jbandt

I too find the MUP's more hazardous. You're less likely to be seriously injured, but people often pay less attention there. I find the bike lane to be the safest place to be. Just stay aware. Listen to traffic, not headphones. Just be confident and know that you have just as much right to be on the road as the cars do.

Null66

Never venture into the A&S forum unless you wear your asbestos underwear. Far more arguing then elightening! If you don't beleive me, lurk for a while...

Stat's back this up... Where they cross streets are by far the most dangerous relative to major injuries.


Mirrors are GREAT! I have one that bolts to the STI. It does a fantastic job.

BRIGHT, BRIGHT rear blinkies seem to encourage far more courteous driving. I run 3 at night, and not as often as I should at least 1. 2 bright narrow flashers (flash) , 1 Viz 180 wide angle (pulse). Oh, and run with a Viz 360+ (Pulse rear, steady low helmet headlight) on helmet as it is hilly where I ride, and elevated lights are seen far sooner as cars crest hills, or round bends.

Having been hit by car (walking), hitting car (motorcycle), for me lights are outside budgetary constraints. But if you have constraints, there's this REALLY cheap, planet Bike helmet taillight that is Extremely effective as it has a swivel mount. I've been tempted to mod the 2 I have to modern electronics as the mount and housing are that effective.


One night caught out with Daughter at sunset (with sun at the back!). We stopped and I put it on her helmet (wouldn't you?) I was shocked at how noticeable the Viz 360 is... So I that's my primary!

More then 1 light, helps driver judge distance and closing speed MUCH better then single source.

IBOHUNT

Who told you to move to Dayton?
(Tween Kittanning and Punxy)

JohnJ80

Exactly. i'd have to go back and look for it, but I think riding on a MUP that has intersections with the street is something like 22X more dangerous. In other words, it's not even close.

The other thing I'd add to what you have here is that route selection can make a huge difference. I'm fortunate to live in an area with wide shoulders. I've been to other areas where their idea of shoulder is 1" of pavement to the right of the fog line. Spending some time with the various bike routing apps or software (Google maps for starters) can really help.

I agree with adding a mirror and learning to use it. I also now run with a flashing tail light even during the day. All of those seem to make a difference. I feel adequately safe riding on the road and don't hesitate to do it.

J.

GravelMN

For the love of all things holy . . . stay out of A&S if you want any valuable safety information

- Always ride alert. Constantly scan your surroundings to keep track of changing conditions.
- Avoid distractions. No cell phone, ear buds, or day dreaming. Riding can be relaxing and gives you time to think but don't let it take your mind off the task at hand.
- Assume that nobody can see you. No matter how much hi-viz you are wearing or how many bright flashing lights you have, ride as if you were invisible. Even if a driver or pedestrian looks right at you, be prepared for unexpected moves.
- Ride defensively, not aggressively. Even if a driver is in the wrong, two-tons of steel trumps 20 pounds of carbon fiber and aluminum every time.

esther-L

One of the LCI coaches (those who train LCIs) lives in Atlanta. I think there may be cycling classes in the Atlanta area. LCI = League Cycling Instructor.
Esther
LCI # 3603

VCSL2015

have you tried turning your head? Do you spend more time watching the mirror then looking ahead of you for potential hazards? If your looking behind you all the time not looking in front of yourself could be just as hazardous?

mrodgers

That is so cool! Thanks for posting a link to that. Never knew anything like this existed since I use Mapmyride and as of late switching to RidewithGPS.

practical

Turning my head is more dangerous than using a mirror. Would you drive a car that had no mirror? Of course not. Do you spend all your time looking in the mirror when you drive a car? Of course not. It is my sense (I have not statistics) that mirrors on any kind of bike ridden on the road is gaining acceptance. I think this is because mirrors have gotten better. The first mirror I ever tried was totally useless, but now the mirrors are better. Try it.

IBOHUNT

Better than riding on the M5

Force 

Where in Atlanta do you live? I live outside of Atlanta and ride in Roswell, a popular cycling destination near the Chattahoochee River. I feel more safe there because I think motorists are used to the volume of cyclists there. I also like getting further out in rural areas where there are fewer interactions with cars.

silkey

guys I think you are missing the point.this is a cat in bulldog country! and dogs are going to chase cats lol.

VCSL2015

pepper spray

InTheRain

I can't say that I've actually seen a "moped" in decades. That would be a gas powered scooter that actually has functioning pedals. I'm also confused by the term "bike path." I've seen bike lanes on the side or shoulder of the road... but never bi-directional in this area. I've seen a multi use path (MUP) that is for bikers, walkers, strollers, joggers, skateboards, kick scooters, rollerblades, hikers, dog walkers, etc... but never one that is exclusively for bikes. I don't know that you would call our MUP's a "two lane road"... rarely are there any markings dividing it into lanes.

I'd count yourself fortunate... to ride on a dedicated bike path as well as catch glimpse of an actual moped!

dr_lha

Of course bicycles are not allowed on British motorways!

BTW I saw a moped just the other day no the road. I'll admit it was the first time I'd spotted one in a while.

InTheRain

The only thing that makes an MUP dangerous is crowds and speed. Fortunately, the MUP's that I use are not that crowded. I slow down anytime I'm approaching someone coming towards me or I am coming up on from behind. Because, true... you have no idea what someone is going to do that you cross paths with... leave yourself an out - a lot of people out on the MUP are totally oblivious to what is going on around them (they have their headphones on, talking on the phone, watching their dog or their kids.) As a cyclist, the group that probably uses the MUP's at the highest speed, I feel it's our responsibility to be the most aware, the most defensive, and to avoid accidents.

If the MUP is just too crowded (in certain densely populated areas on a really nice day) then I'll move to the road for that section of a ride. I'll find one with a bike lane, or one that has less traffic, and if that's not possible I'll stay on the shoulder - if it's not wide enough, I'll take the lane... and I mean the entire lane, right in the very middle. You have the responsibility to be seen, and drivers have the responsibility to watch out for you (now they are the highest speed users of the road.)

IBOHUNT

Moped are great for motor pace drills. That can be a workout!

VSGRider

How do I read this heat map thing? Are the darker areas more or less hazardous? I just see different shades of lines on the road.

DWhitworth

AFAIK, it is showing people that ride a given road/route/trail. On mine, brighter blue is more riders, and generally one can assume if more Strava users are using a route, it is probably safer. At least this is how I have used the Heatmaps to find places to ride out of town.

DaveW

dr_lha

It just shows you where people ride. In my town there are several major roads that don't show up at all, for a good reason: no cyclist in their right mind would ride down them for fear of being knocked off. Try changing the color scheme if it's not clear.

VCSL2015

In my area:
The Mup/sidewalk: too much foot traffic/against the law.
The side of the road/shoulder: is safest for me to ride. I risk getting honked at if I am in the city, there is no designated bike path and the driver thinks I should be on the sidewalk.
Bike Lane: clearly marked paths one directional with painted bike silhouettes on city streets. If you are a pedestrian crossing the street you must look to see if bikes are coming on the bike lane otherwise risk the chance of getting run over at high speeds and not to mention endangering cyclists.

https://www.sikkertrafik.dk/raad-og-v...gler-og-boeder

https://www.sikkertrafik.dk/raad-og-v...ert-og-scooter

GravelMN

Something to remember about using Strava heat maps is that, while Strava is extremely popular, the population of riders represented is skewed toward those who frequently ride on public roads and aren't afraid of traffic. A very popular route for roadies is not necessarily appropriate for someone who is new to the road and scared of traffic. It might still be a useful tool but realize that the most popular route might be based on factors other than safety. For example, there are a couple of streets in a nearby city that are very popular for cyclists even though they are high traffic areas. The reason is that they are the most direct routes from the university and surrounding neighborhoods to the outskirts of the city and the network of rural roads. So the density of the cycling population and the directness of the route to desirable destinations are greater contributing factors than the safety or low traffic of the routes. One of our most popular LBSs is also located in a high traffic area of downtown and hosts numerous road rides including A rides that head out through some of our busiest streets. Being a large number of group riders are using Strava and are using the routes to and from the bike shop on a regular basis (both to and from the rides and for departing and returning during the rides) the heat maps show a high density in the area, even though it is a busy downtown district. Not that these are bad routes for experienced riders, but they are not where you want the first road experiences for a timid newbie.

dr_lha

Nah, I disagree with this, although it clearly depends on the nature of where you live. In my area Strava is selecting, but it's mainly selecting riders who are smarter who know what roads are dangerous. The f**king idiots I see riding down high traffic/narrow roads in town that I would never ride on, on their Wally World Mongooses and Roadmasters, are clearly not the guys using Strava. I know people who commute to work every day and register those rides on Strava, and those routes they take show up on the heat maps as the most popular ways to go into downtown, and guess what? They're the safest routes.

I see people riding down the dangerous roads all the time. They're invariably guys riding with their knees out 3 foot from the bike because their seatpost is all the way into the frame, wearing backwards baseball caps with headphones in. Strava is showing you the smart routes, not the dumb ones.

rumrunn6

if after you try a few times you are still not comfortable with riding on the the road, there is no shame in throwing the bike on a car and going elsewhere to ride

Buffalo Buff

I was in your shoes this time last year. It was around January that I transitioned from a Mountainbike / backpack sidewalk commuter to a road rider on a proper road bike.

Here are some tips.

-LIGHTS. Lights are essential to being seen. I never ride at night without both a front and rear light. Axiom Pulse and Cygolite Metro 750 are my current lights.

-Hi viz gear also helps. At night I prefer to wear my reflective neon green windbreaker for added visibility.

-Ride like you have a right to be on the road, because you do. Claim the lane as needed. For example, if you're coming up to a red light, wait in line in the middle of the lane, don't let cars try to squeeze you off the road.

-Look for alternate routes. I am surrounded by 45mph roads with no sidewalk, shoulder or bike lane. It blows. There is absolutely nothing I can do to avoid these roads to get anywhere past my neighborhood. However, I can cut through multiple neighborhoods to reduce the amount of time I spend on these roads, which makes my commute much less stressful.

-Use hand signals when turning or changing lanes.

-Ride as fast as you comfortably can. The faster you go, the more time you give oncoming traffic to react.

-Ride in a straight and predictable line. e.g. you're on a 4 lane road that turns into a 5 lane road, with a turning lane on your right lasting for 1,000 feet then ending abruptly. I would rather stay in the "middle" lane and ignore the turning lane, than get over to let cars pass then try to get back over to my left while hostile motorists pass me by inches. It's often times safer to "be a dick" and "hold up traffic" than it is to try and be nice and let people over, only to screw yourself as the line of cars behind you keeps buzzing you by and not letting you back on the road.

-Do not use headphones. If you are like me and need music while you ride, use a bluetooth speaker at a moderate volume. Just don't use it uninvited on group rides, and be mindful of other commuters exposed to your tunes.

-Cameras can be useful for gethering evidence of motorist breaking the laws. I'm still looking for a way to make local law enforcement give a **** about these matters, open to suggestions.

-Expect the best out of people, but prepare for the worst. A lot of people aren't going to see you. Some people are going to see you and intentionally antagonize you. Some people will never be convinced you have a right to be on the road, no matter what. **** them.