Where do roadies in SC ride?

I just came back from a vacation in Hilton Head. We took both road and mountain bikes, but soon discovered that SC is not a friendly environment for roadies. We had been out no more than 2 minutes when a cop "pulled us over," and started telling us to get on the bike path. We did and then went back on the road, but he caught us agin, so we ended up riding 18 miles with old ladies, kids, joggers, etc. When we got back, we went on the web to see what the law really was. It actually states that riders have to ride on a path if there is one! How can anyone ride for fitness, etc. with a law like this?
I got really nasty with the cop and said it might be better to spend a little time instructing people to ride with helmets rather than harrassing us! No one was wearing a helmet, including most of the kids.
We did have more fun with the mountain bikes on the beach and in a nature preserve, but I am just wondering if I am being an obnoxious New Englander thinking that this law is really stupid.

And I guess I'm a second obnoxious New Englander... Based on what Robyn found, I'll make sure to keep South Carolina off of my list of potential places to visit. It's my feeling that multi-use bike paths are very bad (as in unsafe) places to ride a bicycle.

I thought that the vehicle code in all 50 states called for bicyclists to share the road with motorized vehicles. Guess I was wrong...

--- Denise

I live in NC on the border with SC. I think Denise is correct when she states that the law in all 50 states is that cycles can share the road with cars. I know that I get invites to road rides in SC all the time. The clubs offer centuries and all the other usual stuff. I think you got a cop who is either a bike hater or an idiot.

In fact, every Sat and Sun morning I go for group rides that start in NC and always include a huge chunk (10-30 miles) of SC because the roads are really empty there. So that cop is full of sh**. I'm going to look up the law too. I can't believe I'm breaking the law twice a week!

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Originally Posted by doc

...So that cop is full of sh**. I'm going to look up the law too. I can't believe I'm breaking the law twice a week!

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I looked up the SC law after I saw Robyn's entry (sorry Robyn, I just had to see for myself) and it is very explicit saying that if there is a bike path adjacent to the road that cyclists must ride on the path. Definitely not a safe situation based on Robyn's description.

--- Denise

I'm sorry you had such a lousy riding experience in SC. We live in the upstate of SC and we...ride on the road. SC does have roadies...the Assault on Mt. Mitchell is organized by the Spartanburg Freewheelers in SC, and it is one of the premier cycling events in the US. In fact, I think it's in the top 10.

Hilton Head is its own little place...lots of rules for everything. We take our bikes to other beaches in SC with no problems. Hilton Head is great if you love to golf, eat, shop, or meander along a bike path. In fact they have more bike paths than any other place I've ever been to.

When we go to the beach, we leave our road bikes at home...too much salt and sand to keep all those working parts working happy for my taste. But that's just me. We take our mountain bikes and ride where we please on the road. But I won't take my mountain bike on the beach...too much salt...it will just ruin a bike.

And when we bike, we wear helmets...kids too!

I hope the rest of your stay was pleasant :o

I am in total agreement with Beth-Ro, and I am embarrassed that you had such a bad experience. I, too, live in the Upstate of SC which is much better for cycling, in my opinion. Denise, please don't cross the whole state off your cycling list just because of Hilton Head, which, as Beth-Ro said, is its own little world. One of the reasons George Hincapie lives in Greenville, SC, (in the Upstate) is the cycling terrain and the weather. This is a great place to ride, and the cycling community is fairly large, with lots of clubs and organized rides. We are working hard to make this area more bike-friendly; I don't think you would have the experience that Robyn had in HH. So take your cruiser to the beach, and save your road bike and your mountain bike for the Upstate.

Thanks to Beth-Ro and profàvélo - I'm glad to hear that most of the state is a good place for roadies to visit! I'll put it back on my list...

--- Denise

Wow, here is the code:
SECTION 56-5-3420. Rights and duties of bicyclists generally. [SC ST SEC 56-5-3420]

Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway shall be granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle by this chapter, except as to special regulations in this article and except as to those provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.

SECTION 56-5-3430. Riding on roadways and bicycle paths. [SC ST SEC 56-5-3430]

Every person operating a bicycle upon a roadway shall ride as near to the right side of the roadway as practicable, exercising due care when passing a standing vehicle or one proceeding in the same direction.

Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway shall not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles.

Whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.

All the usual rules plus that really weird path thing. Where I ride, there are farms only. So no paths. I guess it can't come up except in places like Hilton Head. Rural SC has no problems with that clause.

SC really isn't bad!! I lived there most of my life and rode my bike there. I lived in Charleston for years and rode there a good bit, great place to visit and ride! (no hills)

As for Hilton Head, its a tourist place, not a good place for riding anyway.

If you ever get the chance to visit SC do! Geesh, I have almost talked myself into moving back :o

Thanks for the info, guys. I knew that the enforcement of the stupid law had to do with being a tourist place. The cops were super vigilant about everything. I also knew that there had to be cycling clubs, etc. in SC. We went mostly for a beach vacation, as we do not golf or play tennis. I even told my husband that we should not bring the road bikes, but we did. Next time, we'll go to Charleston!

Hilton Head cops live to keep their idea of order; there just isn't much else to do. I've lived in SC for 13 years and never heard of such a thing.

If you come again, ride Bear Island Road off Highway 17, between Beaufort and Charleston. 16 straight flat miles one way, over marsh lands and beautiful green expanses. I've seen (and with some regularity) bald eagles, wood storks, alligators, all variety of snakes, kingfishers, bluebirds...

And that's just one road.

A pox on those Hilton Head cops!!!

Welp, I reckon if they don't enforce the law, there are resident drivers (or business owners) who would jump on them. It's the folks who passed the laws (prob'ly thinkng it makes for a "pleasant tourist experience" - can't have people inconvenienced on their way to the beach!) - perhaps not a pox, but diminished tourism... Hilton Head isn't my idea of a good time anyway - I prefer upstate, too :) :)

I think Charleston is a fairly bike friendly place with the College of Charleston downtown, though with the state of the roads there (potholes) I'm not sure I'd want to ride around. I'm from Savannah, just across the river from HH, and HH is one of the few places where there are paths everywhere (even inconvenient, crowded ones). So I can see how the cops there could get anal about the rules. They seem to be like that about basically everything.

When I go home for the holidays, I'm going to take my bike. Where I'm going to ride it.. I'm not sure. But I know I can do some laps around Tybee Island (right next to HH.. sort of) and I can ride on the street. I'd love to ride the causeway out there, but it can be dangerous (no good shoulders, lots of high speed traffic, 2 lane most of the way). I can come up with a couple short loop ideas but a lot of stop and go.

What's ironic (GA vs. SC) is that in Savannah there is an ordinance that bikers can't ride on sidewalks through the squares. The students would do that instead of going around, because it's straight through and wide sidewalks usually, and going around merging traffic can't really see you with the cars parked around the square. .. hard enough to see cars coming. They even tried to ban bikes in the one big park where I used to ride all the time as a kid. Only 1 sq mile but fun for a kid on a fixed gear bike to do some laps and cut through. I don't think that lasted long though, because the adjacent roads are narrow and banked and dangerous. It also seems to be ok for people to park on some of the bike paths there too. Silly.

Hey, SC girls! I'm going to be visiting my sister in Clemson April 25-28. I hope to be able to steal a few minutes to take a ride or two. I've emailed Sunrise Cyclery to see if they'll rent me a road bike for a bit. I haven't yet heard from them. Anybody want to show me the scenery? Anybody got a spare bicycle? I ride a 48 cm (I think--could be 49 cm) Trek Pilot 5.0 wsd. Thanks for any help.

Susan