Florida is worst state in the USA for bicycling (again)
04-29-09, 12:36 PM
#51
♋ ☮♂ ☭ ☯
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: 40205 'ViLLeBiLLie
Posts: 7,902
Bikes: Sngl Spd's, 70's- 80's vintage, D-tube Folder
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times
in
2 Posts
Great list of the normal drivers ! 
How about a 'bad' list too ?
How about a 'bad' list too ?
04-29-09, 12:38 PM
#52
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 3,198
Bikes: 2007 Orbea Onix, 2007 Windsor The Hour, 2008 Kona Jake
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Not all FL Rednecks are evil. You just picked the wrong team.
04-29-09, 01:00 PM
#55
VFL For Life
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 51,218
Bikes: Velo Volmobile
Mentioned: 780 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28608 Post(s)
Liked 1,856 Times
in
1,318 Posts
04-29-09, 01:08 PM
#57
Go Buckeyes!
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Columbus, Ohio. Powell.
Posts: 548
Bikes: Fuji road bike and a totally crap MTB that I use(d) for gnarly trail riding.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Ugh, don't even remind me.
__________________
No matter what happens now
You shouldn't be afraid
Because I know today has been the most perfect day I've ever seen.
- Videotape
You shouldn't be afraid
Because I know today has been the most perfect day I've ever seen.
- Videotape
R A D I O H E A D
04-29-09, 01:11 PM
#58
Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 19
Bikes: 2008 Tarmac Pro
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
DocJ,
I realize that I've taken the wrong apporach in this thread in attempt to explain to people that have never ridden here that Florida is a diverse place with some great places to ride.
So let's not tell them they can ride near Orlando around Clermont through beaucolic scenery with actual hills, and little traffic.
Or that they can ride around Ocala, and think they were in Kentucky Bluegrass country.
Or they can ride through miles of Orange gorves and along connecting lakes in Polk county.
Or that the can ride from Amelia Island to St Augustine, 75 miles along the coast with designated bikelanes, and/or bike friendly roads, with sweeping vistas of the Atlantic ocean.
Or that they can ride to Key West across miles of the Gulf of Mexico, with panoramic views, with much of it on protected bike path (and planned to soon be complete to Key West)
Or that they can ride in the Panhandle with rolling Farmland.
And lets not mention that Florida law requires the DOT to build a bike lane with every new or expanded road.
Better to simply keep it ourselves, and let them think the whole state is their stereotypical view of South Florida.
I realize that I've taken the wrong apporach in this thread in attempt to explain to people that have never ridden here that Florida is a diverse place with some great places to ride.
So let's not tell them they can ride near Orlando around Clermont through beaucolic scenery with actual hills, and little traffic.
Or that they can ride around Ocala, and think they were in Kentucky Bluegrass country.
Or they can ride through miles of Orange gorves and along connecting lakes in Polk county.
Or that the can ride from Amelia Island to St Augustine, 75 miles along the coast with designated bikelanes, and/or bike friendly roads, with sweeping vistas of the Atlantic ocean.
Or that they can ride to Key West across miles of the Gulf of Mexico, with panoramic views, with much of it on protected bike path (and planned to soon be complete to Key West)
Or that they can ride in the Panhandle with rolling Farmland.
And lets not mention that Florida law requires the DOT to build a bike lane with every new or expanded road.
Better to simply keep it ourselves, and let them think the whole state is their stereotypical view of South Florida.
04-29-09, 01:11 PM
#59
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Mixing TN fans and Gator fans isn't a good thing! ha ha ha 
As for the OT, in the Orlando area, I won't ride on the city streets. It's never been safe. The new roads are wider with a bike path but I still don't trust drivers. Old habits are hard to break. The good news is county governments are building and connecting nice trails to allow for some great rides. Plus as someone said there are some nice country roads near Clermont that are great rides.
As for the OT, in the Orlando area, I won't ride on the city streets. It's never been safe. The new roads are wider with a bike path but I still don't trust drivers. Old habits are hard to break. The good news is county governments are building and connecting nice trails to allow for some great rides. Plus as someone said there are some nice country roads near Clermont that are great rides.
04-29-09, 01:12 PM
#60
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Northern California
Posts: 10,879
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 104 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times
in
5 Posts
I bet that at least 95% of the population of California lives in snow-free parts of the state. I know that my bicycle club in northern California leads rides every day of the year.
04-29-09, 01:13 PM
#61
Junior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Central Florida
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
04-29-09, 01:24 PM
#63
Legs of Steel
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: On my bike
Posts: 1,832
Bikes: Pegoretti Marcelo, Cannondale six13
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I grew up just outside of Pensacola, FL. The riding sucks! It is so flat that a 35 mile ride feels like a 70 mile ride because you are constantly pedaling or constantly heading into a headwind. The drivers are absolutely horrible! However you have to remember that the majority of Florida residents are either rednecks or transplanted North Easterners....
I'll take TN riding anyday.
I'll take TN riding anyday.
04-29-09, 01:32 PM
#64
My idea of fun
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Gainesville, FL
Posts: 9,920
Bikes: '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '02 Kona Lavadome, '07 Giant TCR Advanced, '07 Karate Monkey
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 41 Post(s)
Liked 59 Times
in
36 Posts
I grew up just outside of Pensacola, FL. The riding sucks! It is so flat that a 35 mile ride feels like a 70 mile ride because you are constantly pedaling or constantly heading into a headwind. The drivers are absolutely horrible! However you have to remember that the majority of Florida residents are either rednecks or transplanted North Easterners....
I'll take NC riding anyday.
I'll take NC riding anyday.
04-29-09, 01:37 PM
#65
VFL For Life
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Knoxville, TN
Posts: 51,218
Bikes: Velo Volmobile
Mentioned: 780 Post(s)
Tagged: 2 Thread(s)
Quoted: 28608 Post(s)
Liked 1,856 Times
in
1,318 Posts
04-29-09, 01:38 PM
#66
175mm crank of love
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 3,387
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
04-29-09, 01:39 PM
#67
It's a Sledgehammer..
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 216
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Virutally all of Florida is temperate during the Winter. Large portions of Texas, and Calfornia don't have a climate that leads to recreational riding all year long. Doesn't Dallas get ice storms in the winter?
Certainly you can ride in Texas in the winter, but that doesn't mean there are a lot of casual cyclists and children doing it ,and those are the groups that make up the bulk of the fatalities. I'm pretty sure on a given January day there are more people cycling in So Fl than in say Dallas.
The "warm weather state" is an extremely rough proxie for level of cycling participation. Until you control for either miles, or hours, you can't have a completely accurate picture.
We also lead the nation in lightning strike deaths, because people are outside a lot in Florida.
Certainly you can ride in Texas in the winter, but that doesn't mean there are a lot of casual cyclists and children doing it ,and those are the groups that make up the bulk of the fatalities. I'm pretty sure on a given January day there are more people cycling in So Fl than in say Dallas.
The "warm weather state" is an extremely rough proxie for level of cycling participation. Until you control for either miles, or hours, you can't have a completely accurate picture.
We also lead the nation in lightning strike deaths, because people are outside a lot in Florida.
04-29-09, 01:41 PM
#68
It's a Sledgehammer..
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 216
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
DocJ,
I realize that I've taken the wrong apporach in this thread in attempt to explain to people that have never ridden here that Florida is a diverse place with some great places to ride.
So let's not tell them they can ride near Orlando around Clermont through beaucolic scenery with actual hills, and little traffic.
Or that they can ride around Ocala, and think they were in Kentucky Bluegrass country.
Or they can ride through miles of Orange gorves and along connecting lakes in Polk county.
Or that the can ride from Amelia Island to St Augustine, 75 miles along the coast with designated bikelanes, and/or bike friendly roads, with sweeping vistas of the Atlantic ocean.
Or that they can ride to Key West across miles of the Gulf of Mexico, with panoramic views, with much of it on protected bike path (and planned to soon be complete to Key West)
Or that they can ride in the Panhandle with rolling Farmland.
And lets not mention that Florida law requires the DOT to build a bike lane with every new or expanded road.
Better to simply keep it ourselves, and let them think the whole state is their stereotypical view of South Florida.
I realize that I've taken the wrong apporach in this thread in attempt to explain to people that have never ridden here that Florida is a diverse place with some great places to ride.
So let's not tell them they can ride near Orlando around Clermont through beaucolic scenery with actual hills, and little traffic.
Or that they can ride around Ocala, and think they were in Kentucky Bluegrass country.
Or they can ride through miles of Orange gorves and along connecting lakes in Polk county.
Or that the can ride from Amelia Island to St Augustine, 75 miles along the coast with designated bikelanes, and/or bike friendly roads, with sweeping vistas of the Atlantic ocean.
Or that they can ride to Key West across miles of the Gulf of Mexico, with panoramic views, with much of it on protected bike path (and planned to soon be complete to Key West)
Or that they can ride in the Panhandle with rolling Farmland.
And lets not mention that Florida law requires the DOT to build a bike lane with every new or expanded road.
Better to simply keep it ourselves, and let them think the whole state is their stereotypical view of South Florida.
04-29-09, 01:44 PM
#69
It's a Sledgehammer..
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Orlando
Posts: 216
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
04-29-09, 01:47 PM
#70
pan y agua
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,302
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1447 Post(s)
Liked 724 Times
in
371 Posts
People ride year round in lots of places. I ride year round in TX, which is NOT a cycling friendly state. I'd wager that AZ has a fair share of year round riders as well. And let's not forget CA. Most of those states are mentioned in the original article...so I think that throws your first hypothesis out the window.
Simple population is not the right denominator for the equation. Unless you've got some data regarding participation, such as hours or miles ridden, its impossible to draw firm conclusions from the statistics.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
04-29-09, 02:49 PM
#72
Senior Member
04-29-09, 03:00 PM
#73
Jet Jockey
Florida also has double the boating fatalities as Texas and California, with lower population. Does that mean that Florida is a more dangerous place to boat than Texas?
Simple population is not the right denominator for the equation. Unless you've got some data regarding participation, such as hours or miles ridden, its impossible to draw firm conclusions from the statistics.
Simple population is not the right denominator for the equation. Unless you've got some data regarding participation, such as hours or miles ridden, its impossible to draw firm conclusions from the statistics.
I think one can easily demonstrate that FL has more boaters than TX. (Though I think data comparing with CA would be interesting.) I don't think you can demonstrate that there are more cyclists on the road all the time. You are arguing from assumptions based on weather. Others have refuted those assumptions about the weather and year round cycling figures. I fail to see where you can continue to conjecture about base rate while arguing from an anecdote.
__________________
Good night...and good luck
Good night...and good luck
04-29-09, 03:06 PM
#74
pan y agua
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Jacksonville
Posts: 31,302
Bikes: Willier Zero 7; Merlin Extralight; Calfee Dragonfly tandem, Calfee Adventure tandem; Cervelo P2; Motebecane Ti Fly 29er; Motebecanne Phantom Cross; Schwinn Paramount Track bike
Mentioned: 17 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1447 Post(s)
Liked 724 Times
in
371 Posts
I think I've covered this. You can keep bringing up other, completely unrelated things if you want to though.
I think one can easily demonstrate that FL has more boaters than TX. (Though I think data comparing with CA would be interesting.) I don't think you can demonstrate that there are more cyclists on the road all the time. You are arguing from assumptions based on weather. Others have refuted those assumptions about the weather and year round cycling figures. I fail to see where you can continue to conjecture about base rate while arguing from an anecdote.
I think one can easily demonstrate that FL has more boaters than TX. (Though I think data comparing with CA would be interesting.) I don't think you can demonstrate that there are more cyclists on the road all the time. You are arguing from assumptions based on weather. Others have refuted those assumptions about the weather and year round cycling figures. I fail to see where you can continue to conjecture about base rate while arguing from an anecdote.
It is all assumptions at this point, no one, including me, has posted data about miles or hours, and without that you can't get the complete picture.
__________________
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.
You could fall off a cliff and die.
You could get lost and die.
You could hit a tree and die.
OR YOU COULD STAY HOME AND FALL OFF THE COUCH AND DIE.