Michigan and bike safety

[rebeccaC]

I do like the bicycle equality statement that every lane is a bike lane but for me more important is the need to understand how to deal with any kind of situation that a traffic route presents and do so without the conflict or an attitude of entitlement which could cause harm or especially anger. I’d also rather take responsibility for my safety than leave it in the hands of a cell phone using, french fry eating or otherwise distracted or angry driver.

I'll take a lane in urban riding with no bike lane and where I can keep up with the flow or when a turn necessitates it. Btw city alley’s ftw!!!....we are lucky where i live to have a lot of marked wide bike lanes and dedicated bike paths though. In mountain/rural areas (with one exception being long straights with little traffic where i'll move to the middle of the lane for visibilty reasons and move over well before a car gets too close) I keep as far to the right as possible, especially on roads with a lot of anxiety producing blind curves and the occasional car….the other exceptions being the occasional downhill where I’m going 20 to 40+ and there isn’t any one in back of me or on a hard climb with no traffic where I need to zigzag parts of it.

A daytime LED rear blinky, helmet mirror, bright colored jersey and awareness ftw!!!!!!!.....and patience is a virtue…