Adjusting approach to conventional road riding

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by kookmyers

Which one? I am honestly considering a bikesdirect bike for tooling around.....

It's used and was listed on here. Honestly, with the deals that can be had on previous model used MTBs, it's hard to buy new. If you're okay with the awful, horrible, outdated, ridiculous technology from 2017 that is...

[FlashUNC]

Riding off road has it's own challenges. Once saw a couple guys with a near miss as they were almost t-boned by a bear coming out of the woods on Mendocino Pass. Bear didn't even yield at the crossing.

[Clean39T]

..

[rain dogs]

I hear you. And heck... you're in Oregon which is more bike friendly than a lot of places (although that often just adds to the conflicts at times as a small minority of drivers seem to hate being in a "bike-positive" region and go out of their way to make themselves known about it.)

Anyway, save your one favorite road bike, even if it just collects dust, and treat yourself once in a while to a road "trip". Somewhere in Europe - Spain, France Italy, Belgium, Switzerland whatever. Way fewer a-holes and the riding is such a pleasure.

Hell, come to Asturias and I'll shown you around. There are so few cars here on lots of routes that I get startled when I see one, but at least it keeps one honest on decents.

[jumphigher]

I didnt read this whole thread but understand you're feelings very well, OP. I moved from Portland about a year ago to Richmond. Had plenty of problems over the years there with aggressive drivers on my daily 30-60 mile training rides.
Things have been better here, generally most people are very accomodating, but.. there's the occasional assh*ole that purposly comes really close, or is obviously tring to force me into the ditch. The roads where I ride are really narrow, and people drive fast, so I also worry about an unskilled driver simply hitting me by accident. I've had some close calls, and get regular use of my middle finger, as well.

I'm planning on eventually giving up road riding, it's just too dangerous, imo. I dont tell my wife most of the incidences, she like yours, isnt too crazy about my riding the roads with cars either. Also she rides with me sometimes, so we'll probably switch to trails eventually.

And now I'm off to my 40 mile 6am ride..

[HenryA]

I had a discussion about this with my wife yesterday as we drove onto “town”. The discussion was instigated by seeing the many, many riders who frequent the area. My comment was that many were riding on routes that I had given up literally decades ago. Those routes that used to be nearly empty roads are now well populated with traffic.

I’m glad that I have been able to move out and away from the madness. But lots of folks have not an continue to ride in places that are not really conducive to safety. Whether we like it or not we’re like cats in a world full of big dogs. There are lots of roads that we can legally ride, but just aren’t safe. I choose to ride where I feel like I have a good chance of survival.

As BobO wrote earlier, ascribing motives to other people’s actions probably isn’t the answer. I don’t think its political, or tribe based, its just people. I have known lots of riders over the years who have been of most every political and socioeconomic persuasion. The common factor is they all like bicycling. I have also heard plenty of comments from people who wonder why anyone rides a bike on the road. The words have come from all kinds of people.

[oldpotatoe]

I just don't get the animosity and general loathsome behavior of people in cars. Maybe I'm just unlucky. Maybe I'm overly sensitive today for some reason. But goddamit, I don't want to be a statistic. And as much as I love riding road bikes, I'm seriously having a hard time justifying it at this point. There are other ways to enjoy two-wheel fun. I guess its time to go find them.

Hard to say why. People are anxious these days, angry, distracted..they take it out in their cars. Gravel is keen but not the high speed, winding, wind in yer hair stuff like a really good road. I ride ONLY places where there's a big shoulder, I ride like an old man(very defensive) but I'm also pretty militant when I see other road guys do stupid things..like run red lights and stop signs..or ride 3-4 abreast with cars behind the. NO reason to purposely try to piss off these angry people more, IMHO.

[Spinner]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

This package?

http://store.dinottelighting.com/mob...kage-p197.aspx

I have Bontrager Flare lights already...

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I only have the Quad rear light.

[HenryA]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

hard to say why. People are anxious these days, angry, distracted..they take it out in their cars. Gravel is keen but not the high speed, winding, wind in yer hair stuff like a really good road. I ride only places where there's a big shoulder, i ride like an old man(very defensive) but i'm also pretty militant when i see other road guys do stupid things..like run red lights and stop signs..or ride 3-4 abreast with cars behind the. No reason to purposely try to piss off these angry people more, imho.

+1000

[Kirk007]

Clean, the Dinotte rear and Amber front are a level above other blinkies.

Driver aggression is higher than I anticipated even on bucolic Bainbridge island but I'm learning all the little back roads and there's a reasonable number of fairly mellow trails to piece together mixed surface rides. Had some great road riding in Bend last week - lotsa riders. Lots low traffic country roads out of town.

But I definitely am picking rides/routes/times with aggressive driver avoiance in mind.

G

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

Hard to say why. People are anxious these days, angry, distracted..they take it out in their cars. Gravel is keen but not the high speed, winding, wind in yer hair stuff like a really good road. I ride ONLY places where there's a big shoulder, I ride like an old man(very defensive) but I'm also pretty militant when I see other road guys do stupid things..like run red lights and stop signs..or ride 3-4 abreast with cars behind the. NO reason to purposely try to piss off these angry people more, IMHO.

That's the thing here. The drivers here are overwhelmingly friendly, it's the NE Texas default response, if you don't understand something just be courteous. But in the last 6 years since I arrived, the local group has gotten bigger, riding longer distances, and exhibited worse behavior. I just won't ride with them anymore. Running lights, diving corners into oncoming traffic hoping there's not a car, and having no idea how to ride in a paceline. We're almost two hours from anywhere with a decent sized cycling population that would have group rides, so the locals here have no idea what to do. But the stuff they do would get them kicked out of a group. My concern is the goodwill of the local drivers will get tested beyond what they'll tolerate and we'll hear about some guy running over a group.

[Clean39T]

Originally Posted by Kirk007

Clean, the Dinotte rear and Amber front are a level above other blinkies.

Driver aggression is higher than I anticipated even on bucolic Bainbridge island but I'm learning all the little back roads and there's a reasonable number of fairly mellow trails to piece together mixed surface rides. Had some great road riding in Bend last week - lotsa riders. Lots low traffic country roads out of town.

But I definitely am picking rides/routes/times with aggressive driver avoiance in mind.

G

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

Thanks G - that's where I'm landing too I guess - more riding in the city, less out in the ex-urbs, and more stitching things together with dirt roads and country lanes. Who knows, maybe this will push me to race more - closed courses and all that... Or take up velodrome racing. lolz.

Happy to hear good stuff about Bend for you too. I'll be looking for some ride reviews of your new rig(s).

[Burnette]

Originally Posted by Clean39T

This is my rant. There are many like it, but this one is mine.

I've generally gone numb to the prickish behavior of motorists I encounter on most of my rides. I've learned to ride very defensively, to expect right and left hooks, etc. I've even shrugged off d-bags with hyper inferiority-complexes who think their manhood is somehow confirmed by rolling diesel in my face.

But four times today I almost got intentionally hit or run off the road, and it's just gotten under my skin more than ever before. So much so that I actually told my wife about it...a dicey move considering she already doesn't like me riding on the road...and am pretty much feeling like I want to just focus on gravel, cross, and mtb - with an occasional organized road event.

And when I say intentionally hit or run off the road, I mean situations where there was no reason at all for a $100K BMW to give me 6-inches of clearance at 50-60mph, with me going 35mph in a 40mph zone, or someone in an expensive big-a$$ truck pulling up behind me and then flooring their diesel while swerving toward me just for fun, or someone swerving into oncoming traffic and then back over and into the bike lane right in front of me rather than waiting 20 seconds until it was safe to pass. Oh, and the topper, I'm going 35-40mph down a hill in a 35mph zone - I get a big gust of wind off a truck going in the opposite direction up the hill, probably going 60mph, and that wind gives me a speed wobble, so I slow down a bit and the car behind me lays on their horn like I've spoiled their day by slowing down to 30mph for 100ft.

I just don't get the animosity and general loathsome behavior of people in cars. Maybe I'm just unlucky. Maybe I'm overly sensitive today for some reason. But goddamit, I don't want to be a statistic. And as much as I love riding road bikes, I'm seriously having a hard time justifying it at this point. There are other ways to enjoy two-wheel fun. I guess its time to go find them.

/rant-off

It may be just the time of day. I hated my old schedule but weekdays I had from 9am to 1:30pm to ride. I love my new schedule but it took away my mourning rides and there's too much traffic on our two lane country roads after 5pm. So I ride the rollers downstairs and catch a road ride during the weekends.

For me it's all about place and time. Things have changed but I fit it in where I can. If I only had the late evening hours to ride I wouldn't do it at all.

Edited to add that I too have Dinotte lights, they are awesome. Over the years I have had a few drivers comment on how bright they were.

[Peter P.]

Originally Posted by tkbike

...The driver pulled up next to me at a traffic light and called me a d-bag...

The best response to some driver who utters a profanity at you is,
"You kiss your mother with that mouth?"

I've never seen such a simple statement reduce people to backpedaling.

[R3awak3n]

I just got back from a ride and was actually thinking about this. All sorts of people passed me and you can't really generalized. I had ppl on big trucks give me a ton of space and people in subarus not giving me space at all. New plan, thank everyone that gives me space. Maybe that will make people know how appreciative I am and have em keep doing it