The Safety Zone

[HillSlugger]

It just doesn't seem right that he should be pushing HIS fears off onto YOU. It sounds like his fears are starting to make you fearful. That's just not right!

[7rider]

It just doesn't seem right that he should be pushing HIS fears off onto YOU. It sounds like his fears are starting to make you fearful. That's just not right!

That's a really interesting thought. I hadn't really thought of it like that before.
My DH worries about my commuting. Generally, he's not too afraid of my other riding, because we generally do it together. When I'm out riding solo, however, I let him know my route - we have names for all our standard routes, so if I say "I'm doing the P", he knows exactly where I"ll be. I also carry a cell phone and (on my commutes) call in to check in to let him know I've arrived safe and sound. I do that even tho' about half of my commutes are with a riding partner.
It's a small concession I make to ease his mind and to keep me from losing mine!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have pepper spray strapped on my bike right where I can reach it quickly. It's for aggressive dogs OR people. (it has a flip top that makes it fairly impossible to aim it at yourself by the way) I do take it with me if I go into a store so kids can't get near it. Sure, somebody or some dog might be able to jump me faster than I could get it going, but it does give me a small sense of security if I see the dog coming or if someone starts harassing or following me. I also try to always keep some buffer/safety space around me when I ride. And of course I tell my DH what route I plan to ride.

[latelatebloomer]

Oddly, my DH is the opposite. Never seems the least bit concerned for my safety. Sometimes it puts me into a snit and I think I must be awfully replaceable - but that's not true, I know he loves me VERY much - so much, that he doesn't LET himself ever think that something could go wrong. He just lives in a fanstasy world in which I am immortal and unbreakable.

[emily_in_nc]

Oddly, my DH is the opposite. Never seems the least bit concerned for my safety. Sometimes it puts me into a snit and I think I must be awfully replaceable - but that's not true, I know he loves me VERY much - so much, that he doesn't LET himself ever think that something could go wrong. He just lives in a fanstasy world in which I am immortal and unbreakable.

Yeah, we kinda did too, until I had my accident and fractured my pelvis, had to have surgery, etc etc....now DH is definitely more careful with me. And I no longer ride alone.

Emily

[Veronica]

The first few days Thom commuted on his motorcycle I wanted him to e mail me when he got to work. If it's really windy I e mail him just to get a reply. I think it's normal to have some concern for the ones you love.

However, that concern should not keep you from living life fully.

V.

[pooks]

Well, yeah, he's probably more of a worrier than the average person but it's the vulnerability of a woman alone that bothers him about the cycling. He obviously wouldn't worry about me driving places -- I'm in a car and less likely to get attacked, and more protected if I'm in a wreck.

While he's concerned about traffic and such, his real issue is a woman walking or running or cycling alone. It's not an unreasonable concern but he takes it a bit to extremes. And the Jennifer Ewing situation (and tshirt) just kind of brought the discussion to the fore again.

ETA: He won't buy a small car for the similar reasons. More likely to get crunched/killed by collision with an SUV, tricked out truck, etc. He just tends to err on the side of caution in general.

[Raindrop]

Right now my DH worries if I'm out riding around 6:30pm - 7:30pm because of the extreme sun position. We live facing towards the west and at those times in the evenings the sun is at eye level. I'm aware of it, and if I'm out then, I try to stay off the main roads simply because it's hard enough to see cars in that glare not to mention cyclists and runners/walkers.

Still, I'm trying to squeeze in as much riding as possible before the weather changes. (shrug) We all work with what we have and what we can deal with, right?

[Kano]

Pooks -- my hubby seems more concerned about motorized traffic getting me than anything else. I figured a small motor cycle, or one of those scooter things would be a good idea when gas went up, but oh no! Those are just as bad as riding your bike to work would be! You stay in your Durango...

When we're out together, he ALWAYS makes me ride in front when we're on busy roads with minimal shoulder areas and no bike path. It's the only time he doesn't insist on being in front!

I'm not sure what the advantage in him being the first of us hit would be? He's always close enough that the driver couldn't avoid taking us both out, y'know? If the car didn't get me to, flying hubby surely would! I'm guessing that somewhere in the deep recesses of his brain, there's the memory of when he was a little guy, and got hit while riding his bike...

Karen in Boise