Bug Shield

Upsides: Good shoulder, rumble-strip, scenic.

Downsides: Traffic is doing at least 65mph, dog encounters are frequent, the prevailing wind is a quartering headwind.

mustang1

Drill the following into yourself: UPHILLS ARE FUN! Repeat.

baron von trail 

baron von trail 

Dogs can definitely be a problem.

I notice when I ride the bike paths that any loose dogs encountered tend to be a non-issue. This is the exact opposite of dogs encountered on the road who come flying out of their yards. Obviously it's a territorial thing with them.

I've found a few tricks that may help. The one that seems to work best is ignore dog, look away from it and pedal as if it isn't there. Another good one, especially when startled, is to yell a loud "No!" They all know that word. Sometimes it stops them in their tracks.

lost_in_endicot

Ups: Super-lite traffic in the morning.
Mostly bike lanes.
Super fun downhill decent in the morning.
I've lost 30 lbs. since March!

Downs: Bike lanes aren't kept clean- full of sand and gravel from the winter, and broken glass.
Traffic kind of sucks in the PM if I leave at the wrong time.
That "super fun decent" is a butt kicking climb in the afternoon, but I'm getting better at it.

PatrickGSR94

If by dogma you mean safety then sure thing! I'll remain "dogmatic" to my central lane position and stay safe all the way home! And back to work again, etc. etc. all day everyday.

kickstart

It's all well and good that it works for you and your environment, the "dogmatic" is when you advise its the correct and safest way to ride for everyone in all environments.

PatrickGSR94

I don't. I use bike lanes myself sometimes, if there's one present and I deem it safe to use. There are a few places where I wish there were a bike lane or a shoulder, especially on some of the hills we have. I take the lane at all times on my commute because that's the only safe option here. In 15 miles there are no bike lanes, no shoulders, and very few sidewalks that would be extremely dangerous to ride continuously at 15+ MPH on.

I will forever speak out against unsafe cycling facilities, especially those deemed "safe" by politicians and so-called designers, when in fact they put cyclists in more danger to inattentive motorists when they use them - the worst of which being 2-way separated cycle tracks when there are numerous street crossings and driveways where motorists cross the cycle track.

kickstart

That's a lot more pragmatic than some of your other posts. Your opinions in some other threads are expressed in a way that gives the impression what you "deem safe" is a virtual condemnation of cycling on shoulders, bike lanes, and sidewalks.

I-Like-To-Bike

Also "dogmatic" to insert the Take the Lane! "advice" (i.e. mantra) into every other thread no matter what the topic, especially on threads outside A&S.

snow_echo_NY

i know it much too well to not plan it...i have tried nearly every variation to my commute.
i can probably try the w-burg bridge or ride around (either south or east) or further out east to extend the commute.

PatrickGSR94

I condemn cycling on sidewalks or shoulders, or anywhere near the edge or past the edge of the roadway, without knowledge of potential hazards. A person has to take care of him/herself and is responsible for his/her own safety. I cannot just mindlessly ride along and expect everyone else to always see me and yield to me. That's downright naive and silly, and honestly it's a pretty selfish way of thinking.

If you understand the risks of sidewalk and shoulder use, then sure, go ahead. I do it myself sometimes (on seldom occasions). But IMHO it's not fair to automatically blame someone else for not seeing you when you're in a less visible location to begin with.

Why would I not share the methods and techniques with which I've had such great success, and has vastly improved my safety as compared to when I first started cycling on public roads? What are you so afraid of?

I-Like-To-Bike

Not afraid, but concerned that naive cyclists or policy makers take such dogmatic spiel seriously. The John Forester Klan already set back cycling advocacy anywhere it found enough acolytes to have an influence on bicycling policy. I believe that finally the alleged claimed superior safety record claimed by Vehicular Cyclists is being recognized as the statistical smoke and mirrors conceit of its proponents.

baron von trail 

Yep. I have a nice downhill stretch in the morning that turns into an uphill nightmare at night. I know exactly what you mean.

lost_in_endicot

Combined with the heat and humidity we've had this week, it really sucks. I run around the plant(which isn't temperature controlled) all day long like my hair is on fire, then jump on my bike in the afternoon to get home. The humidity just saps your strength. By the time I get to my hill, I'm pretty much ragged out.

baron von trail 

I "cheat." First, I soak my head after 40 minutes when I refill my water bottles. Second, I take in caffeine laden gels, one every 40 minutes. On really hot days, I also take in a packet of Emergen C with the water and gels at those stops. By the time I hit that last hill, at the hour-and-a-half mark, I'm in pretty good shape.

It's still a bear though.

kickstart

All I can say is that it fly's in the face of my personal experiences, and what I observe virtually all other cyclists doing, therefore I must conclude such aberrations are addressing internal emotional needs rather than rational safety considerations applicable to most people in most conditions.
As a trained professional, I believe such rabid and uncompromising VC ideologies are dangerous and irresponsible.

PatrickGSR94

I have not read Forester. I only know of him from what I've heard others say. I believe he is for zero infrastructure, yes? That is not me, I support well designed infrastructure that doesn't lure cyclists into manufactured conflicts by violating normal rules of movement. I also support leaving it up to each cyclist whether or not to use that infrastructure. I should not have to endure harassment for not using a bike lane or path that I feel is unsafe at the speed I'm going.

i don't strive to preach any particular cycling ideology. I only share what works for me and what I've had such great success with. What baffles me is people who push SO HARD against the techniques I practice and share, as if it's the plague or something.

kickstart

Except for the "catch and release" nonsense, the techniques you talk about are valid and useful, I use them myself on a regular basis. Its the radical excesses pontificated ad nauseam in regard to the when, where, and why that's objectionable.

In short, "too much of a good thing".

devianb

Pros: Short safe route through residential areas with minimal traffic. Since work is located diagonally from my house I have many alternate route options. I can even decide what kind of hill gradients to go up or none at all.

Cons: Not many smooth roads. Crossing some of the 4 lane streets can take up to 2 minutes. Lots of stop signs.

baron von trail 

Up: riding for three hours a day instead of driving for an hour.

Down: headwinds in the afternoon when I am already tired and hungry.

MikeRides

Since I haven't commuted to my current workplace yet and I'm unsure if I ever will, I'll comment on my former 20mile one way commute.

Pro:
Wide shoulder 80% of the route.
Ability to use rail trail, although I only used it 1 out of every 5 commutes.
Only one steep hill. Lots of rolling hills which made me a stronger rider!
Low traffic in the morning

Con:
Narrow, broken pavement 20% of the route.
Speed limit 55 mph, although cars insist on doing 70
One segment was high prone to flooding/mudslides which would result in taking a detour up & down a mountain road
Not having that job anymore so I no longer have that route

baron von trail 

One reason I have not looked for another job is the commute. I suspect another job would not be as convenient for biking to work.

MikeRides

Oddly enough my new commute is shorter, coming in just under 15 miles one way (100% uphill on the way in, downhill on the way home). However I have some odd hours that commuting by bike isn't a viable option just yet (I simply don't feel comfortable riding at 3am).