Originally Posted by
CheGiantForLife
Ok, so riding with traffic is safer when there is a shoulder lane.
But what about where there is no shoulder? I have a huge ethical dilemma in riding on roads like these.
If there is no shoulder on either side, I will either use the sidewalk, or walk the bike on the grass.
Or, I simply do not ride on any roads without an obvious shoulder lane.
For those who ride on roads with no shoulder, how do you deal with the fact that when you're riding with traffic, cars are constantly having to swerve half way out of your lane and you're really creating a huge nuisance on the road and potentially causing car accidents.
This accident potential increases exponentially if there are cars in both lanes and one sideswipes another while having to avoid the bike by swerving into the left lane ?
A good piece of advice would be grab a notepad, pencil, beach chair, water and perhaps some snacks. Look up on Strava heat maps or RWGPS popularity map a road which has plenty of traffic, no shoulder and frequently used by cyclists (google street view will come in handy). Take a bus to this location and set up your chair and note how your fellow cyclists are handling the interaction with cars over a few hours. Type up the notes taken and place on your refrigerator to review prior to each ride. Share your research with the Bike Forum Community, it would be a great way of giving back to a group which has been so generous to you. Problem solved, everyone wins!