richart

In Georgia, bicycles are typically prohibited from using controlled-access roadways such as interstate highways. That's probably a good thing.

jefnvk

When I flew into Iceland, we decided to ride into Reykjavik instead of taking a bus, seeing as how the flight arrived at 330am and our hotels weren't available for twelve hours anyhow. The main (i.e., only) road from the airport to the city wasn't a true limited access "interstate", but it was a divided highway with on/off ramps. Riding the road was actually nice, there was a wide paved shoulder with a rumble strip divider, but darting across those ramps with traffic flowing around 65MPH was fairly nerve wracking.

indyfabz

I'd say there is no risk if there is little no motor vehicle traffic. (See my examples above.)

The other thing you can do in most situations is simply exit and re-enter using the on ramp. I did that a couple of times at the end of a tour in Andalucía. Rode the equivalent of an Interstate beltway around Sevilla. Heavy traffic. Went up the off ramps and back down the on ramps.

Groundhog2

Two characters minimum for messages even when the entire message is as noted above. Politically correct I guess !

livedarklions

No need to guess, because MA divides the highways into two categories, and it isn't by way of whether it's interstate or not. US 3 is an interstate highway with sections that bikes can ride on, for example.

495 is a "limited access highway", which prohibits bicycles, pedestrians and horses. There are also state highways that are designated as limited access as well Route 2, for example, is a state highway with sections of limited access.

You're right, though, it's trespassing because he is prohibited from operating a bicycle on that limited access highway.

prathmann

US 3 is a highway that goes between multiple states, but it's not part of the Interstate Highway System established in 1956 and designated by I-Numbers, incl. I-495. The Interstate Highway System was designed for limited access and many (but not all) prohibit bicycles. The earlier US Highway System, of which US 3 is one example, are usually not limited access although some of them have sections that are.

slowrevs

But some people are not sane, and they might feel entitled to ride the freeways, highways and turnpikes, and therefore everyone should slow down for them.

hotbike

Ironfish653

But if the Highway / Interstate in question (as in the OP) is posted "No Bicycles, Mopeds, Horses, or Self-Propelled Equipment" as they often are, you're not allowed to be out there regardless of how many lights you hang off the back of your bike.

That's the main gist of the OP.

livedarklions

If you're on a restricted access highway with heavy traffic and crossing straight across an exit ramp with cars and semis exiting in excess of 50 mph, your odds are a lot worse than that. It's illegal for very good reasons. He was nuts to be riding on 495. No one does that.

livedarklions

You're right, but 3 actually follows 95 at some point, and is a restricted freeway from Burlington north into Nashua (about 25 heavily trafficked miles), so it's kind of the missing link between the two federal highway types. It was at one point going to enter Boston through the abandoned I-695 project which really would have integrated its MA portion into the Interstate system.

transitguy

Hello, all
I've ridden the shoulder on rural interstate highways in Utah, Colorado, Montana and Idaho while on tour. In almost all cases I felt very safe on the interstate and it was legal, since no alternative route existed. The only drawbacks were the excessive noise, which I countered with ear plugs, and the lack of shoulder on some bridges over the rivers in Montana between Missoula and Spokane. I wouldn't try it in the Midwest or the eastern states, but I found it to be a good choice out west.

livedarklions

What did you do on the bridges? Obviously, taking the lane isn't an option.
This fascinates me because I don't think I've ever lived anywhere where this is legal.

As you note, trying this in the Boswash megalopolis is definitely a different matter.

Shimagnolo

Here is how they do it in Russia: https://twitter.com/i/moments/1062349784344915968

livedarklions

In Russia, bus rides you.

prathmann

We encountered the narrow bridge problem on Hwy. 101 in southern Calif. as well. It's a limited access freeway that allows bicycles on the shoulder and seems quite safe except where there's a sudden narrowing for a bridge. We were touring from SF to Santa Barbara when we came to such a section east of Gaviota on a foggy morning. Stopped at the start of the narrow section, made sure all our lights and reflectors were properly positioned, and then waited for a break in traffic to make a quick run for it across the bridge.
Here's a google street view of the start of a bridge (this shows the two eastbound lanes):

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.4720...=en&authuser=0

fsjjunkie

If you ride in the 5 Boros Ride in NYC, you get 3 - 4 lanes of the BQE and the southbound, lower span of the Verrazano Narrows bridge just for cyclists. It's a blast.

autonomy

While MA is small and #3 of the densest-populated states in mainland USA, it's very heavily skewed towards Boston and other bigger cities like Worcester and Springfield. While by no means as remote as you would get in Utah or Montana, some areas of Western MA and Berkshires are pretty darn empty.



But then again, we have people who do things like this in Boston:
https://www.universalhub.com/2018/su...akim-rush-hour
https://www.universalhub.com/2015/bi...edom-open-road
https://www.universalhub.com/2015/bi...-tunnel-vision (in the freaking TUNNEL on I93!)
https://www.universalhub.com/2016/hu...-pedaling-down
https://www.universalhub.com/2018/we...torrow-herself

indyfabz

Been there. Done that. Not my sort of event.

indyfabz

Yep. Deerfield Academy, class of '83. Did D2R2 twice this decade. Back in June I did a tour from St. Albans, VT home to Philly, with a stop in Deerfield for my 35th high school reunion. Continued south through Westhampton and spent a night (in a restored, 1919 caboose) in Chester. Then to E. Otis, Otis, Monterey and Hartsville, eventually crossing into NW CT to N. Canaan. Lots of empty roads, including one dirt stretch.

Ironfish653

OK, time for the context post:
-OP is outraged that a cyclist gets arrested for riding on a 'public road'
-Turns out that 'public road' is an Interstate Highway in the greater Boston area
-Other posters add that it's legal to ride on the Interstate (out west in ID, SD, MT...) when there's no other route.
-I post that MA isn't as remote as ID, SD, or MT, so bikes typically aren't allowed on the Interstate.
-Multiple people point out that MA, is rural, too, and post pictures of dirt roads that aren't Interstates.

I should have been more clear on my point that you can ride in an urban / suburban or even semi-rural environment like we have Back East, without having to ride on an Interstate Highway, where it's usually posted that bicycles aren't permitted.
I've done multiple centuries in the DC Metro area including multiple crossings of the Potomac River, without having to use the travel lane of an Interstate Highway. I did use some short pieces of MD 4, US 15, and the MUP on the south span of the Wilson Bridge (I-495)

Mainiac

Signs along the interstate in Maine say no pedestrians, bicycles, farm vehicles, no animals ridden, driven or led. Our interstate system, at least in western Maine, are essentially parallel to old federal or state routes, so it is no issue.

livedarklions

I know the stretch of 495 in the OP well--I don't even like driving those exits and entrances, they're very curvy with absolutely no shoulder. Anyone biking there has a death wish. And yes, there are plenty of alternatives. This is basically suburban/old mill town areas. Lots of old state roads. This stretch is by no means rural.

hotbike

livedarklions

Here's an entrance ramp not too far from the arrest. Going around that bend? Flare's not going to be a big help.
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.8041...7i13312!8i6656

Follow the ramp onto the highway and see what you're going to be jumping on. I don't recommend taking the lane--the cars are doing at least 60.