Recreational & Family - Is safety your most important concern and criteria when riding Florida paved trails?

While I am still trying to make it to the rest of the top Florida paved trails in 2012, safety is the most important thing for where I ride and what trailhead to park at. The Pinellas Trail can be very dangerous in many places. On the other hand the entire Legacy Trail is very safe. Does anyone have any info on the good and bad trails you have rode recently? This could help out a lot. Also my bicycle website has lots of photos from Florida paved trails: http://www.trailviewmount.com/ Thanks everyone.

What makes them dangerous?

The Pinellas Trail goes through a couple poor parts of town, this generally means roaming, bored teenagers who may beat you half to death and steal your bike. I have seen some sketchy looking people on the trail in some areas, but have not had trouble myself.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/publicsafety/crime/attacks-on-two-pinellas-trail-cyclists-lead-to-increased-police-patrols/1191471

You really don't know bendembroski? Criminals. Gangs. Desperate people. Low lifes. Etc.

I did pass one fellow walking up the middle of the trail smoking a reefer! I did a 50 mile run yesterday, with 38 of that on the trail. MORE of a concern to me is the folks walking their dogs on LONG leashes and NOT paying attention to cyclists. Kids swerving about can be an issue to, just have to stay aware.

You really don't know bendembroski? Criminals. Gangs. Desperate people. Low lifes. Etc.

Nope. I don't know. I'm not from Florida, and never been on the trails you mentioned. I do visit Florida from time to time though so was just wondering what the issue was.

Of course the best way to make the trails more safe is to get more people on them.

I seem to remember reading about Minneapolis having a similar problem with a section of a trail. I'm pretty sure that local cyclists volunteered to 'patrol' the trail in pairs or small groups and reported anyone looking like they were up to no-good to the police. This was of course after co-ordination with the police department, and some basic training -- no vigilante stuff. I think they were also armed with tubes, patch kits, and basic tools that were provided by a local LBS to help people out on the trail that were having a little trouble.

Seems like a great excuse to get out on the bike!

I wonder if the LBS of the guy that was attacked would be interested in trying to set something like that up with the local police. I would imagine there would a bunch of good publicity in it for them.

I really hate to see problems like this from keeping people off of what should be good public facilities...

When I ride parts of the Atlanta-Stone Mountain trail I don't always feels safe. Even in or near residential areas. :eek:
We're down in Florida and I've been riding the Withlacoochee Trail for the past month. Never felt unsafe even on the most remote/rural sections. Every day I see a park ranger or sheriff or a trail volunteer driving along the trail. Wish they did that in Atlanta. :o

I actually DID see a Trail Ranger, or whatever they call them on the Pinellas Trail the other day. I was stopped, putting a bandaide on my broken spoke...YES a bandaide. I did not want the thing flopping about, scratching up the wheel, paint or my leg. As I was doing this, the Trail Ranger stopped and asked if I needed any help. Nice of him, but not much to do without a spare spoke, freewheel puller and such! It was in the middle of the day, and there were a lot out biking. Evening is when it gets "Sketchy". It is closed at dusk anyways, at least the signs say so.

I live in Pinellas. I used to work in downtown Clearwater and had another office down in Largo. I used to walk the trail a lot during the day and when I was training for a marathon I was out on most of it between Seminole and Tarpon Springs. I never felt unsafe - but I'm a guy and I was usually on the trail during the day and not evening. There are huge sections of the north part of the trail that would be "safe" but real dark and the trail is a county "linear" park and closed after sunset.
I can see where it would be interesting to go through N. Greenwood on a dark Friday or Saturday evening...

When my younger brother lived in Clearwater as a teen, his buddy and he would ride their mini bikes around the Greenwood area with a snake wrapped around their necks. The people that lived there would clear the way for them, way back. We laugh about it to this day.

When my younger brother lived in Clearwater as a teen, his buddy and he would ride their mini bikes around the Greenwood area with a snake wrapped around their necks. The people that lived there would clear the way for them, way back. We laugh about it to this day.

I should try that here in Glasgow. Only problem is the weather's not so good for the snakes. :)

Is there a south florida bike forum? Been searching google with no luck

Is the Pinellas Trail even more dangerous than your shower?