How do you stay safe..alone?

[Aggie_Ama]

Anne- Well, I know I can go anywhere a man can and my husband is far from the type to tell me not to. Personally I don't want him out alone on the roads by our house but I can't stop that either. He simply agreed that my concerns about how rural the area I would be riding in warrants my concern of riding alone. It could be something like an attack (unlikely) or simply a wreck where it is quite a long time before anyone knows it happened.

And the rude people come up on me first and have done it when I am riding alone. They are rude to who ever they want to be rude to, but I tend to startle easy and that is what I don't like. The county roads are narrow and there are times the large trucks around here intentionally crowd me off just for a juvenile laugh.

I don't think there are people out there praying on me. Although, the incident with Jenny Ewing last proved it could happen and that is the sad part. It is personal preference and I prefer a riding buddy now that I live in a rural area. Luckily, it is rare that I do not have that option.

On a side note- My former boss was an avid MALE cyclist who said he would not ride alone. Simple reason, his friend got hit by car and no one knew for quite some time. No one could even tell him what happened.

[teigyr]

This is a fascinating thread. It makes sense that some of the risks wouldn't be from cars or other people but from other hazards. I tend to ride on well-traveled MUTs but don't carry any kind of ID with me which is bad. I always have my cell phone but I guess that doesn't help if someone was trying to figure out my emergency contact.

I always tend to lessen the risk on myself by saying (when DH gets concerned) "oh, I do this ride all the time. I'm ok" while I know I would get concerned if DH was riding far away on his own.

I guess a lot of what we're learning here could be used in planning for rides, such as contacting someone to let them know we're going and knowing what to do should something happen.

[Mr. Bloom]

From The Great Gatsby a dialogue between Tom and Daisy:

"you're a rotten driver", [Tom] protested, "either you ought to be more careful or you oughtn't drive at all"

"I am careful"

"No You're Not"

"Well, OTHER PEOPLE ARE", she said lightly

"What's that got to do with it?"

"they'll keep out of my way" she insisted, "It takes two to make an accident"

"suppose you met someone just as careless as yourself"

"I hope I never will" she answered...

Those familiar with the book know that Daisy met that random person that triggered a tragic chain of events later in the book...substitute a few words and you summarize this debate in a nutshell

Please, Please, Please: Be prepared for the worse that society has to offer. It may be a random event, and a small probability...but violence is rampant in our world.

Forget worrying about a scratch on the bike, carry something that helps to keep you safer. All you're trying to do is make yourself a more difficult target.

[RolliePollie]

I tend to ride on well-traveled MUTs but don't carry any kind of ID with me which is bad. I always have my cell phone but I guess that doesn't help if someone was trying to figure out my emergency contact.

I have a hard time remembering to bring my ID with me on rides, so I made a photocopy of my Driver's License and my health insurance card and wrote all my emergency contact information on the same bright colored piece of paper. I put it right in the back of my seat bag so it practically falls out when you unzip it. Of course, you can't be sure someone would look in your seat bag, but at least it's always there. I also have a little label inside my helmet with basic emergency info. And I carry my cell phone (although it doesn't work worth beans around here!).

99% of my rides are solo. I ride rural roads and feel pretty safe...but I certanly don't take it for granted. I've been screamed at, honked at, and even had someone reach their arm out the car window and grab at me (now THAT about scared me to death!). Sometimes I think the poor pavement conditions are actually my biggest danger. I also live alone so no one would miss me if I didn't return from a ride. Friends and family know which roads I ride but I don't necessarily let someone know when I'm out riding. I try to be careful and aware, but I refuse to let fear keep me from doing things alone. Some of the worst injuries and accidents over my lifetime have been while doing what would be considered safe activities. I do get scared out there on the road though. My biggest fear is dogs and I'm going pepper spray shopping this weekend!