Watch out for bicycles too.

[dodge man]

My bike has a headlight and a taillight, I also added a rear flashing light. I wear a high visibility vest from my surveying days and a high visibility helmet.

 

[WilliamBos]

I recently got into biking again in my retirement. I’ve ridden a little over a 1000 miles in the last 4 months. Most of this has been on rural paved roads near my house. It seems like once a week someone does something stupid around me, usually passing where they shouldn’t be. Someone went through and compiled a GIS type format on bike deaths for last year. Usually several hundred die every year, and 25% are the hit and run variety. This is just the deaths that could be found from news sources, there are probably more.

I tend to ride on low traffic roads and stay as far to the right as possible but a lot of states have a law that gives the bike the right to the entire traffic lane. Most people are pretty good about being safe but not everyone. I see lots of signs about seeing motorcycles and farm tractors, don’t forget bicycles also.

I too just got back on a mountain bike, after a 30 year hiatus. Orderd a Norco Fluid HT2 early last June, but lucked out and was able to pick up a Norco Fluid HT1 in August.

I absolutely love it, it is laid up for the winter, getting ready for next spring. I have a few upgrades plans for next winter.

As for the roads, I ride hard topcountry roads, will hit so e gravel and teails next season.

I added a Serlas Thunderbolt LED rear beacon to mine, rechargeble And bright.

 

[CobyRupert]

That is where people have had problems. It put people in the on coming lane in danger of a head on. The people in the on coming lane almost had to stop a couple of times. I’ve mentality counted off the seconds the person would have to wait to pass me in a safer area, it’s usually less than 10 seconds.

Usually there’s no problems when you meet or get passed by a single car on rural roads. I always.try to share the road (MY lane) when riding bike and stay to the right so the car can pass. The problem is when a car is trying to pass you and there’s oncoming traffic and the car wants to make it a “3 wide” scenario.

Here’s a technique for that situation that keeps everybody safe:
Don’t share YOUR lane. When a car is approaching and there’s an oncoming car, occupy YOUR lane so that the traffic behind can’t pass and you don’t have a 3 wide scenario.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

A neighbor and his wife were into weight loss and bicycles. They both got ran over way out on a country road. Driver ain't had no insurance because he was a baby daddy. They both lived but no bikes anymore. They had them special bicycle helmets and wearing bright go fast outfits too, reflectors on the bike. No match for the 76 impala with big wheels on it. The guy went 50' in the air. The woman was damaged pretty good too.

 

[jwinner]

I love biking on rail trails…roads not so much but sometimes I need or want to get somewhere on a bike. I have a Montague Allston folding bike that I take in my experimental airplane - so it’s the only ground transportation I have on the road. Please don’t kill me!

 

[MossyDell]

Anyone who never walks or rides, or hasn't in a long time, tends to lack awareness of walkers, bicyclers, and riders. By awareness I basically mean respect for how vulnerable they are and feel.

My wife and I walk on the unpaved country road adjacent to our house, and while most drivers are fine and even return our waves, some don't slow down or get over at all. It is a 1.5 lane road. Our policy is to get way over, off the road if we can, and we usually stop and wait. But some people drive so fast it's only a matter of time before they hit rolling gravel and wreck.

 

[Jstpssng]

My bike has a headlight and a taillight, I also added a rear flashing light. I wear a high visibility vest from my surveying days and a high visibility helmet.

There are a few women in town who like to walk, they also dress in that high vis clothing. I have thanked each of them when I had the chance; it makes them so much easier to see.
Like many (most?) states, we are required to give cyclists and pedestrians 3 feet when passing. At 50mph that isn’t enough. I will do my best to give you a full lane, even if it means slowing until I have a clear lane. That gets rather frustrating though when there’s long lines of traffic both ways and the cyclist is too important to move over, even when he has a clear breakdown lane.

 

[ning]

As an occasional bicyclist (on country roads), I much prefer someone doing a fast pass 3-4' away from me to practically stopping behind me (while I hug the edge of the pavement) because they don't have sight to use the entire other lane.

A quick pass is far safer than a slow pass where a sudden appearance of another car is likely to send them in my direction...

 

[Jstpssng]

As an occasional bicyclist (on country roads), I much prefer someone doing a fast pass 3-4' away from me to practically stopping behind me (while I hug the edge of the pavement) because they don't have sight to use the entire other lane.

A quick pass is far safer than a slow pass where a sudden appearance of another car is likely to send them in my direction...

I don't do slow passes. I only will go by if I know that I have room to do so, and can give you most of the lane.
Several years ago I was coming out of the woods and came upon two kids on one bike going the same direction in my lane, which a coworker had just passed. I slowed and pulled into the other lane... just as they switched to the other side of the road, oblivious that I was there. I had a clear line of sight and it's just luck that I had slowed down; the only reason I didn't hit them is because I don't trust kids on bikes.

 

[Code54]

The one thing to remember is it is sometime difficult to see cars behind you and even hear them on a bike. I always right to the far right and try and watch my mirrors but often bike mirrors are not ideal - it is nothing like a car mirror. Also on a road bike you are watching the road FAR closer than any other vehicle. You have a tire that is maybe ¾ of an inch wide - a good crack, pothole, or even leaves can cause a major issue or crash. My road bike tires make riding a motorcycle on the road feel like im in a monster truck.
Add to everything else that with a helmet on you have a LOT of wind noise if you are going at a decent clip. Today I did a ride and on the flats run at 15-18mph - that makes a LOT of wind noise. Plus on top of the wind noise you have some mechanical noise of the bike and sometimes you dont hear quieter cars approaching from behind.
This is why people do need to give bikes some space and pay attention.

 

[RandyT]

Usually there’s no problems when you meet or get passed by a single car on rural roads. I always.try to share the road (MY lane) when riding bike and stay to the right so the car can pass. The problem is when a car is trying to pass you and there’s oncoming traffic and the car wants to make it a “3 wide” scenario.

Here’s a technique for that situation that keeps everybody safe:
Don’t share YOUR lane. When a car is approaching and there’s an oncoming car, occupy YOUR lane so that the traffic behind can’t pass and you don’t have a 3 wide scenario.

And that is the scenario that was made legal a few years back in Illinois. Basically a third lane down the center of the highway in a no passing zone while straddling the double yellow line.

 

[cqaigy2]

I love those lights on bicycles, the more the better, i think. Plus if they are rideing in areas where it's sun and shade, i think they should be on.

Also some lights on the sides would be nice, that way when they are crossing in front of you, it makes them more visible.

I've not ridding bicycle on paved road in ages, but off road riding is fun, though that's been awhile now too.

 

[Fixastuff]

The one thing to remember is it is sometime difficult to see cars behind you and even hear them on a bike. I always right to the far right and try and watch my mirrors but often bike mirrors are not ideal - it is nothing like a car mirror. Also on a road bike you are watching the road FAR closer than any other vehicle. You have a tire that is maybe ¾ of an inch wide - a good crack, pothole, or even leaves can cause a major issue or crash. My road bike tires make riding a motorcycle on the road feel like im in a monster truck.
Add to everything else that with a helmet on you have a LOT of wind noise if you are going at a decent clip. Today I did a ride and on the flats run at 15-18mph - that makes a LOT of wind noise. Plus on top of the wind noise you have some mechanical noise of the bike and sometimes you dont hear quieter cars approaching from behind.
This is why people do need to give bikes some space and pay attention.

That why I ride my MTB on the road. Going 10-13mph on a knobby MTB is the same workout as 15-18 on a skinny tire road bike. And I can pop wheelies if I want

 

[big bubba]

I used to ride the road a lot...exercise, to work, school, play, etc. Then came "smartphones" and "in dash infotainment" systems. That's the end of my road biking. Doesn't matter what the law is at this point with so many distracted drivers. If you still insist on the risk you should at least use hi-vis clothing, bright flashing front and back lights even in full daylight. ...and good luck

agree..add your comments to outdated narrow infrastructure roads w/more traffic volume, plus all the power & distracting creature comforts of vehicles today contributes to dangerous rider safety. watch out for those long extending mirrors on the monstrous pickups too. (hard to do when it's behind you :-(

 

[9973720wb19]

I would never ride bikes recrationally on paved roads nor would i alow minors to.

might as well say stop running on the road while your at it. Cycling is one of the few exercises one can do well into old age. Exercise is vital to good health and long life. I've been cycling on the road for close to 30 years. This year I have logged in 8,800 miles. if motorist would just think about cyclist differently when they approach...rather than looking at us like a stick in the road or annoying impediment that might slow you down a few seconds, think this way...hey there's a father, and/or a husband on a bike...let me slow down and give him some room. oh, and if you don't know what it's like to have a car wiz closely by at 30-40mph ask you wife to do it to you while you ride.

 

[9973720wb19]

if you're really into road riding and want to be a bit safer, they make a radar / tail light for bikes. it bluetooths to your Garmin computer. you can see cars coming up behind you as dots on your Garmin. it will beep and give all clear when traffic clears. it's not cheap - look it up if interested.

 

[tradosaurus]

I recently got into biking again in my retirement. I’ve ridden a little over a 1000 miles in the last 4 months. Most of this has been on rural paved roads near my house. It seems like once a week someone does something stupid around me, usually passing where they shouldn’t be. Someone went through and compiled a GIS type format on bike deaths for last year. Usually several hundred die every year, and 25% are the hit and run variety. This is just the deaths that could be found from news sources, there are probably more.

I tend to ride on low traffic roads and stay as far to the right as possible but a lot of states have a law that gives the bike the right to the entire traffic lane. Most people are pretty good about being safe but not everyone. I see lots of signs about seeing motorcycles and farm tractors, don’t forget bicycles also.

My wife and I just bought new mountain bikes. We live in a rural area and I briefly though about riding on some of the low traffic rural roads but thought better of it. We will just haul our bikes to specific bike trails around the county each week.

 

[ArlyA]

Just for the folks who like statistics. Per mile, you are much more likly to be ridng your bike and have an accident that puts you in a ER while on a bike trail, than on a road. Good figure!

 

[tradosaurus]

Just for the folks who like statistics. Per mile, you are much more likly to be ridng your bike and have an accident that puts you in a ER while on a bike trail, than on a road. Good figure!

That statistic is more for hard core trail riders who ride fast and like to make jumps. Doubt its for the light duty rider.

 

[dodge man]

I added a rear view mirror right after I got my bike. The wind noise can block sounds.

I read an article, I don’t know if I buy it, saying the flashing lights on the back of a bike aren’t safer. The talked about the “moth affect” that might actually make people drive towards it.