Giving up on road

[R3awak3n]

Originally Posted by Hilltopperny

I moved out to an area with good dirt and road riding and very little traffic. There are clearly trade offs with living in rural area, but the riding is always good and the locals are usually paying attention to the roads.

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same here. I do occasionally ride in roads with a bit of traffic but I have been really surprised at how many cars give me a ton of space when they pass. Usually some bad apples but overall, its been great.

[Hilltopperny]

Originally Posted by R3awak3n

same here. I do occasionally ride in roads with a bit of traffic but I have been really surprised at how many cars give me a ton of space when they pass. Usually some bad apples but overall, its been great.

Yup, I enjoyed the roads out your way the day we rode out there. It's definitely nice to feel safe while riding. I really liked the radar you have as well.

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[Ozz]

Originally Posted by vincenz

I only ride weekends 5am-9am ....

+1

Get out early when there is less traffic....less traffic means the d!ckheads aren't already pi$$ed off at other drivers when they come up behind you.

[ScottW]

IMO a lot of the buzzing is because many motorists are ignorant of the fact that it's perfectly legal to cross the double yellow line to safely pass a cyclist, and/or they lack the common sense to do so. They act like the yellow is some inviolable force field patrolled by Orwellian drones that will instantly transport them to jail for straying across it. This is less of a problem out on rural roads where drivers are used to going around animals, tractors or whatever else, yellow line be damned.

I live in NoVA but work up towards Frederick MD, and I've started doing some weekday evening rides from my office before driving home. The back roads up there have nicer scenery and far less traffic. Even weekdays 5-7 pm there are portions of my routes where I might ride a couple miles without seeing a vehicle, and the roads that do have some traffic are mostly wide enough that I'm not getting regularly buzzed. It also helps that the roads are slightly curvy and hilly, so drivers are forced to pay at least some attention (can't have their heads buried in their phones without running into a ditch). There are a couple of short sections where the road narrows and I have to "take the lane" but thus far I have not sent any motorists into overt rage.

For me, variety is important. I wouldn't be 100% happy with 100% road, or 100% MTB, or riding the same routes all the time and seeing the same stuff over and over. If you've reached your critical mass of getting buzzed, do MTB for a while, but I couldn't "switch" 100% one for the other.

[mcteague]

At least with narrow roads drivers are less likely to be looking at their phones, otherwise they end up in the trees. Long, straight roads are where I get nervous. That is where they think it is safe to check the phone. Not that safety is ever high on their priorities.

Tim

[pobrien]

I would (again) advocate for the best headlight and taillight you can afford and to wear high visibility colours on your self.

Having the Cyclic lights on top of my DiNotte lights ensures there is a digital record of any misadventures that come my way.

I might get one of the back-looking radar units but am running out of room on my seat post to mount anything else. Having said that, there is always a way.

Buy the best. And keep riding.

[zmalwo]

If you watch those videos about cyclists on Facebook you can find the word "****ing cyclists" from almost every single comment under those videos. I think you are right about the part that the vehicles passed you were trying to push the limit and taunt you. Even tho drivers are operating a 2 ton + vehicle and all they have to do is spend a few minutes of their time, be patient before finding a chance to pass, they still find cyclists irritating and direct their anger from their life failure towards us.

I thought the same thing many many times about road cycling, why am I doing this when I have to risk all the cars passing by, plus cycling is one of the most expensive sports you can do. Maybe one day I will just sell everything I got and say bye bye to cycling because of all this.

[RFC]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Where are you riding? No shoulder, lotsa traffic?..Pick your 'battles', is what I do. I don't ride on certain roads, I never ride a road w/o a shoulder..never.

Does that make me a 'second class citizen'? So what, riding a toy..it's not worth it to be 'dead right'...

Exactly this. There are roads in my area (Shea and Frank Lloyd Wright) that I won't ride. They are essentially freeways without shoulders or bike lanes. When I see cyclists asserting their rights on those roads, all I can think is "Do you think you can win an argument with a bus?"

[Hawker]

Last year GA passed a "Hands Free" law. You can't hold your phone or "any stand alone electronic device" This includes texting, holding a GPS unit or shooting video. They can be used if in a holder of some type..but not in your hands.

They gave everyone a 90 grace period and then started writing tickets. I could be wrong but it seems to have had some positive impact. I still see plenty of people preoccupied with their phones while driving...but I believe fewer than before. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking? I would hope all states would pass this law. People are dying daily by distracted cell phone users.

I've added a second blinky light and now have one on my helmet and my bike.

[jtbadge]

Originally Posted by Hawker

Last year GA passed a "Hands Free" law. You can't hold your phone or "any stand alone electronic device" This includes texting, holding a GPS unit or shooting video. They can be used if in a holder of some type..but not in your hands.

They gave everyone a 90 grace period and then started writing tickets. I could be wrong but it seems to have had some positive impact. I still see plenty of people preoccupied with their phones while driving...but I believe fewer than before. Or maybe it's just wishful thinking? I would hope all states would pass this law. People are dying daily by distracted cell phone users.

I've added a second blinky light and now have one on my helmet and my bike.

CA has had a law like this for a while. I noticed a huge difference in phone-engaged drivers after moving from MO. Still not 100% gone, but definitely better.

[bironi]

Did the O.P. ever say where he or she lived?

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by tjk23

Here’s the story. Went out for my birthday ride yesterday, beautiful sunny day, couldn’t have been better. Riding along enjoying life. The downside, I lost count of the number of times I got buzzed by vehicles. I really felt like some of them were just trying to see how close they could get to me.
As the ride went on with this happening I just kept wondering why am I doing this. I love riding but it just feels like it is getting more and more dangerous to be out there. Really thinking about going to mountain bikes.
Anyone else having this struggle and how do you handle it?

Maybe you need a better route? And go mountain biking too. Remember you can run your face into a tree or worse mountain biking. Just sayin.

[Ozz]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Maybe you need a better route? And go mountain biking too. Remember you can run your face into a tree or worse mountain biking. Just sayin.

don't forget about the cougars!!

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Ozz

don't forget about the cougars!!

Meow!

[DRZRM]

My regular 20 mile gravel loop (any longer gravel rides start the same way) requires about 5 miles on roads (2.5 each way) to get to where the pavement turns to dirt. It's about all I can take. I have a VERY nice road bike that I almost never ride. It's a mess out there.