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

[froglegs]

Hi everyone, thanks so much for all the advice, encouragement, and links. It is especially comforting to find out that cycling isn't all that dangerous from a statistical standpoint, and it makes sense that driving in town would be more dangerous, with all the intersections and driveways. I definitely feel better about venturing out of town. There are a few roads in particular that I know a lot of cyclists use, so I think I'll start with those.

[Tuckervill]

I got buzzed by a dump truck while in Maine a couple of weeks ago. He tried to pass me in full view of a pickup coming towards us on a bridge. God forbid he should have to slow down or something!

Dump trucks always seem to be going way faster than they have to be for safety. I think they must try to get as many loads in a day so they get paid more. I'll bet they're not penalized for being unsafe, either.

He probably wouldn't have hit me, but would have hit the pickup if something had gone wrong. It was still scary, though.

Karen

[latelatebloomer]

I ride rural roads by myself all the time, and in defense of my country neighbors, with very little exception, I have found drivers to be cautious and courteous. For one thing, it seems almost everyone knows someone who rides now, so that inspires care. Also, rural drivers are used to unusual stuff on the roads - tractors, horses, wildlife, big ol' LLB on her bike again.
I think it's VERY important to be visible (see my post about unsafe jersey colors?) and I also avoid rush hour, when traffic is heavier and faster and drivers are sleepy/hungry/more distracted. I start my weekday summer rides at 6pm and have the roads to myself, also Sat & Sunday mornings, it's like riding through a ghost town.

2 tips - ride where your right tire would be if you were driving your car. It keeps you more visible, and gives you a little wiggle room for moving to the right even if there's no shoulder tot he road. Keep your eye (and mind )on the road no matter how breathtaking the scenery. If you start to get into a spot of trouble, LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO and pedal yourself there! I wish I'd known this one right away - I learned the hard way that if I look were I don't want to go, that's exactly where I'll end up...maybe literally!

And I'm STILL in the process of riding where I feel safest and adding new roads gradually. If I start to feel "iffy" I listen to my intuition and head back to a one of my "steady" roads. and when I'm having a strong, confident ride that day, my bike will want to wander a bit, and I'll give her her head.

[sundial]

I ride the back roads the farmers travel and I have really enjoyed it. They have been pretty courteous for the most part but on one occasion I had to get off the road for a combine that wanted to be a road hog.

Arkansas is notorious for having bad roads and roads with little to no shoulders, so I don't cycle on major highways very often. The few times I have I rode with an experienced rider and it was pretty exciting. It also boosted my confidence.

I think the more often you do it, the more confident you'll become. Just keep a cell phone with you, personal protection, Road ID, money, nutrition and spare tubes and you should be good to go.