Bradleykd

I live in Georgetown KY where there are miles of perfect roads around me to ride with rolling hills and beautiful scenery. The only problem is by driving these roads all the time I know that a lot of these hills are blind hills on blind curves with no shoulder at all. I have a 10 mile long mup close that I drive to and ride the distance and back every morning but it is getting boring.... I would love to ride the roads but it really makes me nervous when the only time I have to ride is during most peoples morning commute and I am really nervous of high speed drivers on these two lane roads. Cycling is pretty big in my town especially on these roads but I would be riding solo during a time when a lot of people are rushing.

Were you guys nervous when you first started riding or do I need to just HTFU and get over it? Are people in general respectful of your being there or do most drivers blow by like you aren't even there?

escarpment

I can totally understand your fear. I used to commute to school and work everyday in chicago in the worst traffic with crazy taxies and people everywhere.

That was nothing until I was out in the Appalachian mountains in Tennessee and was scared sh@#less of the roads there.
Ironic because the roads are smooth and beautiful but those blind corners are scary.

Wear bright colors, be aware of when and where you could get blindsided, and ride fast.

Makel

I had the same fear when I switched from MUP's to roads, and I've spoken with lots of cyclists that felt the same or still do. You get over it.

One positive about a busy road is plenty of witnesses. I wouldn't recomend taking up an entire lane by yourself. I usually hug the outside line and rarely have trouble, but quite a few of my cycling buddies disagree and feel a couple feet left of the outside lane line is best. I know that I personnaly get buzzed more when I'm not hugging the outside line.

Sometimes going a couple miles out of the way on a different road is better as well.

Bradleykd

That's another thing I couldn't decide is if I should ride the very edge or a couple feet out. There are no lines where I live... I can see the pros and cons of both. I can ride a mile and get to a road with a shoulder but there is no horses or anything to look at on that road... just cars. I have ridden it a lot even though there is 10no times the traffic, the shoulder makes it feel safer. Lol

Machka 

I started riding on the roads when I was 6 years old. Was I nervous? Don't know ... I don't remember. But I don't think I was because I have continued to ride on the roads ever since.

We've been riding MUPs a lot lately, following the Rhine Cycle Route through the Netherlands and in Germany, and I miss riding on roads. On the MUPs we've had to be 100% focused on what we're doing all the time because of the other cyclists and the changing conditions of the MUP surface. Whereas, on the roads where I've lived in Canada and Australia, I can relax a little bit and look at the scenery a little bit.

Do you have any quiet country roads in your area?

HBxRider

I won't ride on a road that has no shoulder/bike lane/sidewalk. Though if I was riding with a group of cyclists, I probably would. I see cyclist riding on twisty mountain roads with single lanes and no shoulder, and I think, damn they are brave.

rebel1916

Yes to nervous, yes to HTFU. Just ride, be aware, don't stay in the gutter, but don't take the lane for 10 miles on a twisty road during rush hour either. You will figure it out.

NZier

Road quality has little to do with peoples inability to drive. I was out on a shouldered highway the other day, signaled out into the main lane to avoid getting trapped in a turn lane at an intersection. Luckily I was a bit apprehensive of this woman who had just pulled up to the intersection, slowing my acceleration down the hill, and turns out I was right. She came bolting through the intersection, causing me to brake drastically to avoid collision. It was definitely my first time with that experience. It's not going to stop me. All you can do is put faith in your riding ability and know that you're doing everything you can to avoid a wreck and be seen. Just ride.

WC89

I ride suburban, semi-rural to rural roads. Most don't have a shoulder. Just have a white line at edge and that's it. I ride early morning on weekends which is moderately lightly traveled, and stay to far right as possible and safe. Despite no shoulders, I find that about 90% of drivers are respectful and give reasonable space when they blow by me. However, far too many drivers swing to opposite lane to pass me on a blind curve or berfore the crest of a blind hill This is very dangerous (to driver and cyclist), even suicidal for the driver. On my loops, not a lot of oncoming traffic for cars passing me to contend with, which I think makes passing me easier for them. What really makes me nervous is those rare occasions when an impatient driver passes me on a shoulderless road right at the exact moment when there's also an oncoming car and we are 3-wide for a second or two At that moment, I'm at the mercy of the passing driver's judgement of distance, and I'm hoping that the vehicle isn't too wide/big

nhluhr

One technique I use when riding on very curvy roads (with blind-ish corners) is to ride closer to the center of the lane on sharp right-hand turns. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but a driver coming around the bend will see you MUCH SOONER when you're farther left. Of course, as soon as you hear their car coming around the bend, you should also start making your way to the right. That way, they get the most notice of your presence and you give them clearance to pass if it's safe.

Namji

I would guess that the posted low speed roads would be the idea road to ride even with blind spots at least the cars that drive close to the speed limit can still react to your presence versus cars driving at 65 mph+ roads...

I live in the metro area and although we have lots of traffic I am confident in riding the streets since the speed limits are in the range of 25 - 40 mph.

SCochiller

Your fear is well-founded. I've done quite a few activities in my time, including making a couple thousand skydives, some BASE jumps and years of motorcycle riding. Riding on the roads is definitely up there as far as risk goes. Not quite as dangerous (IMO) as riding a motorcycle, but still up there.

jon c. 

I live in rural north Florida in an area rather similar in topography to yours. Statistically, I think these are the safest roads to ride on. Not a lot of driveways and cross streets, so you lose a lot of potential for right hooks and people pulling out in front of you. That's the majority of auto/bike accidents. I ride a few feet out from the edge when there's traffic and more toward the middle when there's none. 99% of the drivers I encounter leave plenty of room and are not at all aggressive toward bikes. It's rare that people buzz me close and even when it happens it's more annoyance then any real fear of being hit. Start out riding at lower traffic times and get used to the feel of the roads. Once they become 'your' roads, the fear will dissipate. You're lucky to live in such a beautiful area to ride.

jbogg

Yep. I have started doing the same thing. I am still not entirely comfortable doing it, but I beleive I am safer for it. Not only will the driver see you sooner, but I stay towards the center of the lane until I am certain they have slowed to a appropriate speed before attempting a pass. Otherwise, I have had many drivers never even tap the brakes. They just fly past on a blind curve or hill whether there is an oncoming car or not.

Campag4life

Well...first your fear is justified. Cyclists...some of them seasoned, get maimed and killed by cars every year. We lost a prolific cyclist on the 41 a few years back name sydney....he knew what he was doing.
My approach? Caution. I pick my riding venues carefully with some risk exposure. I try to stick to roads with shoulders...MUPs and dedicating bicycle roads where drivers know subconsciously that cyclists ride there.
FWIW after many years of riding a motorcycle, I sold my last one last year. Drivers today are horrendous. And not just kids texting which is a real problem. Senior citizens can take you out...as well as just a crazy soccer mom.
I suggest you pick your riding spots carefully. Blind hills with no shoulder isn't a good recipe.
Good luck to all of us.

spivonious

You'll get used to it. Just be safe and be prepared to bail into the grass if you have to. If the traffic is heavy enough, I'd actually feel safer than if it's only one car every 10 minutes. Plus, if cycling is as popular as you say, I'm sure you'll come across other cyclists on the road during rush hour.

UCIMBZ

+1. I have ridden on a mup only once in my life time. It will all come with experience. Bikes are made to be ridden to commute on open roads and you need to get out there and experience it. Colorful clothing and flashing lights help. Start with small stretches of the road and gradually build it up.

lungdoc

Add good blinky lights if you are out in either busy conditions or in poor light (near sunset etc.). I'd try to avoid commute ours on busier roads if just riding for fitness, obviously different if you need to commute. I'm fortunate to live in an area with a ton of paved side roads/concession roads that are not main traffic roads and have lots of cyclists so feels fairly safe. On downhill stretches with curves or variable pavement I'll take the lane since moving near or over limit and don't want to be passed, will move over once safe to do so. I personally like a mirror to aid in viewing the traffic.

Looigi

Definitely +1 in riding toward the center of the road on tight right turns. I ride by the motto: Be conspicuous, courteous, and not obsequious.

On lightly traveled roads, ride in the lane rather than on the shoulder and move to the shoulder as cars approach from behind. You'll stand out more to approaching cars than if you’re mixed in with the visual clutter at the side of the road. Oncoming cars that might be planning to turn left in front of you will be more likely to see you and be more aware of your speed. Cars pulling out of driveways will also see you more easily as you'll be in the lane where they are looking for and expecting traffic and will be more aware of your speed. This is particularly important when riding fast as when descending. Of course the lane often is smoother and has less debris than the shoulder.

When moving at the same speed as the traffic, don’t be shy about riding in the traffic lane.

In town with narrow roads ride in the center of the traffic lane if needed to avoid the door zone, people stepping out from between parked vehicles, especially if there is diagonal parking where a parked car can easily back into your path.

When it's time to take the lane to avoid the door zone or in preparation for making a left turn, signal your intentions and do it well in front of traffic approaching from the rear to give them plenty of time to see you and adjust appropriately. (There're a fair number of motorists who are perfectly happy to slow or stop behind a left turning car or motorcycle but get all steamed up if they have to do it behind a bicycle. There's nothing you can do about that.)

Taking the lane is sometimes appropriate to preempt a “right hook”, a passing car turning right in front of you . If you see a car approaching from behind and signaling a right turn, it may make sense to move into the lane to prevent them from passing and turning in front of you depending the relative speeds and distance to the turn.

Of course wear bright colors and use a bright blinky. Approaching drivers will be able to see you further away giving them more opportunity to see you, recognize what it is they’re seeing, and adjust appropriately.

David Bierbaum

Illinois Dept of Transportation offers maps that gauge the hazard level of roads by County. Just my luck that I live next to an orange road, which is just one step away from the red "Not recommended for bicycling". Strangely, the wide paved shoulders are pretty nice. I think it's the pedestrian-unfriendly intersections that give it the bad rating.

The roads that really frighten me, are the ones with no shoulder, but have those stupid curbs, so there's just nowhere to go if you want to get away from a nutzo driver who's texting in his/her SUV. (I have seen them do this. ) I'm lucky to live in an area where the blind corners are few and far between.

Mostly though, rather than "afraid", I'm just "paranoid". They are out to get me. They're everywhere. Lurking. Hiding. Waiting to pounce, when my attention wanders! I shall not cease my vigilance against Them! They shall not win!! (I need help, or maybe an intervention)

Machka 

Do you live in Europe where there seem to be bikelanes/bicycle paths, etc. everywhere?

If you lived where I've lived in many parts of Canada and Australia, you'd hardly ever go for a ride with those restrictions.

jeff_l_scott

I do all of my riding on suburban & rural roads (45-55mph speed limits with little or no shoulders), and my suggestions are:
- Ride as early as possible when riding in the morning
- Have good lights on your bike (helps with the early riding, too ;-) )
- Choose less used roads when possible
- Be aware of traffic patterns and avoid riding when roads are busier

Good luck!

cafzali

People hate generalizations, I know, but I've found that while people fear heavy duty trucks, as a rule commercial drivers are the most respectful on the roads, know how to handle their vehicles and will do so properly -- all without honking at you. SUV drivers, meanwhile, often don't know how to handle their 6,000-pound behemouth and will make anything getting in the way of them having complete control of a lane the enemy.

I was on a nice rural road the other day that has relatively little traffic, but does contain a compost farm that does draw some truck traffic. I was on the steepest and longest climb of the road, which qualifies as a Category 4 hill, and could hear a tractor trailer coming upon me in the distance. Unfortunately for him, he caught up to me at a curve when he couldn't go into the other lane safely. But instead of honking, he just hung back, let me have the room I needed and passed me when it was safe for him.

For better or worse, many of the roads you'll come across all around the U.S. won't really have dedicated shoulders. Given that, you have to ride sensibly and defensively. Don't be a jerk and take only the road you need to ride safely, but don't feel afraid to take the road you need in any circumstance. Courtesy and honking, you can't worry too much about, but if you ride responsibly, you'll find that's pretty much kept to a minimum.

roby

I ride alot of rural roads too, 80km speed limit during the morning commute. When cars are coming the other way (especially multiple ones or a large dump truck/18 wheeler) I'll take the middle of the road and signal "one minute" to the people coming up behind me or just put my open hand out far left as if doing a stop sign. Once it is safe to do so I move right, signal them through with a thank you. The rules of the road should be: safety first, getting somewhere second, making good time third, and I abide by this!

richard_dupp

Having been hit by a truck, I am nervous. Watching morons text and cell phone with both hands hasn't done much to build my confidence, but I still love the roads. I am just a whole lot more nervous.