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PEDESTRIAN
SAFETY
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Share trails with bicyclists and skaters.
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Please stay on the side of the pathway that
is marked for pedestrians.
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If walking abreast with a partner, make room
or step aside to allow other pedestrians
to pass you.
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If you must walk on the side marked for
bicyclists and skaters, please look
both ways and watch for these users. They cannot stop and/or
maneuver
as quickly as you.
SKATER
SAFETY
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Always use the bicycle side of the trail.
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Slower skaters should keep to the right and always pass
on the left.
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Give an audible warning before you pass.
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Do not wear a music headset.
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Wear safety equipment., such as helmets, knee pads and elbow pads.
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Always be courteous to other trail users.
BICYCLE
SAFETY
In
Florida, the bicyclist is legally defined as a vehicle and must obey
the same traffic laws as the operators of other vehicles. These laws
include: stopping for stop signs and red lights, riding with the flow
of traffic, and yielding the right-of-way when entering a roadway. For
more information on traffic laws for bicyclists, see Chapter
316 of the Florida Statutes.
Bicyclists are expected to treat all trail users with care and
respect. Strict adherence to the Law is the foundation for this
respect
Bicycle Regulations
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Obey all traffic controls and signals.
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No bicycle may be used to carry more persons at one time than the
number for
which it is designed or equipped, except adults carrying
children in a
child carrier.
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At least one hand must be kept on the handlebars while riding.
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Parents and guardians must not knowingly allow a child or minor ward
to violate
any provision of this section.
Roadway
Position
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On
trails, bicyclists should keep to the right side of the section of
pathway that is marked for them.
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A bicyclist may leave the right-most portion of the pathway in the
following situations: to pass, to make a left turn, to avoid
hazards, or when a lane is too narrow for a bicyclist to share it safely.
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When you ride abreast with a partner, move into single file to allow
other cyclists or skaters to pass. If you are forced into riding on
the side marked for pedestrians, please yield to them. Pedestrians have
the right-of-way in their designated lane.
Signaling Turns
Headsets
Failure to Yield
One of the most common accidents is caused by failure on
the part of the bicyclist to yield the right-of-way at driveways and
intersections.
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Ride defensively.
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Never assume the driver of a motorized vehicle sees you
or will yield the right-of-way.
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Do your part in avoiding collisions with other
bicyclists, pedestrians and skaters.
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Always signal your intention.
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Give audible warnings before passing.
Scanning Tips
Like most riding skills, scanning to the rear takes
practice. If you have trouble looking over your shoulder without
swerving, try the following:
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Get a friend to hold your handlebars while you sit on the bike. Look
over your left
shoulder, keep both hands on the handlebars, and notice what
your hands,
arms and shoulders are doing. Your left side is probably
pulling back
on the handlebar.
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After a little practice at moving only your head, find an empty
parking lot and try it
while riding in a straight line. Then try dropping your left hand
and resting
it on your thigh while looking over your shoulder and
coasting for
a while.
SAFETY
EQUIPMENT
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Nearly 75% of all bicycle related deaths are the result of head
injuries.
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The use of
helmets would prevent many of these fatalities.
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Gloves provide protection for hands in case of a fall.
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Use a rearview mirror to keep track of traffic approaching from
behind.
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Bicycle riding requires total concentration. Do not add to
distractions by trying to
carry things in your hands. Use a carrier.
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