist pass the entire line of car traffic sitting at a light by riding along the curb? I don't see any law that says they can do that but it's common as anything. And most then run the light or stop sign.

 

[SAWMAN]

Do bike owners/riders pay ANY KIND of road taxes at all ?? Including gas tax ??Do they have to pay every year to register their bikes ??
Do they have to demonstrate the knowlege and ability to handle their bikes ??
Do they have to take a test ??
Do they have to have on their person,a state license to ride their bikes ??
And finally - -> are they so damn dumb that they don't realize that they are wearing them weenie bike helmates ... BACKWARDS !! ---- SAWMAN -

 

[Jester896]

That is a very common argument I hear I had you pegged for something much more imaginative

 

[Fear21]

I'm likely in the tiny minority here, but I personally feel that bicycles have no place on a road meant for motor vehicles. Too slow, too small, many riders don't bother making themselves known at night via reflectors or lights, so on and so forth. I always used the sidewalk as a kid but I remember the huge push for getting bicycles on the roads... no bueno, IMO.

YMMV

 

[FrankT]

Fear I agree with you, at least over a 35MPH roadway with no bike lanes

 

[FrankT]

Just saw this and thought it timely

 

[IronBeard]

I'm likely in the tiny minority here, but I personally feel that bicycles have no place on a road meant for motor vehicles. Too slow, too small, many riders don't bother making themselves known at night via reflectors or lights, so on and so forth. I always used the sidewalk as a kid but I remember the huge push for getting bicycles on the roads... no bueno, IMO.

YMMV

I ride 2-3 times a week, and totally agree. I also understand the law of the big, in that me on a bike will not prevail against the smallest of vehicles, even a motorcycle, no matter how right/entitled I might think I am. If you are determined to die right, have at it.

But I digress, IMO, at the very least, bicycles should be limited to roads with lower speed limits and/or traffic density. All the better if there were separate bicycle paths/lanes that did not share the main roadway. Current bike lanes that have bikes crossing over ramps as cars exit at high speeds, or causing pile-ups because a bike was in the way, is the definition of death-trap. How hard would it have been to simply paint the lines so the lane is actually on the side of the road. For safety. For the children.

Speaking of, I'd be interested in a sign that read, "Teach your kids that people drive here." I really do believe some of these parents are trying to get rid of their kids, and/or would be ok with that. I guess I'm o-l-d. I was taught to watch out for cars, and did. Never been hit. Still alive. Just sayin'.

 

[FelixH]

There are several different organized group rides around here, and I ride as much as possible. I've put over 1000 miles on my road bike each of the past two years. That's a huge amount for some riders and a small amount for others. For me, that's pretty big. I tend to avoid the group rides in the Pensacola area due to the traffic. I ride with a group that starts in Milton every Saturday and head out to Harold, Holt, etc. There's a lot less traffic out there, and it just feels a lot safer. As someone else said, you can be in the right and still be dead.

 

[Duckyou]

He was wrong about the law.

 

[Duckyou]

A bicyclist may take the lane to get around a something but then must ride as close to the curb as possible.

Cars are supposed to give 3 feet.

Bicyclists have to follow the same rules as cars - stop signs, red lights, etc.

Where there is a Multi Use Lane I do think that bicycles should not be allowed on the road.

 

[lil'skeet]

People on bicycles around here must have great life insurance policies. Nothing but a death wish, for any road that has 4 lanes and/or +35mph speed limit. Then to die in their short liatard, banana hammocks, silly little helmet, and funny plastic shoes... makes them insane. Put an engine on them. Just bad judgment if you see what I see every day.

 

[Duckyou]

Just this morning watched a bicyclist yell at motorists and then run 3 stop signs.

They will get hit.

 

[stage20]

He was wrong about the law.

Not sure what you are specifically referring to In the city you can take the whole lane. I've read some other weird laws on it. I would never ride. It's against the law to ride on the sidewalk but it sure would be safer for them.

 

[Duckyou]

Not sure what you are specifically referring to In the city you can take the whole lane. I've read some other weird laws on it. I would never ride. It's against the law to ride on the sidewalk but it sure would be safer for them.

You can only take up the lane when you are avoiding something - and then you must return to be as close to the curb or line as possible.

A cyclist cannot just decide to take the lane on a whim.

 

[stage20]

You can only take up the lane when you are avoiding something - and then you must return to be as close to the curb or line as possible.

A cyclist cannot just decide to take the lane on a whim.

There are signs that state in some areas "may use full lane" with a bicycle insignia on the sign. I've even seen it painted in some lanes. Can't remember where.