TimothyH

This is just silly.

If you are getting flats then you are riding on tires worn tires, should have already been replaced.

If you are sliding off the road on curves then you are out of control or, as above, your tires should have been replaced long ago.


-Tim-

osco53

That's what I do, the other reason I hate crowded streets Is I feel breathing In all that exhaust poison Is quietly killing us. I feel no benefit to my health riding in the carbon monoxide river that floats along near traffic, silent, deadly, mostly undetectable and trapped near the roads due to topography and buldings. Me breathing deeply holding a 80 rpm cadence.
And Cancer rates per 1,000 rise, have been for quite some time now. Could this be a factor ? Ya think ?

I ride regularly mid day some days,
In the Woods,
With nothing but clean air,
No sounds,
No people,
Mountain bikes rule

canklecat

I was referring to brand new racing tires 30+ years ago. Totally different situation. Today's tires are much better in every way.

fietsbob

Go for your Ride while Most people are sitting inside watching the Foot Ball games .. on TV (or In the Stadium )

DaveQ24

I haven't actually given much thought to riding in vehicle exhaust - mainly because My schedule really doesn't allow me to ride during "normal" traffic hours anyway. But I'm sure even in relatively "clean" air it would be a medical concern for anyone with compromised lung function at a minimum.

Could you imagine trying to ride (or just live) in some of these mega-polluted cities like Beijing or Jakarta? Must be terrible.

EnjoyinTheRide

I personally dont road cycle not in the sense of what really goes on. But I would say that I could understand families and friends having concern because even I as a driver get nervous passing cyclists, particularly in the larger groups. And lets be honest there is a lot out of your control. I mean you have traffic coming behind you, passing you within feet, sometimes going beyond speed limits (vehicles). And let me throw the worse thing out here in that lets add texting while driving, cell phoning while driving and with all the new gadgets (cameras, tv's etc) they put in these vehicles theres more distraction for drivers.

I get the sense that the majority of cyclists do ride on the roads they feel comfortable on and do it as responsible as one can. But families and friends might not get that part of it as easy as the "drivers" side most understand.....

Joe Minton

I ride every day, at least 10 miles. My bike is my car (mostly). I live in a sub-urban city (Newbury Park, CA). The folks here are largely courteous law-abiders and treat us cyclists with respect; on the whole we return that courtesy.

Still – There Are Times:

Folks going to work in the morning (7:30 – 9 O’clock) or going home in the afternoon (3 – 5:30) are often dangerous drivers, the worst being those who are also dropping off or picking up kids. --- I, being retired, try to get my riding in between those times or late night/early morning.

The worst worst are also using their cell phones. These drivers need to be treated precisely like drunk drivers. There are growing stats to support this contention.

I simply don’t ride during the few days leading up to a holiday, Christmas shoppers being the 'worstest' of them all, at least around here.

I dress like a clown: bright lime/yellow/orange shirts and bright helmets (one green, one lime yellow). My street bikes (3) are fitted with bright blinking lights and reflective tape (3M Scotchlite). I have mirrors and use them constantly. The folks know me by how I look and now I have friends, who wave and smile, whom I’ve never really ‘met’.

I am as courteous as I can manage but do not hesitate to ‘take the lane’ when it is the safest thing to do. Most drivers seem to understand this and tolerate being held up a bit for a few tens of yards. When this does happen, I acknowledge them and wave thanks. This may seem like some fantasy but if it is, it is a fantasy of our own making by me and my extended neighborhood. We do have painted bike lanes and “Sharrows” but they would mean nothing if it were not for the sense of community we (drivers and bikers) have built.

Yeah, we have A-holes like many of you do and I’ve had to deal with a couple of road-ragers. It did not go well for either of them. --- Don’t forget your pepper spray ;o)

Joe

Biker395 

Oh, no question. And that's what I keep telling myself. I ride about 10,000 miles a year, but about 65% of that is on bike paths and MUPs. The other 35% is typically on low trafficked mountain roads. Those are among the safest places to ride a bike.

I've been at this for some 30 years now too, and I've learned a thing or two about keeping safe. I use a rear view mirror, use lights even in daytime, take the lane when it's needed, and ride defensively.

Those factors put me at less risk then a lot of cyclists.

But at the same time, 10,000 miles a year is a lot of miles, and the more you ride, the higher the probability of a serious injury. My one serious injury was because of an equipment failure (blown tire), but I know others who have been hit by deer and all kinds of weird stuff.

I just do my best to ride safely, and hope and pray for the best. I even got one of these for my downtube.



But ultimately, it is still a risk. It's just one I am willing to take.

Daniel4

I think there was a study indicating the cyclist in traffic (and the pedestrians on the adjacent sidewalks) still recieves more fresh air than the motorists inside their cars on the same streets.

Daniel4

. However the perception of cycling safety, I am perplexed that knowing there are and will be motorist collisions every day in every major city, plus the cost of car ownership and the inconvenience of congestion, people still get in there cars and take those risks.

Eveready

I ride to keep in relatively good shape.
But July a year ago I got hurt on the job and couldn't ride for 6 months.
Tore bicep tendon on left arm and I gained about 40 pounds.
I finally got back to riding up to 35 miles.
Then a couple weeks ago I got hurt at work again !
Tore up my right shoulder, will find out Thursday if the tendon needs surgery.
I always worry when I am riding in traffic, but have never had an accident there.
Just kinda ironic that I have been working for over 40 years and never been hurt until these last 2 years.
Maybe I should worry more about getting hurt on the job and less about riding in traffic !

MinnMan

Good idea. I do that. Only trouble is that I live near the stadium. If I time my return wrong, I'm sharing the road with a bunch of drunk people leaving the tailgate parties.

Jim from Boston

Quote:

Originally Posted by EnjoyinTheRide

I personally don’t road cycle not in the sense of what really goes on. But I would say that I could understand families and friends having concern because even I as a driver get nervous passing cyclists, particularly in the larger groups. And let’s be honest there is a lot out of your control. I mean you have traffic coming behind you, passing you within feet, sometimes going beyond speed limits (vehicles). And let me throw the worse thing out here in that let’s add texting while driving, cell phoning while driving and with all the new gadgets (cameras, tv's etc) they put in these vehicles there's more distraction for drivers.

I get the sense that the majority of cyclists do ride on the roads they feel comfortable on and do it as responsible as one can. But families and friends might not get that part of it as easy as the "drivers" side most understand.....

Generally I get kudos or just indifference towards my cycling, mostly as a year-round commuter here in Metro Boston, even after my serious accident four years ago. The most hostile remarks, particularly in Winter, are from those drivers who fear for themselves to hit me.

Of course I contend with their fears using many of those talking points as mentioned above. One soft argument I read on Bikeforums is that cycling in traffic really does look dangerous to car drivers ensconced in their vehicles. Personally I feel pretty safe, well-lit, with unlimited vision with mirrors, and pretty nimble on my bike. Nonetheless, I’m totally attentive to the cars around me, and I have a number of safety aphorisms in my mind to keep me alert (e.g., “Like a weapon, consider every stopped car loaded, with an occupant ready to exit (from either side).”).

Once though, I was standing on a busy intersection (Massachusetts and Commonwealth Aves) one Saturday night watching some happy-go-lucky student-type cyclists on Hubway Bike Share bikes, no helmets, riding along and laughing in traffic, and I thought to myself that really does look dangerous.

Lucillle

I would not ever make hostile remarks. But I still remember the time, several decades ago, when I was going by car to my job as a nurse. It was barely light, as I needed to be at work at 7AM. There was a patch of thin ice, and I did not see it, and patches like that are unusual here. Nevertheless, I was driving slowly. When I hit the patch I skidded halfway through the intersection for several seconds before I was able to stop. It was very scary. Nothing happened, no damage. But between the skid and the stop, there was a brief time (it felt a lot longer) where I could not have done much if something was in my way.
I no longer have a vehicle but I identify with drivers who care about the safety of others. That is not to take the choice of driving or riding away, it is just an understanding of drivers who want to be careful.

Jim from Boston

When winter cycling I particularly emphazise wearing a rearview mirror because of that added danger of cars skidding, both behind and oncoming, and usually on narrowed roadways.

BTW, my wife is a nurse, and she tended me well during my three month convalescence from my cycling accident. Our relationship was early on very bicycle-centered, including a cross-country cycling honeymoon, so she does not give me a hard time about continuing cycling.

I kid her that's because we have one family car, and it's hers (and our son's) since I cycle commute and do errands. When I do ride in nasty weather though she does chide me, "You just want to ride today so you can write about it on BikeForums."

EnjoyinTheRide

The thing is road cycling has really taken off in the past 20 years and I think you have an influx of people now, health conscious type individuals who really want to invest in this recreation. However I question if the roads have been invested in to accommodate this trend....and certainly there is no education for "drivers" to learn the ins and outs of what cyclists do...When I was in the circus we had a rule, never put the lions near the tigers they dont like each other...It was more of a trust factor than anything else....We tried several variations to make things easier between them so performances would be more in accordance of whats supposed to happen...

Its sort of similar to me because I think there should be some sort of changes like maybe wider shoulders on the roads or more cycling lanes to accommodate safety...

Jim from Boston

Maybe so, but who wants to wait that long, especially in the Fifty-Plus crowd? As Donald Rumsfield, President G.W. Bush' s Secretary of Defense said, "You go to war with the Army you have, not the Army you might want or wish to have at a later time”

EnjoyinTheRide

I dont think anyone has to wait for anything but if road cycling keeps growing I think steps should be taken on both sides of the white line lol to ensure everyone's safety...or improved safety

I have a question...These bikes cyclists ride, they are very expensive. Can you get bike insurance not only for the bike but also for the rider in case of injury?? And if so, do they offer safety courses sort of like boating where one could get a discount from the insurance company for taking the courses....

Im just curious...

OldsCOOL

Agree. Pick your route according to your perceived risks and get out there.

bruce19

It's your life. Do you like what you're doing?

FBinNY 

Maybe the best evidence of the relative risks of cycling comes from the life insurance industry. Their actuaries are the masters of estimating risks and life expectancy.

When applying for high dollar life insurance, not only are you given a physical, but also a questionnaire about your occupation, job responsibilities, and recreational activities. In their calculus, long term bicycling is considered a strong plus, regardless of whether road or off road. So they're betting that you won't be killed on a bike, and they dont make many bad bets.

berner

I agree with Lucille that risk is not the same for everyone. For example, heart disease is highly influenced by cholesterol which we can influence. Although I live smack in the middle of the east coast metroplex with millions of people nearby, there are many low traffic pockets which is where I ride. I am fortunate to live in a region where such pockets exist. I and my bike club actively search for those areas and it is possible to assemble scores rides of say 50 to 80 miles and some centuries also.

I work hard to pay close attention to my cycling enviornment and moreover, what might be considered meta-attention, if my attention strays from riding, I bring it back to business. This degree of attention in no way detracts from enjoying the ride. So far I'm satisfied the degree of risk is low enough to be worthwhile. I'm now 79 y.o. and in good health thanks mostly to my ancestors and to having maintained an active life. Riding the bike at this point is part of maintaining that active life.

I also agree with 10Wheels in that wider tires, 28mm for me, helps negotiate uneven roadways a bit safer. Today's club ride took place on a bluebird late fall/early winter day and I was the slowest one out there.

Biker395 

Best answer yet.

bobwysiwyg

Interesting, I thought.

https://nwurban.wordpress.com/2010/1...fe-expectancy/

FBinNY 

Fun with statistics.

One thing to keep in mind is that the lifetime risks/benefits balance changes with years.

Assuming a 1:XXXXX risk of sudden death by bike accident over the next 30 years, it's obvious that the actual odds depend on having a decent chance of living those 30 years in the first place. By the same token, improved old age life expectancy is of marginal immediate benefit to someone in their 20's who, if he keeps riding in traffic may not live long enough to reap the rewards.

There's also the reality that accidents aren't distributed randomly. So by the same logic that insurers use to say that a safe driving history is the best predictor of a safe driving future, a lifelong cyclist who's managed to stay safe is less likely to die on the road, than one with no track record. Lastly, if one looks at the breakdown of how people die on bikes, and the circumstances involved, it's apparent that one can beat the odds by simply skirting some of the major causes, no night riding without lights, more caution at intersections, no longer being a child, etc.

So, when looking at data like this, don't look at total life expectancy, but instead look at life expectancy for the remaining years.

At my age (definitely in the last third of my life, probably worse) I only hope I can live long enough to die in a bike accident before something else gets me first.