I want to ride on beautiful rural roads.... but cars scare me.

[Kalidurga]

I felt the same way a year ago, froglegs. I started out road riding through parks in the area, specifically US Civil War battlefields. That way I could get used to cars, but at low speeds. Then I took the plunge and went on a rural road ride with a more experienced fellow TE'er (MDHillSlug) and that changed everything. There are still certain roads that I don't think I'd ever ride by myself and would be hesitant to ride even with a group, but I've been hitting (no pun intended) other, more rural roads by myself and becoming much more comfortable on them.

A few things I've learned for myself (which may or may not apply in your situation):

- Starting out with an encouraging buddy or group, as DirtDiva suggested, is very helpful. I'd still be riding nothing but rail-trails and towpaths if it weren't for my TE buddies
- If you have a state or national park nearby, try riding the park roads. There's less and slower traffic, though the drivers can be even more oblivious than usual.
- The type of rural road can make a difference. I've found that I'm more comfortable on narrow roads with no dividing line. Cars generally have to go more slowly on those roads and drivers are prepared to move out of the way of other vehicles. Once there's a dividing line, though, not only does the speed increase, but some drivers seem to feel that they can't cross over that line, which means we cyclists have to squeeze over.
- Whenever possible, make eye contact and wave at drivers. Most folks driving around rural roads are pretty friendly. If you're friendly back, they're much less likely to run you off the road. It also helps to lodge the idea in their minds that there are cyclists out there to be aware of and watch out for.

This has also been very helpful: BicycleSafe.com: How Not to Get Hit by Cars. While it applies mostly to town or city riding, the basic thought-processes can be applied to riding anywhere. Take the lane, always signal your intentions, think about things from the driver's perspective, etc.

And, last, a tip I read in the RoadBikeRider newsletter, but have not yet tried: Wear a red/white/blue jersey, or one with an American flag pattern. Folks living in rural areas can tend to be very patriotic, and the person who suggested this idea figured that, while they might run you off the road, they'd never want to hurt an American flag. If anyone ever tests this idea, I'd love to know whether it works.

Good luck, froglegs. When you do make it out on those beautiful Cali roads, take some photos to share with us!