Colorado cyclists: What are you seeing out on the roads?

[tim11]

The Denver Post had an article last week about the increasing tension between drivers and cyclists on Colorado roads.

Bicycle backlash: Crowded roads, new laws ratchet up road row
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_15487867?source=pop_section_news

I've had some negative experiences in Deer Creek Canyon recently, though it seems to be getting better in that area, and Boulder County can sometimes be tough. Black Hawk... well, it's just getting worse.

Has anyone on here run into trouble on the roads or is it all be blown out of proportion?

[chuckred]

Still the occasional issue like always, but I'm not too worried.

For some reason Deer Creek always seems bad though, I really don't care for riding that canyon very much.

[JohnHemlock]

I am not noticing any more obscenities or "The sidewalk is over there!" than I ever have. Nor does anyone seem any more inclined to "share the road" than ever before, either. As someone else posted in a thread about being run off the road - your life generally is not worth ten seconds of someone's time.

So, status quo for me.

[WarmWorld]

I've been doing a lot of riding on the front range, primarily between Denver and North Fort Collins, and into the foothills and first climbs. Overall, I have had very good luck with drivers. Colorado has a disproportionate fraction of the population that are riders, and that helps.

Blackhawk is a mess. It's filled with drunks, gamblers, and angry people who don't ride and probably just lost a lot of money. There's almost nowhere to park in that town unless you drive underneath a casino, in which case the only path out is "in." I drove there looking for a bike loop; I left believing I will never go there again.

If anyone is planning trips in the area, I'm happy to share favorite rides, of which there are many.

[kenw]

That's about all I ride up here (Ft Collins), and have had no more
problems than usual. FC just got a Money magazine rating for being
a bike-friendly town, and I think it is, although I don't know how much
faith to put in magazine ratings. Ride respectful of motorists, and I think
most will respect you. Caveat: I almost always ride alone, and often wonder
how much negative feeling is caused by group rides with riders riding 2 or
more abreast, and with packs of riders running stop signs, etc. I, on my bike,
was almost hit by a pack of riders recently when they, at speed, ran a stop
sign, and not one of them said "Thanks" as they went flying across my right-of-
way. I wonder if they would have stopped if I had been driving a car instead of riding a bike. Ken

[tim11]

Good to hear.

My experiences have been pretty much the same as usual. Nothing terrible, and certainly a whole lot better than other places I've lived.

[Jack Brunk]

With all the awesome mountain trails you guys have, maybe some time needs to be spent in the dirt. Crazy drivers is one of the reasons I'm spending much more time on the trails here in socal.

[crossjunkee]

Tim11, Deer Creek canyon is a road that I now AVOID. I had my worst experience ever with a car on that road a couple years ago. Other than that, my usual routes from the NE side of Denver to Lookout / Morrison are uneventful. I also spend a lot of time off road.

[frenk]

With all the awesome mountain trails you guys have, maybe some time needs to be spent in the dirt. Crazy drivers is one of the reasons I'm spending much more time on the trails here in socal.
I'm with Jack on this.
Battling roots and rocks puts a smile on my face. Battling drivers makes me finish the ride more stressed than I started.
This year I rode the road bike maybe 10% (and still managed to destroy it :crap: )

[Dave]

I've ridden Deer Creek Canyon Road at least 600 times in the last 7 years and had few problems, but I ride during the week, in the morning and rarely on weekends.

Since I moved to Thorton, I've only ridden about 6 times and had no problems, but in general the roads around here are not great - lots of traffic and few shoulders to ride on.

[bigreen505]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but I think there is an income demographic split in the way cyclists are treated. In more affluent areas, drivers seem to give bikes more room than I have seen in the past. In less affluent areas it is getting worse. Riding around Federal and that part of town (I have a couple rides that take me through there) is getting worse.

I've never ridden Deer Creek as I've heard too many horror stories about the gravel trucks. Another random observation is that cars on the Bergen Park side of 103 give cyclists more room and respect than on the Idaho Springs side. No explanation beyond the guess that drivers on the Bergen Park side live there and drivers on the Idaho Springs side are probably going for a hike somewhere or are tourists (local or otherwise).

I rode the Lookout Mountain area for the first time last week and I was really surprised how respectful drivers are of cyclists.

[bozman]

My club spends a lot of time in Deer Creek Canyon and I have not had any issues so far this year (knock wood.)

I did get buzzed by a pickup truck on a country road north of Boulder during the MS150 but a fellow participant said that county is notorious for that sort of behavior unfortunately.

I have also had a few kids yell garbage out the back window of the mini van while mom/dad are driving in the Ken Caryl neighborhood but that is about it.

[tim11]

Sadly, I think bigreen is right.

As far as I can tell, road riding is seen by some as a high income, "upper class" activity (for right or wrong, as that generalization certainly doesn't apply to me) and some drivers have a problem with that (just read through the comments on that Denver Post article - yikes).

[gdw]

"With all the awesome mountain trails you guys have, maybe some time needs to be spent in the dirt. Crazy drivers is one of the reasons I'm spending much more time on the trails here in socal."

+1
I stopped road biking several years ago but still log quite a few miles riding to the local trails or doing evening rides up Flagstaff MT in Boulder. I haven't noticed an increase in hostility towards cyclists and think that the problems are overblown. The Black Hawk ban is a joke and shouldn't effect anyone in the cycling community other than a few of the hardcore rando riders. That place is a pit and easily avoided.

[crossjunkee]

If any of you local yocals want to ride, let me know! I'll do road or mtn.

[sw3759]

I had a run in with a local cowboy in a pickup a couple of years ago descending off swan mountain road going toward Keystone.he tried to force me off into the ditch with the side of his pickup.
i am up there every summer for a week or so and that was the only serious close call i have had.other than a few of the normal remarks from a-holes here and there but for the most part folks around that area are pretty tolerant of cyclists.

Scott

[mtflycaster]

Durango, CO....just in today!

http://durangoherald.com/sections/News/2010/07/15/City_improving_cyclist_pedestrian_routes_on_roads/

The comments by locals to the article offer some insights on cars vs. cyclists...

Mtfly

[scrooge]

Status quo here too. I've never had any problems on Deer Creek/High Grade either. Of course, I ride alone, usually on weekdays before the after work rush and am intentional about following traffic laws. I'm planning to ride it tomorrow afternoon (if I don't wimp out with the heat), so we'll see if anything has changed.

As for other roads--lately family commitments have kept me mostly on the MUTs around town (again--weekdays, not during the "rush" times, so its not bad), so I'm not really a good read a vehicular traffic.

Oh, and regarding our MTB trails...I'd love to do more trail riding, but if I have time to ride I want to spend it on the bike, not in the car (I have to drive at least 30 minutes to do an MTB ride vs. out the door for the road bike).

[Vancouverdave]

I'm probably going to get flamed for this, but I think there is an income demographic split in the way cyclists are treated. In more affluent areas, drivers seem to give bikes more room than I have seen in the past. In less affluent areas it is getting worse. Riding around Federal and that part of town (I have a couple rides that take me through there) is getting worse.

I've never ridden Deer Creek as I've heard too many horror stories about the gravel trucks. Another random observation is that cars on the Bergen Park side of 103 give cyclists more room and respect than on the Idaho Springs side. No explanation beyond the guess that drivers on the Bergen Park side live there and drivers on the Idaho Springs side are probably going for a hike somewhere or are tourists (local or otherwise).

I rode the Lookout Mountain area for the first time last week and I was really surprised how respectful drivers are of cyclists.

I agree, and find it to be the case here in the Northwest; probably not class-specific, but just that since wealthier areas tend to have a bigger population of cyclists the non-cycling residents of those areas are more likely to have neighbors, friends, relatives, and co-workers who ride. There are unfortunately too few rednecks on bikes--that's why they see us as an "other." Whatever happened to those Primal confederate-flag jerseys, anyway--they'd be good camouflage in some areas!

[redir]

I disagree with bgreens demographic argument but don't worry I won't flame ya :) It's a good point really cycling is the new golf but I live in one of the red neckiest parts of Virgina and I get warm welcomes from guys in beat up pick em up trucks as I do get yelled at from some guy driving an S500. It's a mix. Sure poor red necks might be pissed off at the world but so are up tight stock brokers(or where I live professors). Poor guy is actually probably happier.

Anyway. I go out to Bolder/Denver area at least once or twice a year and I notice paved bike trails everywhere. That I believe is cause for motorists to assume that that is where you belong. I'm not a fan of bike trails.

[snah]

I disagree with bgreens demographic argument but don't worry I won't flame ya :) It's a good point really cycling is the new golf but I live in one of the red neckiest parts of Virgina and I get warm welcomes from guys in beat up pick em up trucks as I do get yelled at from some guy driving an S500. It's a mix. Sure poor red necks might be pissed off at the world but so are up tight stock brokers(or where I live professors). Poor guy is actually probably happier.

Anyway. I go out to Bolder/Denver area at least once or twice a year and I notice paved bike trails everywhere. That I believe is cause for motorists to assume that that is where you belong. I'm not a fan of bike trails.

Have to agree with redir, I have more problems with Lexus and BMW drivers than I do pickups and lower income areas. No offense intended, soccer Mom/Dad SUV's and minivans are an issue to matter where I am.