Biking on the street

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threedogswc
threedogswc Posts: 37 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
where I live is not very bike friendly. I really want to ride more into town. Now I'm riding on bike specific trails but have to travel to get to them. Anyone have any tips for riding in a suburban area?
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Replies

  • coryrood
    coryrood Posts: 100 Member
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    Obey traffic laws and be courteous to vehicles since you are smaller than yhem. Hold as far right as possible.
  • threedogswc
    threedogswc Posts: 37 Member
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    Thanks so much! Do people still use hand signals?
  • SaintsFanBob
    SaintsFanBob Posts: 17 Member
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    Surprisingly most motorist are very good with people sharing the road on bikes so go for it. Make sure your helmet is on tight, get a helmet mounted mirror (trust me!) and YES hand signals still work well! Be safe.
  • threedogswc
    threedogswc Posts: 37 Member
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    Good advice on the mirror. I'll look for that. Thanks!
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    I ride on the road all the time and in Oklahoma which I think is like 47th or something on the "bike friendly states" list.

    Tips
    1. No your routes. By this, I mean plan your routes out if you are unfamiliar to make sure you are on as bike friendly as possible roads.
    2. Obey traffic laws
    3. Remember that the car will always win if you should "meet". :)
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    assume they don't see you. make yourself visible.
  • SaintsFanBob
    SaintsFanBob Posts: 17 Member
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    I looked on Amazon and found this one that was less than $20 and got great reviews and I LOVE IT! Just a suggestion on one: http://amzn.to/1T3pHsh
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    I use hand signals for turning. I don't tend to think motorists recognize the signal for "stop", although I'll flash it sometimes.

    I also wear high vis clothing (generally a construction worker vest over whatever else I'm wearing, though I have some expensive running/biking wear too) and run head/taillights when I think appropriate. I've actually had someone stop me when I was walking into the gym in my dark morning bike gear and thank me for being so visible to her as a driver. So it's at least helpful to drivers who are paying attention (although it's generally the distracted ones who are the problem).

    If the road is one lane in each direction and there is not enough room for you and a car to be comfortably side-by-side (and insufficient shoulder), TAKE THE LANE. Ride in the middle. Yes, you'll make the cars behind you grumpy. But hugging the outer line in a case like this is an invitation to get accidentally sideswiped. Remember, the people who are going to try to pass you in a case like that, are exactly the drivers aggressive/rushed enough to misjudge the distance and, honestly, care more about getting where they're going than YOUR safety.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    cheshirecatastrophe wrote: »

    If the road is one lane in each direction and there is not enough room for you and a car to be comfortably side-by-side (and insufficient shoulder), TAKE THE LANE. Ride in the middle. Yes, you'll make the cars behind you grumpy. But hugging the outer line in a case like this is an invitation to get accidentally sideswiped. Remember, the people who are going to try to pass you in a case like that, are exactly the drivers aggressive/rushed enough to misjudge the distance and, honestly, care more about getting where they're going than YOUR safety.


    That's a good point. Just want to echo it. Don't be afraid to take the entire lane. It's inevitable that cars will get angry/impatient with you at some point. Pay them no mind.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    Wear bright colors.

    Ride on the sidewalk if you don't feel safe.

    Bicycle Street Smarts:
    http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/

    How to ride on the street:
    http://antranik.org/how-to-ride-your-bicycle-safely-on-the-street/
  • threedogswc
    threedogswc Posts: 37 Member
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    This is all great advice thanks everyone! :)
  • threedogswc
    threedogswc Posts: 37 Member
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    SaintsFanBob wrote: »
    I looked on Amazon and found this one that was less than $20 and got great reviews and I LOVE IT! Just a suggestion on one: http://amzn.to/1T3pHsh

    Thank you!!!
  • threedogswc
    threedogswc Posts: 37 Member
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    Cherimoose wrote: »
    Wear bright colors.

    Ride on the sidewalk if you don't feel safe.

    Bicycle Street Smarts:
    http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/

    How to ride on the street:
    http://antranik.org/how-to-ride-your-bicycle-safely-on-the-street/

    It's so surprising to me that there are no bike lanes in town. Especially being a college town.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
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    Obey all traffic laws. That means stay in your lane, stop for red lights and stop signs.

    Realize that you are operating a street legal vehicle with all the same rights and responsibilities of other vehicle operators.

    While you have all the same rights as larger vehicles, in a collision, you will lose!

    Use a mirror, use hand signals, have lights front and rear.

    Wear a helmet.

    Riding on sidewalks is far more dangerous than riding in the street. People normally pull across sidewalks and cross walks before looking for cross traffic. If you are traveling the sidewalk at 15 mph when that car exits their drive, you will get seriously injured and the driver will profess they never saw you.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
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    around here people can get tickets for riding on the sidewalk
  • threedogswc
    threedogswc Posts: 37 Member
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    Yeh I'm wondering about that. I'll have to check
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    You may find this free guide of use:

    Guide to Cycle Commuting

    It is written from a UK perspective so you may have to adapt it to conform with your local traffic laws but it involves some good advice on adopting primary and secondary positions on the road, care when overtaking large vehicles such as trucks and not riding too close to the kerb.
  • gobonas99
    gobonas99 Posts: 1,049 Member
    edited August 2015
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    do NOT ride on the sidewalk. That is actually against the law in most places (although enforcement obviously varies a LOT).

    I hope it goes without saying, but ride WITH traffic....wear a helment....do NOT wear headphones, do NOT use your cellphone/ipod/etc (biking while texting/talking - I've seen it...very dangerous).

    If there is a shoulder or bike lane to ride in, use that. If you need to take the lane, look behind you before doing so. If you need to take the lane, TAKE the lane - don't try to hug the white line. Make left turns from the left most lane (look behind you before changing lanes, and signal your lane change). Use hand signals (bearing in mind that most motorists don't remember the CORRECT ones - left arm out with hand up or down, most take for "stopping" - for right turns, I actually point to the right with my right hand...it's a clearer signal to the motorists behind me or stopped at the intersection that I'm turning at than the correct signal).

    Try to maintain your line and not swerve around (ie to avoid holes/grates). Look out ahead of you to try and spot hazards early, so you can deliberately ride around them, rather than swerve at the last minute.

    Get a mirror. I prefer a handlebar mounted one, but they also make helmet mounted ones (I tried it and couldn't see as well).

    Get high intensity LED lights - front and rear. Use them night (on steady) AND day (flashing) to make you more visible.

    Wear hi-vis clothing with reflective accents.

    Hope that helps! :)
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    I always assume that every motorist is trying to kill me (in all my years of cycling I've actually only come across one real psycho...) or that they're blind, one of the thing i do is ride with a flashing white LED light showing to the front & flashing red LED to the rear day & night, the only exception is when I'm racing on a closed course.

    Make yourself visible!
  • Roza42
    Roza42 Posts: 246 Member
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    I would check the rules in PA. In CA you can ride in the crosswalk to make left turns. When I am on a slower bike on fast streets, I do this.

    I don't use the DMV hand signals because 1) drivers often seem confused by them and 2) they were developed for use from cars before turn signals existed. I will point right or left for turns.

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