RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Jan 20, 2017 11:56:16 GMT -8
With very few exceptions, riding a bicycle on the road shoulder is not a good option for the bicyclist. The shoulder collects all the debris which gets swept off the roadway by the vehicular traffic. And in order to avoid the trash on the shoulder, the cyclist often has no option but to ride out into the roadway. Riding out into the roadway and back onto the shoulder is dangerous. It is better for a cyclist to remain in the roadway rather than moving back and forth to avoid trash. The shoulder is no better an option for the cyclist than it is for the motor cyclist or a vehicle.
One of the things cyclists are taught, if they ever receive instruction, is to be predictable. That means not moving around all over the place. If riding in a single paceline, the riders should all move out and back about the same rather than one or two moving way out. The idea about being predictable is simply so as to not surprise others in traffic. We do this with our autos all the time and even though a bike is much smaller and more maneuverable, the rider should be disciplined to ride in a relative straight line instead of weaving all over the place.
Rumi
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jan 20, 2017 13:42:40 GMT -8
My experience is that motorcyclists are among the least considerate when passing my on our narrow roads. And the ironic thing is they get so upset when a vehicle does the same to them. That is why one would think that they would be aware of the issues and show more respect to bicycles. Rumi Exactly. But no.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jan 20, 2017 13:48:04 GMT -8
a pragmatic solution would be to ban bicycles from SOME roads and highways, on SOME days and or times of day To some degree, this is what we already have. There are roads where bikes are prohibited (though I don't think I've seen any with set times when you can or can't ride on them), for whatever reasons. There are other places where riding is non-optimal, but there is only one road option anywhere near, so it's not practical to ban bikes. In those cases, I wish that they would make better accommodations for bikes. Usually those who want to ban bikes from this place or that see bikes as toys, not as transportation. I will admit that I do a lot of my riding for fitness, not transport (though I'd argue that's better than driving to the gym). But I also do a fair amount of riding because I need to be somewhere, and my husband and son commute daily (only reason I don't commute by bike is because I walk instead). When you accept that a bicycle is a legitimate form of transport both for adults and for those too young to drive, you have to look at them a little differently.
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Post by autumnmist on Jan 20, 2017 13:59:23 GMT -8
If the perceived issue is accidents from bycicle/vehicle interaction, I would submit that vehicles have the potential for more accidents b/c of irresponsible or inattentive drivers.
In my area, in the first 1.5 miles or so from my home, I can usually expect to be (a) followed closely (as in literally a few feet away from the rear of my car) when driving the speed limit by someone who wants to exceed it; (b) hit by someone who's run a stop sign or red light or (c) hit by someone who's texting while driving, despite some local ordinances which require both hands on the wheel while driving.
A few days ago 3 cars right in a row ran a red light - just drove right through it w/o slowing down. Fortunately, it was in a left turn only area so there was no oncoming traffic.
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Post by rustyshackleford on Jan 20, 2017 14:14:21 GMT -8
This won't be a favorable opinion...while i haven't thought about it thoroughly, but i believe there are many roads that bicyclists don't belong on. Where i live, there are mountain roads everywhere that bicyclists use. They create traffic backups and dangerous situations. Countless times I've come around a turn to find i have to firmly stop to stay behind a bike until i can pass. If the bicycles were for transportation, that's a different story. But a hobby shouldn't disrupt traffic, especially when it is that dangerous to the rider. Public funds are used to build roads for transportation, not for leisure activities. What if i wanted to inline skate on the hwy? Would that be acceptable? I sympathize with you because road biking is a hobby that cannot be done without public roads unless you live in a large metro area where the city builds bike long distance trails (I've seen a lot of these by RRs). I love inline skating but accept that it should not be done on many roads. Same goes for bikes. Again, this is my opinion, just offering and alternate perspective.
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Post by autumnmist on Jan 20, 2017 16:47:00 GMT -8
Public funds are used to build roads for transportation, not for leisure activities. I think you mean this very literally, but transportation on roads is most certainly a function of roads, streets and highways; I think probably every one of us here uses publicly funded transportation to get to areas of leisure. I do understand the distinction between biking and inline skating on roads, though, but I don't believe I've ever seen a skater on a road, at least not in any area I've traveled in. I also think there are areas in which bikes are used for transportation.
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Post by hikerjer on Jan 20, 2017 17:41:32 GMT -8
When you accept that a bicycle is a legitimate form of transport both for adults and for those too young to drive, you have to look at them a little differently. I think we are long way from that in most of the country. Europe is far ahead of us in that regard.
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Post by Lamebeaver on Jan 21, 2017 12:14:41 GMT -8
What if you were riding your bike to school and were attacked by a grizzly bear?
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Post by hikerjer on Jan 21, 2017 12:20:23 GMT -8
What if you were riding your bike to school and were attacked by a grizzly bear? You have absolutely no idea how fast I can ride. :D
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Post by bradmacmt on Jan 21, 2017 12:38:58 GMT -8
What if you were riding your bike to school and were attacked by a grizzly bear? Well, I'd still say bear spray is your best, first-line of defense for a bike-attacking grizzly, with a properly loaded handgun for the second-line of defense. We should undoubtedly debate the merits of 1st and 2nd lines of defense for bike mauling grizzlies for at least 6 pages, as well as for the "best" bear spray, and firearm.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2017 12:48:55 GMT -8
This won't be a favorable opinion...while i haven't thought about it thoroughly, but i believe there are many roads that bicyclists don't belong on. Where i live, there are mountain roads everywhere that bicyclists use. They create traffic backups and dangerous situations. Countless times I've come around a turn to find i have to firmly stop to stay behind a bike until i can pass. Same here. It seems many pick the absolute worst places to ride. Physics apply here.....think 1/2 mass x velocity2...or even mass times velocity. The bicyclist can't win in this situation. Come around a blind curve running the legal speed limit and suddenly a slow moving bicycle is there.....not good. There should be a minimum speed required in certain places....just like on the interstate system.
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Post by atvtuner on Jan 21, 2017 12:54:18 GMT -8
What if you were riding your bike to school and were attacked by a grizzly bear? That's a no-schwinn situation.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Jan 22, 2017 10:35:17 GMT -8
This won't be a favorable opinion...while i haven't thought about it thoroughly, but i believe there are many roads that bicyclists don't belong on. Where i live, there are mountain roads everywhere that bicyclists use. They create traffic backups and dangerous situations. Countless times I've come around a turn to find i have to firmly stop to stay behind a bike until i can pass. Same here. It seems many pick the absolute worst places to ride. Physics apply here.....think 1/2 mass x velocity2...or even mass times velocity. The bicyclist can't win in this situation. Come around a blind curve running the legal speed limit and suddenly a slow moving bicycle is there.....not good. There should be a minimum speed required in certain places....just like on the interstate system. I could go along with this...IF you find and maintain reasonable alternative routes for cyclists, and if that road is the main auto route (eg., there's a 2-lane highway over a pass, and also an old single-lane route. In which case, of course, if the pavement is at all maintained on the small old road, that's where the bikes will be anyway. If you choose that route over the highway, deal with it). If you just want to get bikes off the scenic roads you like to drive for your own pleasure, and there are no better roads, then I have little sympathy. When possible, I use small, little-traveled roads. That does mean that there are no shoulders, since few secondary roads have them, so a car that has also chosen that road might just have to cope. They have the option of taking the highway that is illegal or inappropriate for my bike.
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RumiDude
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Post by RumiDude on Jan 22, 2017 11:05:12 GMT -8
When possible, I use small, little-traveled roads. What many drivers in vehicles lose sight of is that most cyclists do not enjoy riding roads which are dangerous or present significant hazards. For instance it is a real test of nerves to ride a shoulderless two lane highway which has a lot of heavy truck traffic, believe me. Many times the things cyclists do are done to make it safer for themselves. I would say the greatest danger to bike riders on two lane highways is vehicles not giving them enough room when they go around a bike. Quite often vehicles just try to squeeze past the rider. It is the same reason motorcyclists often ride on the left side of the lane they are in or ride two abreast, to make vehicles passing them move over into the next lane in order to get around them. Bicycle riders are quite aware of their precarious position on the road in relation to all the fast moving and hundreds of times heavier vehicles they share the road with. They are well aware of what would likely happen to them in a collision with a vehicle. With very few exceptions, cyclists are not out trying to impede traffic or piss off drivers. So when passing, give a cyclist plenty of room when you go around, at least three feet. Slow down when you approach one. And most of all, be a friendly driver. Rumi
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2017 11:32:37 GMT -8
If you just want to get bikes off the scenic roads you like to drive for your own pleasure, and there are no better roads, then I have little sympathy. When possible, I use small, little-traveled roads. That does mean that there are no shoulders, since few secondary roads have them, so a car that has also chosen that road might just have to cope. Actually, an old friend, and prominent local dentist, who rode the back roads to work, some 20 miles each day, was struck and killed by a young lady who simply didn't see him. wkrn.com/2014/12/01/lewisburg-dentist-killed-in-bicycle-accident/He was planning his retirement, and he would of had a good one. Just because you can, doesn't mean it's a good idea.
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