Would you ride it??

[Running Mommy]

Ok girls, I've got a question for you. I need to know if I'm being a weenie or not. As you all prolly know I'm traning for an Ironman which means monster miles on the weekends. I'm training alone, so I've been staying up in my relatively traffic free neighborhood doing multiple loops. The same old loop is getting really old. It's a 10 mile loop, but I found last weekend after the 4th loop I was mentally fried. I tried changing up directions and adding side streets, but I barely made 72 miles before I wanted to shoot myself.

Well if I ride down the back side of my hill I get into a farming community that alot of clubs use for their weekend rides. I've never ventured down there myself for a couple of reasons. First there is really no shoulder AT ALL for at least the first 6 miles. Then it opens up to nice flat road with a small shoulder for the next ten miles. Now there are just a few farms out there and really no traffic but I'm kind of afraid to ride out there because of the lack of shoulder. I'm just afraid that some whacko is going to come by and clip me. Also the area is pretty much farmland and bare desert so it's pretty isolated.
It would be a nice relatively flat, virtually traffic free ride I suppose, but I'm just caught up w/ the "what ifs". The area also houses alot of immigrant laborers who probably got their drivers license in another country. I'm not trying to offend anyone, but I've been the unfortunate victim in my car more than once to their sub par driving skills. So being on a bike kind of freaks me out.
But like I said, I hear the local clubs ride out there alot, so maybe I'm just being a weenie?
Whadya think girls? Am I being a weenie? It sure would be nice to change my scenery!

[DebW]

I don't know your area to give advise, but chances are that I'd ride the farmland alone. Though the poor drivers do sound scary. I'd make myself as visible as possible with a big triangle reflector strapped on my back and blinking LED lights even in daytime. What about putting your bike in your car and driving someplace with good scenery and where you'll feel safe? Or recruiting a training buddy, or even a friend with a car to shadow you the first time you go there.

[CorsairMac]

My century route takes me through a fairly long stretch of road that has no shoulder and at one point I have to cross an interstate onramp. The first time I rode that I was scared to death I was gonna get nailed and ya know what?......I didn't. The majority of the drivers out there are very considerate to bikers, I've even had people slow down to let me cross over (I wish they wouldn't but there ya are). My route takes me out about 50+ miles from my home and I ride alone and unsupported, and I wouldn't give up that route for all the tea in China! (ok....I might be tempted for a new carbon fiber Trek - but I'd have to think about it pretty seriously). I just make sure I have my cell phone with me and I let several friends know I'm riding a century that day so they keep their phones with them in case I get into trouble. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how considerate most drivers will be to you, especially out in the country where they have plenty of room to pass you. Go! Enjoy the scenery! and tell us all about it when you get back!!

[DeniseGoldberg]

I would definitely ride it. Of course I rode across the country alone, so that probably tells you where my thought process lives...

Roads without shoulders - just make sure that you are far enough into the driving lane that a driver knows they will need to move to the left to get around you. In other words, ride like you belong there. I'm sure that you'll be fine.

--- Denise

[Bike Goddess]

I agree with the others in the above comments! I ride alone most of the time when I am going to do a long ride. I carry a cell phone (turned on), and I tell others where I am going to be.

I also have to ride on roads with no shoulders. I too, just ride as though the road was mine. Never had a problem. People are considerate. I think you'll be fine. Probably the best thing to do is to go down that hill, and just go aways down the road. Try it out. See for yourself. Be sure that someone knows you are gone, and when they should expect to see you back.

You mention that you know of other cyclists go out that way. Anyway you can contact someone and arrange for a ride together?

BTW- Good luck on your training. I think it is awesome that you have set this goal for yourself! Please let us know how it goes when the big day rolls around!

[Running Mommy]

Thank you SOO much! See I AM being a weenie! How can I be an Ironwoman and be a weenie like that?! ha ha ha
I'll be out there tomorrow morning and will report back. happy riding girls! Have a good- SAFE- weekend out there!
Denise

[Grog]

Roads without shoulders - just make sure that you are far enough into the driving lane that a driver knows they will need to move to the left to get around you. In other words, ride like you belong there. I'm sure that you'll be fine.

I couldn't agree more with Denise. When there's little space, or on tricky spots on the road, I drive about 2 feet INSIDE (left of) the line so the drivers definitely can't miss me. If I know there's a car behind me and the driver can't pass me because of incoming traffic on the other side, I'll move to the right side once it's clear that I've been seen (but before the driver becomes irritable).

If you're sticking too close to the right, not only you're less easy to see, but also it's easier for the drivers to think they can pass you without going in the other lane. When you are clearly in the right lane, it becomes obvious that they have to change lane.

On roads with shoulders, I sometimes ride on the car lane too, especially near intersections where I know many drivers make a right turn and will be tempted to pass me and turn right right in front of me because they underestimate my speed. By moving in their lane, I force them to wait for me to cross the intersection and they can make their turn after I'm gone. I do this as diligently as possible, avoiding to make drivers unhappy (because when they become unhappy they're dangerous to other cyclists)

[Veronica]

Not a weenie - just cautious about the unknown.

V.

[Aint Doody]

Grog--you have some really good suggestions here. I'm going to put a link to your post on our club website! Thanks for sharing........

[Bike Goddess]

Grog- Ditto for me! I ride as you do- so I can be clearly seen. The intersection trick is especially important. Often when I come close to an intersection where the car on my right is waiting to cross OR make a left turn onto the road where I am, I make specially sure they see me. That means getting out in the lane! I also wear bright color jerseys or jackets so I can be seen easily. Our club jerseys are yellow- we can be seen quite well!!!!!

[Grog]

No prob' ladies.

Another cool trick I read - not sure whether it was here or elsewhere - was : when you get in a situation where a driver has to consider you in planning his/her manoeuver (intersections in particular), downshift and spin your legs faster. If you're moving your legs at a slow pace, you look like you're going slowlier, if you spin faster, you look faster in their head. So they're more likely to wait. I haven't tested that in a rigorously scientific procedure though, your mileage may vary!

Another thing I do when I see a car coming in the other direction, preparing to turn left right in front of me, is think outloud a strict "NO" while looking at the driver. It's likely that most times they don't even see me, but it probably prevents me from slowing down/showing hesitation because I feel authoritative!!!

In all cases: keep your fingers well positioned over the brakes and think of an escape route at all times. Also works while in a paceline: if the car DOES turn/if the guy in front of me crashes/if that squirrel does cross the street instead of staying nicely put under his tree there, what do I do? I was riding in the middle of a paceline on a fairly high overpass the other day and thinking of my escape route if I went endo... quite creepy! but generally it's a good thing to think about it.

[Nanci]

Hey Running Mommy,

When you do your IM, they're gonna throw you out in traffic, so you may as well get comfortable with it now so you aren't all fearful during your race.

I used to be scared like crazy riding without a bike lane- now I still don't like it on some roads, but on others, further out, people aren't in such a hurry and they move over into the whole other lane. Now I really only get nervous when there is traffic from both directions and the car behind you won't move over because of oncoming traffic.

Seems like drivers are worse-behaved in the afternoon/evening, too, so you could go on your adventure very early Saturday or Sunday until you were more comfortable with the route.

Like others have said- I worry less if I feel really visible. Get a dayglow vest and one of those 10 LED tail lights- they are only about $30 or something, and last 100 hours!! I used mine during the day last Sunday, since I had noticed on a brevet that a lot of people used them during the day, and they really _were_ visible- same thing for vests.

Hey, another thing, I think, if a driver moves way over and even slows down a bit, wave at them to thank them for their consideration! That way they _know_ you appreciated their thoughtfulness and will be more likely to behave that way the next time.

Nanci

[Bike Goddess]

Yep- Nanci. Be courteous to drivers. A hand-wave is easy and says a lot for you!

[SadieKate]

Running Mommy, this describes my area to a T. When I am by myself I ride the most heavily bicycled roads because the drivers are accustomed to us out there. I always take a cell phone and tell someone, but it is such a liberating experience to ride by yourself and venture out. I tend to stay away from the very few roads that are used by the backroad high speed commuters but flat farmland usually has roads on a 1-mile grid so its easy to go another route. And, you know, those farmworkers are the ones who recognize me and waive both from the fields and from their cars. They remember me. Someday, I may need them. The close encounters have come from the male Caucasian pick-up and van drivers.

Another cool trick I read - not sure whether it was here or elsewhere - was : when you get in a situation where a driver has to consider you in planning his/her manoeuver (intersections in particular), downshift and spin your legs faster. If you're moving your legs at a slow pace, you look like you're going slowlier, if you spin faster, you look faster in their head. So they're more likely to wait. I haven't tested that in a rigorously scientific procedure though, your mileage may vary!

This would scare the crap out of me to try this. Usually drivers underestimate my speed any way and pull out in front illegally. I downshift if there is a stoplight/sign, but not too far as I want to be able to apply power if necessary. If the light is green, I may be sprinting.

[ladyjai]

I actually lift a hand in the extended stop position when it looks like the driver wants to turn left in front of me, and I know I'm going too fast for all of us to make it. (even followed our club bulldog once at 28 going uphill! and saw him use it on a car on the right hand side of the road.) cars are surprised when you do it, but I think the majority just don't know realize you're going that fast, and they do respect it.
I always nod and say thank you to cars who wait. even the ones I don't signal.

it i'm going under 18 mph, they guess how much time they have a little better and at most, I have to slow a few mph before they get out of the way.

none of this helps for the annoying people on the right side of the road, turning left, who pull out into my lane before even checking any direction for traffic... they pull out, stop in the lane, oh, I guess it looks clear except for that bike, then go... drivers like that are just asking to get hit...