Does Road Riding Ever Get Less Stressful?

I'm a newbie to road riding (had a MTB years ago and used to ride it regularly on back roads so the traffic was minimal) so as far as actually riding goes, I'm pretty comfortable. Now that I'm riding on more traveled roads, I feel like I'm holding my breath every time a car goes by, and I let out a deep breath when I realize they haven't clipped me. What can I say? I don't trust a lot of the people driving around here. The roads I'm sticking to now don't have lots of traffic, but in my mind, that's just another reason for the driver to pay less attention to the road.

Does it get any easier? Less stressful? Or is there always that little irk that you might get hit from behind? Would a mirror help ease me a bit?

a mirror would help immensely. I am not sure I could comfortably ride without one, I have grown so accustomed.
Also pick your roads and pick your times.

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Also pick your roads and pick your times.

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That's something I'm really trying to be conscious of doing. Until I'm fairly comfy with the new bike, I've been doing a 3 mile loop to the local park and riding 4 miles on the track there (they allow bikes on it). I'm also pretty nervous about picking a road, running into a rough patch, trying to avoid it and realizing there's a car right on my tail too late. It doesn't help 90% of the roads around here are notorious for being horribly maintained!

You might want to ride with a local cycling club to find good roads and good routes.

I second the rear-view mirror suggestion. If you're not doing so already, wear really bright colored jerseys. Yellow, orange, red, and bright pink are good, as well as bright prints. Dark colors make you nearly invisible to motorists, especially if you're riding at certain times of day. Add a rear red blinky light if you ride anytime near dusk. I also think that > 1 roadie riding together are more visible than just one lone rider, so if you have a friend you could ride with, you might feel more comfortable.

Thanks, Tulip. I've looked into a couple and they do have rides Mon and Wed each week. The rides are a little longer than I can handle right now at 15 miles, but I'm getting there. The other issue is the "local" clubs have rides that are about 10 highway miles from me, so their routes really aren't all that close. I'm still looking, though.

I guess I would prefer to not have to drive to ride my bike, ya know? I would rather just get out and go. I don't live in a crazy busy area (it can be when school gets out and such). I plan to do some rides, so the driving to ride is inevitable.

Emily - great points. I've been trying to wear brighter clothes, but I think I need to buy even brighter :) Any excuse to go shopping.

I wish I could find friends to go riding with. :(

I guess I've been road riding for about a year and a half now? Things that used to scare the hell out of me really don't bug me at all anymore. I tend to look at the road ahead and keep track of cars to the side or behind me... So that if there's a rough patch of road, I've got the option of just plain stopping if a car is too close to me. Or I can swing out into the road a bit in advance so that a car coming up behind realizes where I am and can get out of the way. I don't hug the edge of the road like I used to, because that gives me nowhere to go if the shoulder turns to crap... I tend to ride on the white line...

There's a link somewhere on here for bike safely that has some good hints on the common accidents that cyclists get into that may help you.

Cars for the most part seem fairly aware & pretty good about cyclists around here.

There's a highway near me that allows cyclists on it - and while I don't find it pleasant, I don't find it a huge deal to bike up the highway for a mile or two with tractor trailers coming by doing 70 mph... I do stay far into the big wide shoulder on it, however.

CC, where do you live? I'd be happy to go out with you, if you want to meet up somewhere.
Yes, you do get more used to traffic situations. I do things/ride in places that I wouldn't have done 5 years ago. My best advice is be alert, assertive (but not aggressive), and act like the vehicle that you are.

1) Screaming yellow fluorescent vest or top. Blinky lights if you want, too.

2) rear-vision mirror. I like helmet mirrors myself.

3) read this: http://bicyclesafe.com/

4) don't hug the shoulder so much that you would have nowhere to escape to if a car crowded you or turned right in front of you. Give yourself a safety margin of 1-2 feet on both sides, not just one side. Don't be afraid to act like a car and take the lane at an intersection. Never try to turn left from the right road shoulder.

Riding in traffic used to freak me out. Now several years later it doesn't bother me much at all. I think as you get better with your riding skills and begin to be able to predict what clueless drivers 'might' do, you start to feel a little less powerless and scared.

Oh, and to answer your original question...yes, it does get less stressful! Anything done often enough becomes familiar, and with familiarity comes comfort. Doesn't mean there aren't some hairy moments even for experienced cyclists, but if it were constantly stressful and scary, no one would do it!

I do understand your desire not to have to drive to rides. My husband and I can ride right from our house, and it's really nice. I can only do that on the weekends, so once during the week I drive to ride mountain bikes in a local park with a work friend.

Good luck - there are a lot of good suggestions on this thread!

don't be such a purist. until you get up to speed, take your bike for rides in your car. ;):D

There are lots of great suggestions here. Thanks so much everyone!

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don't be such a purist. until you get up to speed, take your bike for rides in your car.

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When I can go more than 12mph for 10 miles, I'm going on a real ride :)

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CC, where do you live? I'd be happy to go out with you, if you want to meet up somewhere.

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I'm near Worcester. I'd love to meet up!!!

ccbloom--You're not alone in stressing over road riding. My college campus is smack in the middle of Cleveland and is near a hospital, so it's quite busy, especially now that school is back in session. Even though I know drivers around here are used to seeing cyclists, and dumb ones at that, it still makes me nervous. The roads are not always well-maintained, I don't know all the streets... I'm also not from the area, so I don't know bike trails, and I don't have a car to get to them even if I did.
We have a cycling club. It's mostly--if not, entirely--guys who like going way too fast for me. I have learned some good ride routes from them. (I just tell them that I can't make it, but I'd like to know the route.)

I just try to make myself as visible as possible and head out early on weekends when there aren't as many cars or freshmen around (because they haven't figured out how to cross streets yet). There are a few neighborhoods around here that I'd like to ride in. Yes, it involves walking my bike across a couple of intersections to get there, but it beats getting squished!

Will PM you about meeting up.

CC:

Being a little nervous is okay. It helps you to stay alert, and it's simply Nature's way of reminding you that you may not have enough experience at this (yet) to feel fully confident. Ride where you feel comfortable, and as you gain confidence (and skill!) you can work your way up to more complex situations. I know it sounds a lot like a cliche, but a lot really is "getting used to it."

A good video that I use in nearly all my adult classes is one called "A Cyclist's Eye View," distributed by the League of American Bicyclists. It's available on YouTube:

ABC Quick Check:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VziOIkNXsE

A Cyclist’s Eye View:
Part 1. -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFjCza5e1kw
Part 2. -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIr3mI96FZk
Part 3. -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLu0DHPeYm8

You might also want to check out one of the League's Traffic Skills classes, and see if one is available in your community. These include not just lectures on traffic rules, road hazards, and how to fix flats, but also several hours of supervised, coached riding in the typical traffic in your community.

Tom

Thanks, Tom. I'm going to watch the videos today. There is a Traffic Skills class available towards the middle of this month, and I'm hoping to attend it as well. You're right, I'm going to need to gain more skill and confidence and try and get used to it.

I'm definitely buying a mirror today, too.

Thanks for providing those videos, Tom. I watched them, too.

CCbloom, I hope you don't mind me posting a question in your thread. It's about the same subject and maybe the answers will address some of your questions.

If I want to go further than 10 miles, I have to get on our busy highway. It's a 2-lane highway with smooth, wide shoulders and a large # of big logging trucks. Speed averages about 65mph. The shoulders disappear as the highway slows down for about a mile through a very small town, and then reappear on the other side of town. The logging trucks create a lot of wind - enough that I might fall if I wasn't prepared.

I've been riding on the shoulder going the opposite direction from the traffic, so that I can see the drivers and make sure they've seen me - and also so I can see if it's a logging truck or not and be prepared to keep my balance. When the shoulders disappear through town, I just continue slowly on the sidewalks (watching out for pedestrians).

A few miles after town, I get off onto the old highway, which is slower (avg 55mph) but very curvy and doesn't have a shoulder. I ride in the right hand lane, but switch lanes on the very sharp curves so that I remain visible to traffic coming toward. I'm afraid if I stayed in the lane where they couldn't see until they were right up on me, I'd get hit.

Am I doing it right?

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Originally Posted by staceysue

I've been riding on the shoulder going the opposite direction from the traffic, so that I can see the drivers and make sure they've seen me - and also so I can see if it's a logging truck or not and be prepared to keep my balance. When the shoulders disappear through town, I just continue slowly on the sidewalks (watching out for pedestrians).

A few miles after town, I get off onto the old highway, which is slower (avg 55mph) but very curvy and doesn't have a shoulder. I ride in the right hand lane, but switch lanes on the very sharp curves so that I remain visible to traffic coming toward. I'm afraid if I stayed in the lane where they couldn't see until they were right up on me, I'd get hit.

Am I doing it right?

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NO NO NO!!

Ride in the direction you are going!!! Always. Please! Riding going opposite traffic is unsafe on so many levels: Cars expect bikes to go with traffic, you can disrupt bikes going in the correct direction and pose a danger to any cyclists who are doing what they should be doing.

I can't even imagine switching lanes mid curve :eek: That requires you to cross the road - with cars possibly coming up behind you. :confused:

Please ride on the RIGHT side of the road (assuming you aren't in the UK) - as far to the right as it is safe to be.

Sidewalks are not meant for bikes, but it's a heck of a lot safer than riding on the wrong side of the road.

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Originally Posted by maillotpois

NO NO NO!!

Ride in the direction you are going!!! Always. Please! Riding going opposite traffic is unsafe on so many levels: Cars expect bikes to go with traffic, you can disrupt bikes going in the correct direction and pose a danger to any cyclists who are doing what they should be doing.

I can't even imagine switching lanes mid curve :eek: That requires you to cross the road - with cars possibly coming up behind you. :confused:

Please ride on the RIGHT side of the road (assuming you aren't in the UK) - as far to the right as it is safe to be.

Sidewalks are not meant for bikes, but it's a heck of a lot safer than riding on the wrong side of the road.

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:cool: OK - but - I live in the boonies! The highway is just going through to get from point A to point B. The only other bikes that ever come through here are people touring for hundreds of miles, and they're very far and few between. The last thing a vehicle here would expect to see is a bicycle. They totally don't expect it.

The curvy road is used by a lot of rednecks who love taking the curves fast, for fun. These aren't your run-of-the-mill normal rational city drivers . . .if they don't see me, they're just going to keep accelerating and hooting and hollering, throwing beer cans and having fun! Don't want to get hit on the head with a beer can! ROFLOL

I need that blushing smiley again.

I'm just worried from a safety perspective. You don't need a blushing smiley - I just don't want you needing a banged up smiley.

Even on roads in the middle of nowhere it is still safer to be on the right side of the road going with traffic. Be as visible as you can clothing-wise, but stay to the right.

I witnessed what could have been a serious accident this morning because a cyclist was riding on the left side of the road - in Washington, DC. Fortunately, it was before 7 a.m. so there weren't many vehicles on the road. I was getting ready to pass a cyclist and I noticed that he was slowing and swerving a little. It was because the cyclist that was riding on the left was coming straight at him! :eek: Fortunately (again), they were both riding fairly slow but there was a ton of confusion going on. They were trying to avoid hitting each other so they both started going left, right, left, ride, etc.

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Originally Posted by maillotpois

NO NO NO!!

Ride in the direction you are going!!! Always. Please! Riding going opposite traffic is unsafe on so many levels: Cars expect bikes to go with traffic, you can disrupt bikes going in the correct direction and pose a danger to any cyclists who are doing what they should be doing.

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Originally Posted by staceysue

:cool: OK - but - I live in the boonies! The highway is just going through to get from point A to point B. The only other bikes that ever come through here are people touring for hundreds of miles, and they're very far and few between. The last thing a vehicle here would expect to see is a bicycle. They totally don't expect it.

The curvy road is used by a lot of rednecks who love taking the curves fast, for fun. These aren't your run-of-the-mill normal rational city drivers . . .if they don't see me, they're just going to keep accelerating and hooting and hollering, throwing beer cans and having fun! Don't want to get hit on the head with a beer can! ROFLOL

I need that blushing smiley again.

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Boonies or not, you are MUCH safer riding with traffic. If a particular road is curvy or unsafe, then don't use it any more than you have to, but riding against traffic is not the answer to that problem. Riding against traffic is also often against the law.

The best thing you can do a cyclist--regardless of how expected or unexpected you think you are to drivers--is to (1) make yourself as visible as possible, (2) ride predictably and defensibly, (3) signal your intentions by the appropriate hand and arm signals and otherwise follow the rules of the road, and (4) be keenly aware of your surroundings. If you do that, more likely than not, cars WILL see you--whether they expect to see you or not. Yes, there is always the chance that someone won't or will harass you. Cycling is not without its risks, but to be honest, most of us ride on a regular basis without too much trouble in all sorts of environments. You just have to use your head and ride smart.

I ride in the boonies a lot, and I've had few problems, so I think you need to put aside the fear that cars just won't know how to treat you. They'll likely treat you like any other slower moving vehicle that they either have to slow down for or pass.

Thanks, everybody. I will stay on the right side and avoid the curvy road. Sorry, ccbloom, for temporarily hijacking your thread!

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Originally Posted by staceysue

:cool: OK - but - I live in the boonies! The highway is just going through to get from point A to point B. The only other bikes that ever come through here are people touring for hundreds of miles, and they're very far and few between. The last thing a vehicle here would expect to see is a bicycle. They totally don't expect it.

The curvy road is used by a lot of rednecks who love taking the curves fast, for fun. These aren't your run-of-the-mill normal rational city drivers . . .if they don't see me, they're just going to keep accelerating and hooting and hollering, throwing beer cans and having fun! Don't want to get hit on the head with a beer can! ROFLOL

I need that blushing smiley again.

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No. Do NOT ride on the side against traffic- you are going to cause a serious accident one day if you do that. It does not make you any more likely to be seen or safer. It makes it MORE DANGEROUS. And most often it's illegal as well. Please, stop doing this. Ride with the direction of traffic. You ARE traffic, you are NOT a pedestrian.

If you really want to be seen, here is a good website for high-visibility safety clothing. When I commuted to work, I wore the t-shirts. They are extremely visible (and relatively inexpensive)

www.alertshirts.com

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Originally Posted by tulip

If you really want to be seen, here is a good website for high-visibility safety clothing. When I commuted to work, I wore the t-shirts. They are extremely visible (and relatively inexpensive)

www.alertshirts.com

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Is this the right link?

Whoops...it's singular.

www.alertshirt.com

that's better.

I know how you feel - traffic scares the crap out of me and I will probably never ride in "normal" traffic. I feel safer riding in the dark. It sounds nuts, but in the early morning (I head out at 5am) there is FAR less traffic and you can see and hear cars coming long before they are up on you because of the quiet and because of their headlights/my rearview mirror. I have firefly lights on my camelback and my wheel spokes, as well as nice bright headlights/tail lights. Cars give me wide berth because they see me early. It's a win win - try it!

another option for the curvy section:

I did a test commute last month (16 mi one way) and one stretch was through a curvy section of road, no shoulder. It seemed like cars were passing awfully close or maybe they did not see me until they were closer. It was daylight and clear.

So.... I stopped on a side street and turned on my rear light in strobe mode (it's a DiNotte) and what do you know, cars passed more courteously and slowly.

So you could try a good strobe light when you are on more dangerous sections of rode.

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Originally Posted by radacrider

So you could try a good strobe light when you are on more dangerous sections of rode.

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or ridden... (ducking) :D

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Originally Posted by Biciclista

or ridden... (ducking) :D

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Silly!!!!