JoeyBike

My wife and I are likely moving to Greenville, SC within the year so we spent a couple weeks there exploring and looking for a house. After nailing down a location I started using Google Maps to discover the safest bike routes to access a trail network as well as normal errand running and such. The new neighborhood is far from ideal cycling but the 10 miles all the way to Downtown only includes about 2 miles of potential "death" roads, roughly 1/4 to 1/2 mile sprint each one.

Anyway I was riding the potential roadways virtually through Google Maps when I came upon this scene that kinda made me jump out of my seat, then get a good laugh. Reminded me why I gave up road cycling as much as possible. I love the positioning of the passenger side wheels of the dump truck.

Oh, I'm sure I'll be OK!


Photo Credit: Google Earth Greenville, SC

Troul 

Road designs are entertainment for the media.. after a ped has been caught on a bad day.

work4bike

The two worst states to cycle in are Hawaii (Island of Oahu) and South Carolina.

JoeyBike

Haven't tried Hawaii yet. Crossing SC on the eastern side (south to north) was part of a long bike tour. Stayed off the beaches. Seems like military bases were on my route. Don't remember being overly terrified in that case, although someone did threaten to rob me a a convenience store in a run down neighborhood. Thankfully he just wanted my money (travelers checks back then) but wasn't in the mood for physical resistance. Other than that everyone there not behind the wheel seem super nice - southern hospitality and all that.

work4bike

I lived in the Goose Creek area for about 2-years and those roads were fine, actually some very large roads, other than a few; I specifically remember a few very large intersections.

My problem with SC was always on my Touring rides, more thru the central/western side as I was either going north or south thru the state. There was a definite difference between SC roads and those of neighboring states, in that they were not as wide and many more potholes and crumbling edges. It's been a few years since I've traveled thru there and actually on my last ride up north, I headed west, so I could bypass SC.



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JoeyBike

After driving from Greenville to the mountains by car and encountering cyclists on those roads, along with my touring experiences on bikes in the Appalachians, cycling those areas is not for me. I'm just looking for a route from my neighborhood to Downtown, then branch off of that route to run errands etc. Just a glance at My Maps route that I researched will show how circuitous I had to make it to avoid most of the death-roads. But until I actually bike it I have no clue. Just got a Surly Lowside single speed specifically for getting around the city of Greenville and surroundings. One low gear for going up, up, up, and disk brakes for screaming descents. No sense pedaling down those hills! I'm not in a race. Also the tires have enough width to handle the occasional grassy shoulder. I'm not too proud. I'll ride some sidewalks also since nobody walks there (outside of Downtown). Perhaps I'll just have to haul the bike to a good spot with the car. Eww. 🤮

The route. Subject to change.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?h...2.3666361&z=12

Iride01 

One or two of the 2 lane country roads I ride here have a lot of dump truck traffic going to a from a nearby gravel pit. They are some of the better behaved motor vehicles on the road. They stay a respectful distance behind till they can take the other lane fully and then they will pass when it's clear. So I'm not sure what scares you in the picture. It matters not that the wheels are off the side of the road since there isn't anything in front of it to run over. And you are making the assumption it wouldn't just stay behind you till it was in the clear.

JoeyBike

Its just the imagery of that big truck rounding a blind curve with two wheels in the gutter and literally no place for me to go no matter how much I would want to bail to the ditch. That's all. Nothing implied about the driver. It's just a funny/horrifying image given my mindset at the time it popped up. And it's a potential safety issue which is why I posted here and not somewhere else on BF. Many, many roads near Greenville look like that or worse from a cyclist's eye view.

zandoval 

Could be the one to take ya out is that small SUV checking their Text Messages while negotiating the turn with their knees...

Lets face it. Traffic is brutal...

I ride back roads with no traffic but then there is another problem. If I take a spill it could be hours before I am noticed... Go Figure...

JoeyBike

Apple watch fixes this, if it really worries you.

Paul Barnard

You'd know that truck was coming from quite some distance. It's a low speed turn on top of that.

CliffordK

Dump Trucks are the little trucks.

We get log trucks around here.

JoeyBike

I would hear him, look for a place to pull over, and just see something I can't even stand up on. Getting crushed at low speed sounds like fun. Seriously, I know the driver would do everything possible to not hit me because that would just delay him from making all of his deliveries that day. BTW...nobody drives slow in Greenville. Every traffic signal lasts a full 90-120 seconds and many you will wait for at least twice. Again, and again, and again just getting anywhere. So everyone is frustrated and making up time. I'm not going to test them on narrow 2-lane roads with no possibility of bailing to a grassy shoulder at least. Sidewalks? What sidewalks? If there is a sidewalk it's generally only on ONE side of the street.

I've done a lot of bike touring in Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida panhandle. Also biked the entire Pacific coast. I am very familiar with log trucks. Chicken trucks on the Ozark Mountain roads in Arkansas were also a delight without the benefit of freshly cut wood smell as they pass.

Iride01 

I expect it to be the SUV too. More and more of them and most any other non-commercial vehicles are just blatantly running red lights than ever before. Technically in most states, when the light turns yellow, you are supposed to stop if possible. It's only if you can't safely come to a stop that you are allowed to go through a yellow light. Much less a red light.

So not only distracted drivers are an issue, but drivers that feel entitled to do as they please.


My Garmin has incident detection and my helmet has ANGI crash detection. So I feel covered if I should be involved in a crash out in the lonely parts of my rides. However with all the bad tempered people in the news nowadays, I might need a gun shot detection on my Garmin.

JoeyBike

Just keep all your fingers on the handlebars. I learned years ago to just let stuff go and not make any hand gestures. Just smile and wave boys, smile and wave!

MaxKatt

Take the lane.

JoeyBike

I've seen more than a few deer who tried that. Couldn't be in more pieces if they swallowed a stick of dynamite. Pass. Hard pass.

Steve B.

Stupid comment. Taking the lane is exactly the only strategy for a cyclist.

Bald Paul

Maybe you should get in touch with the local bike club in Greenville - Home - The Greenville Spinners Bicycle Club
And stop being so paranoid. I ride a lot in the Spartanburg area, and other than one distracted driver (and that can happen anywhere nowadays) I've had zero issues.
Alternatively, there's always public transportation. Just try to get on a bus that promises not to crash.

CliffordK

I have a narrow bridge that is moderately blind that I cross. If I am 50 yards ahead of a following vehicle, and see a vehicle ahead, I'll hold an open hand out indicating them to stop until the danger has passed, then wave the following vehicle on.

Taking the lane is a strategy for a cyclist. Not my preferred strategy in general. I don't want to be in the middle of the road on the back side of a blind corner. And the reaction for a vehicle passing a cyclist riding to the right is less than a cyclist riding to the middle or left. And, overall it is safer for both the cyclist and drivers to not force extreme maneuvers.

JoeyBike

Untrue. I hear a truck growling up behind me on a narrow, twisting road and I just pull off the road surface, take a sip of water, and continue on my way after they pass. Everybody wins. Unless of course there is no place to get off the road in which case i won't be cycling on that road. This is the beauty of Google Earth. I can check out prospective routes without having to ride them at all.

Those are weekend warriors who, smartly, do not have one single route anywhere near Greenville city center or surrounding communities. They ride way out on trails or deserted country farm roads. None of that interests me. I am not a recreational cyclist, I am a utilitarian cyclist. I only get on my bike(s) when I have some place to go. Not really into getting nowhere fast on a loop ride in the middle of nowhere.

I checked Strava for any cycling segments listed in Greenville. Except for some nice bike paths and rec rides there is nothing of interest to a commuter. After spending two whole weeks driving around Greenville neighborhoods house-hunting I rarely saw a cyclist at all and the ones I saw were on sidewalks. I haven't checked Spartanburg to be honest. I am never going there so I don't care.

I think a public bus has quite a bit more road "presence" and acceptance due to sheer size and the fact that the bus "belongs" there in the minds of motorists. And I would be fine with a bus ride if they went where I need to go.

Any and all ideas are greatly appreciated though.

Bald Paul

Thank you.

JW Fas

This is why I occupy more of the lane around a blind turn. If it's a right turn especially, I'm close to the yellow lines to maximize visibility for approaching traffic (both rear and front).

JoeyBike

In the city grid this was SOP for me. I would use the double-yellow line as a bike lane. Let the car passing me go into the ditch on the right instead of pushing me off the road. The driver is always more protective of the driver's side of the car - maybe worried the object they hit ends up in their face and lap.

There are a lot of variables. The road in the OP image capture is 25-35 mph. If my experience tells me people actually take care on that curve for whatever reason, I am more likely to take a lane. Also there are numerous driveways where i could bail to let a line of cars, or a big truck slide past without issue.

Paul Barnard

Take the lane discussions are always interesting to me. Riding in traffic is a dance. On the road Joey showed, my default position would likely be center lane. As vehicles approach from behind, I hold the center of the lane if, in my opinion it's unsafe to pass, and sometimes I hold up my left index finger to signal wait a second. I will always look over my shoulder to let them know that I know they are there. Then I wave them around when I am ready for them to pass.

When a car comes up from behind and it's safe to pass, I physically turn my head to let them know that I know that they are there. When I can see them setting up to go out around me, I gravitate right. This gives more room for error and suggests that I am cooperating with them, even though it really does nothing for them. In low traffic conditions, people that give a courtesy pass get a friendly wave.

This has served me well and often gets a wave in return. I can't help but think this kind of cooperation helps build good will, and may make it a little easier on my fellow riders.