Would you ride it??

[Aint Doody]

Grog--you have some really good suggestions here. I'm going to put a link to your post on our club website! Thanks for sharing........

[Bike Goddess]

Grog- Ditto for me! I ride as you do- so I can be clearly seen. The intersection trick is especially important. Often when I come close to an intersection where the car on my right is waiting to cross OR make a left turn onto the road where I am, I make specially sure they see me. That means getting out in the lane! I also wear bright color jerseys or jackets so I can be seen easily. Our club jerseys are yellow- we can be seen quite well!!!!!

[Grog]

No prob' ladies.

Another cool trick I read - not sure whether it was here or elsewhere - was : when you get in a situation where a driver has to consider you in planning his/her manoeuver (intersections in particular), downshift and spin your legs faster. If you're moving your legs at a slow pace, you look like you're going slowlier, if you spin faster, you look faster in their head. So they're more likely to wait. I haven't tested that in a rigorously scientific procedure though, your mileage may vary!

Another thing I do when I see a car coming in the other direction, preparing to turn left right in front of me, is think outloud a strict "NO" while looking at the driver. It's likely that most times they don't even see me, but it probably prevents me from slowing down/showing hesitation because I feel authoritative!!!

In all cases: keep your fingers well positioned over the brakes and think of an escape route at all times. Also works while in a paceline: if the car DOES turn/if the guy in front of me crashes/if that squirrel does cross the street instead of staying nicely put under his tree there, what do I do? I was riding in the middle of a paceline on a fairly high overpass the other day and thinking of my escape route if I went endo... quite creepy! but generally it's a good thing to think about it.

[Nanci]

Hey Running Mommy,

When you do your IM, they're gonna throw you out in traffic, so you may as well get comfortable with it now so you aren't all fearful during your race.

I used to be scared like crazy riding without a bike lane- now I still don't like it on some roads, but on others, further out, people aren't in such a hurry and they move over into the whole other lane. Now I really only get nervous when there is traffic from both directions and the car behind you won't move over because of oncoming traffic.

Seems like drivers are worse-behaved in the afternoon/evening, too, so you could go on your adventure very early Saturday or Sunday until you were more comfortable with the route.

Like others have said- I worry less if I feel really visible. Get a dayglow vest and one of those 10 LED tail lights- they are only about $30 or something, and last 100 hours!! I used mine during the day last Sunday, since I had noticed on a brevet that a lot of people used them during the day, and they really _were_ visible- same thing for vests.

Hey, another thing, I think, if a driver moves way over and even slows down a bit, wave at them to thank them for their consideration! That way they _know_ you appreciated their thoughtfulness and will be more likely to behave that way the next time.

Nanci

[Bike Goddess]

Yep- Nanci. Be courteous to drivers. A hand-wave is easy and says a lot for you!

[SadieKate]

Running Mommy, this describes my area to a T. When I am by myself I ride the most heavily bicycled roads because the drivers are accustomed to us out there. I always take a cell phone and tell someone, but it is such a liberating experience to ride by yourself and venture out. I tend to stay away from the very few roads that are used by the backroad high speed commuters but flat farmland usually has roads on a 1-mile grid so its easy to go another route. And, you know, those farmworkers are the ones who recognize me and waive both from the fields and from their cars. They remember me. Someday, I may need them. The close encounters have come from the male Caucasian pick-up and van drivers.

Another cool trick I read - not sure whether it was here or elsewhere - was : when you get in a situation where a driver has to consider you in planning his/her manoeuver (intersections in particular), downshift and spin your legs faster. If you're moving your legs at a slow pace, you look like you're going slowlier, if you spin faster, you look faster in their head. So they're more likely to wait. I haven't tested that in a rigorously scientific procedure though, your mileage may vary!

This would scare the crap out of me to try this. Usually drivers underestimate my speed any way and pull out in front illegally. I downshift if there is a stoplight/sign, but not too far as I want to be able to apply power if necessary. If the light is green, I may be sprinting.

[ladyjai]

I actually lift a hand in the extended stop position when it looks like the driver wants to turn left in front of me, and I know I'm going too fast for all of us to make it. (even followed our club bulldog once at 28 going uphill! and saw him use it on a car on the right hand side of the road.) cars are surprised when you do it, but I think the majority just don't know realize you're going that fast, and they do respect it.
I always nod and say thank you to cars who wait. even the ones I don't signal.

it i'm going under 18 mph, they guess how much time they have a little better and at most, I have to slow a few mph before they get out of the way.

none of this helps for the annoying people on the right side of the road, turning left, who pull out into my lane before even checking any direction for traffic... they pull out, stop in the lane, oh, I guess it looks clear except for that bike, then go... drivers like that are just asking to get hit...

[Nanci]

I love it when people zoom past me, then make a right turn in front of me, causing me to brake. That happened to me twice yesterday, once with a logging truck!

Nanci

[CorsairMac]

oh no - she sped up to pass me so she could make a right hand turn, then Stopped!!! I had by then moved over into the car lane to allow her the turn. I'm guessing she stopped until I passed her in the bike lane but I almost went endo over her back bumper! Thank God there wasn't a car coming behind me so I was able to pass her on the left - you shoulda seen her face when I sailed by the Drivers side window!

As for intersections, left turns etc etc I either try to cross with a car or sit up in the saddle. I also try to wear bright colours but at 5'2" on a 50 cm frame I'm probably not a very big moving object so if I can't cross the street with a car, I sit up high and look at the turning driver.

Another tip: watch their front tire - especially at intersections. Don't know about the rest of the US but it seems here in NM they've forgotten that turn signals aren't for Their sake. Can't tell you how many times I've avoided an accident by seeing their front tire turn even tho there was no signal.

Would I give up my street commute??...not on your life but man am I'm hyper-aware when I'm riding the streets!