The suburbs are not ideal conditions.
I mean, sure, if you're just riding around your neighborhood, it's fine. Or if you're riding in an urban area with bike lanes. But, let's face it, there are some situations where if you take your right to the road, you are going to die, or at least wind up a quadriplegic using the single finger you can still move to tap out your life story in Morse code.
And so I have taken it upon myself to put together a handy guide with some tips to help keep the novice bike rider a little safer. Learn from my mistakes, that way you don't have to change your underwear every time you go for a ride.
However, don't think it's all for the cyclists. I'd actually like to start off with an agreement that I think everyone who intends to use the road should make. Half is for drivers, half is for cyclists.
The Driver's Agreement:
I agree to share the road with cyclists.
I agree to not run over cyclists, or pass them so closely that they fall over.
I agree not to passively aggressively follow a cyclist very slowly, then gun it when I pass them to show them they were in my way.
I agree to safely pass cyclists by not driving into oncoming traffic.
I agree to not honk at cyclists unless they are behaving in a manner that might cause an accident.
The Cyclist's Agreement:
I agree to share the road with cars. This means keeping to the right and not blocking traffic.
I agree to pull over and let faster traffic by, if cars are backing up behind me.
I agree to obey traffic signals.
I agree to make sure my bicycle has reflectors on it, and whatever other lights are necessary for visibility at night.
I agree to avoid cycling on dangerous, high speed roads.
Long story short, everyone has a right to the road. Drivers tend to hate cyclists for being slow (I know I do), and cyclists tend to hate drivers for trying to run them down (I hate that, too). Some cyclists get pretty militant and almost try to provoke drivers. This is just as inappropriate as trying to run a cyclist down with your car.
That said, let's get started, shall we?
I think it goes without saying that the suburban cyclist should take whatever safety precautions are necessary. There's no law saying you should wear a helmet (at least not where I live), but it's never a bad idea. I've personally never had a bike accident where it would have saved me, but I also have a friend who would have had a tree branch in his brain if not for his helmet. Your choice. Also, make sure your bike is in good condition--brakes are really important, and you want to make sure it's mechanically sound. Having sufficient air in your tires will also make a world of difference. If you don't have a compressor at home, you will probably pass a gas station on your trip at some point. I've found that if I fill it up to the max pressure marked on the tires, I have a much smoother ride. Also, pack a cell phone for emergencies. You can totally listen to music if you want, but keep the volume low. You need to be able to hear what's going on around you. The most important thing you can do for your personal safety is to pay attention to your surroundings!
So, you have your bike and you're ready to go. You have a variety of options for the path to your destination, and it's important to pick the safest one. For our example, let's go to the park. This is actually the route I take to a large park about 4.5 miles from my house. That's right, I rode 9 miles to take these pictures for you, so look close!
Keep in mind, this is a casual guide, more for folks looking to get off their sofa than for serious cyclists. Our goal here is to keep you safe, so you can do it again.
Neighborhood streets are pretty easy, so we'll skip those--keep to the right and you're fine. Next up is the best thing a cyclist can find: a bike path.
Ah, the bike path. No cars, few pedestrians, and no low hanging branches to smack you in the face.
If there is a bike path heading even vaguely in the direction that you are going, take it. It might be further as the crow flies, but it will probably be more level (the one in our illustration sure is) and it's about as safe as you can get (except after dark, when it's the rape path). In our case, this actually is the best route, so let's move on.
The best roads will have an actual bike lane for you to ride in. I include a picture of one for those of you who will never see one.
Okay, you caught me. This one I took on the way home.
A good shoulder is also an excellent option for staying away from the cars.
The rumble strips usually stop the cars before they hit you.
However, I do want to give you a word of warning. A lot of debris gets thrown to the shoulder or bike lane. This can
make for a hazardous and bumpy ride. Watch out for gravel, rocks,
glass, and dead things. All of these have the potential of knocking you
off balance, and could even puncture a tire. And if you're questioning
the presence of dead things on this list, I'd just like to point out
that I passed one dead opossum, four dead birds, and one dead snake, on
this ride alone. I would've taken pictures, but most of them were
decaying, and that's just gross.
Unfortunately, not all roads will be so kind to you. Our next is a fairly unforgiving road, even for motorists.--four lanes of traffic, no bike lane, no shoulder, and a speed limit of 45. I have seen cyclists riding along this road in the right lane. While there is nothing legally wrong with that, it is, if you will forgive my language, fucking stupid.
Sorry I couldn't get you rush hour pics. It's much scarier then.
On a road like this, ride on the sidewalk. Yeah, you're not supposed to do that, but as long as you yield to pedestrians, there's not a cop in the country who would ticket you for it. Unless you can do 45 on your bike, don't even try the driving lane. Most of these cars will be doing a good 50 mph, at least. At best you'll hold up traffic for miles (because there's no room to pass you), at worst people will clip your handlebars until you go down. Generally speaking, unless you can maintain a speed of over 35 mph on your bike, don't ride on streets with a posted limit over 35, at least if there's no bike lane or shoulder (or sidewalk). Some roads just aren't safe for cyclists. On these roads, use the sidewalk. If there's not a sidewalk, use an alternate route. Actually, for our destination, there is another road we could be using, but it's 55mph, with no shoulder, bike lane, or sidewalk, and the grass alternates between a steep hill and a ditch. So, if you're biking in the burbs, the sidewalk is an option. You should still stick to the road when possible, but don't be a hero.
Of course, even when there is a bike lane or shoulder to ride on, things can still get tricky. Intersections are particularly dangerous, because you usually have several different lanes, all going in different directions.
I want to go left, but the bike lane is three lanes away!
This is an issue that you're going to have to deal with on a case by case basis. If you're riding on the sidewalk, follow pedestrian rules. Cross one direction, then the other. If you're on the street, well, according to law, you should use hand signals and I guess change lanes to the turn lane. Honestly, the guide's kinda fuzzy on the multiple lanes/have to turn issue. Personally, I fall over if I try to use hand signals, and I'm pretty sure almost nobody under the age of 30 knows what they are, anyway. I usually wait until it's clear, then get into the lane I need--keeping to the right of the lane in question. If need be, stop by the curb and wait for a hole. Or go on up to the intersection and use the crosswalk. The key thing here is to be careful and watch for cars. They aren't psychic, they don't know what they're going to do (you could signal, but I'll be honest, every cyclist I've ever seen signal did it in the middle of a turn, and it's kinda too late then). Also make sure to watch for cars even when you're going straight. Some will turn right across the bike lane, or even veer into it as you cross the intersection. Again, be aware of your surroundings!
We're facing a right turn lane that crosses the shoulder (the safest place to ride on this particular street). I have almost been hit several times here, and even had one guy honk at me. There's no stop or yield sign for the turn lane, so both cyclists going straight and cars turning right technically have the right of way. What's our solution here? Legally speaking, cyclists have right of way over vehicles (because they break more easily), but let's face it, if you're driving along at 60 mph, you're not going to want to slow up. This is when you play it safe and watch for cars. If nothing's coming, go ahead. If someone wants to turn, see if they slow up to let you cross. If not, let them go. It's not worth your life to make a point.
So, just to recap, safety is key when cycling around cars. Whenever possible, take neighborhood streets or a bike path. If you can't do one of those, try to use a road with a bike path or shoulder. When all else fails, ride on the sidewalk. If the speed limit is over 35 and you don't have any of these options available, find an alternate route. However, the best thing you can do for your safety is to be aware of what's going on around you. If you see or hear the car coming up behind you, you've got a much better chance of dodging it if it's a sorority girl on a cell phone.
Hopefully this'll give you a good start safely riding your bike in areas that aren't as cyclist friendly. By paying attention to drivers who aren't paying attention to you, you can minimize your risks and still have a good time.
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