Hey everyone! I’ve seen several posts here about cycling, so figured I’d see what suggestions you folks might have about starting to ride on suburban roads in the U.S.
Growing up, I lived in a big neighborhood and my dad and I would ride our bikes for fun on the weekends. We always made sure to follow all traffic laws, but we only road in the neighborhood. After I moved out I left my bike at their place for several years and only recently brought it home. I know I need to get it tuned up, but my real concern is: I want to use it as a local means of transportation, but I’ve never ridden on populated roads before. I’m terrified I’m going to get hit by a car and the fun will be over.
How do you get out and ride in a non bike friendly environment?
Thanks in advance!
- NotaCat ( @notacat@lemmy.fmhy.ml ) English4•1 year ago
It depends greatly on what the streets look like in your area and how accustomed the cars are to bicycles. If it’s a large enough city they might have a bike map that shows the friendliest routes. Otherwise just observe what roads other cyclists are using. Like buckykat mentioned, sometimes it’s better to use smaller roads that parallel the main thoroughfares. When passing parked cars, give them space in case a door is suddenly opened. Wear a helmet (you can lock it up with your bike). Here’s a resource I found with detailed info. If riding at night, get a light. It sounds scary, but you’ll get more comfortable with experience.
Thanks for the advice and the link! And yes, I always wear a helmet when riding.
In my normal routine, I’ll see a cyclist maybe once or twice per week on average? So in my area they aren’t completely unheard of, but I don’t really trust other drivers to be as aware.
The paragraph about lane position is really interesting! It makes a lot of sense, but definitely seems counterintuitive at first.
- buckykat ( @buckykat@lemmy.fmhy.ml ) English3•1 year ago
I ride an electric unicycle as my main form of transportation. Do not go on stroads, stay on the sidewalk if you absolutely have to go that way. Do not trust painted bicycle gutters. Use the 25 mile an hour neighborhood roads or bike paths if available. Always wear a helmet and make sure cars see you before you cross paths with them. Cars turning right on red are especially dangerous because the driver is looking left while moving right.
That’s amazing! I’ve always been fascinated by unicycles, but I’m not mentally prepared to fall that much before figuring things out.
In my state, riding a bicycle on the sidewalk is illegal for adults, so unfortunately that’s not really an option for me. But I’ll definitely use back roads wherever possible. Thank you for the input!
- flatbield ( @furrowsofar@beehaw.org ) English2•1 year ago
I would would start by looking at Open Street Map or Goggle Maps with the biking overlay. In my area there are tons of recommended routes including many off street trails too. All of our city buses have bike racks too.
Thank you so much! That’s good to know!
- sarsaparilyptus ( @sarsaparilyptus@lemmy.fmhy.ml ) English1•1 year ago
So you want to ride a bicycle as your main method of transportation in a non-bike-friendly American city, right?
I’d recommend setting up a living trust instead of a will. A will can be contested in probate court, but a living trust enjoys protections against that which wills do not. If you have dependents or even charitable organizations that you want to make sure get regular payouts from your estate long after your death, a living trust can often be the better option. An estate lawyer can give you more information than I can. I also recommend an insurance policy that will cover a closed-casket funeral in full.
This reads like a sideways “leave the bike at home or you’ll die” post, but assuming the satirical tone is my own dark-humor brain, it does make sense to have things in order regardless of transportation methods. Fatal car wrecks happen every day.
To clarify, I don’t live in a city, I live about 30 minutes outside of one, where almost everything is a 20+ minute drive. And it wouldn’t be my main mode of transportation (I couldn’t bike to work, I’m uncomfortable walking to my car at night when I get off, there’s no way I’d bike home), just quick runs to the closest grocery store, or maybe some trips to the coffee shops that I’ve noticed I pass while driving to my longer errands.