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

[PscyclePath]

Ditto on what Lisa said...

Also from Forester, et al, you're 2.6 times more likely to have a crash riding on a bike path or multi-use path than you are if you get out, mix it up, and ride in rush hour commuting traffic. (The underlying reason being the mixing of bikes with pedestrians in the same space. Pedestrians have no rules, they can dart, stop, turn at will, where at least cars and bikes are supposed to be following the same rules of the road.)

Check and see if the local bike clubs or advocacy groups are holding the LAB "Road I" course or its equivalent in your community. This is an excellent way to get used to riding out on the road, whether on a road bike, mountain, bike, or whatever... and more than 2/3rds of the class focuses on time-in-the-saddle experience.

[Zen]

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.

I didn't read that but kind of came up with the idea myself. I call it the Redneck Principle when I wear my U.S. Army jersey
But sometimes I wonder if that star looks like a bulls-eye

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Here's where I get some but not all of my Brooks Nightlife line of screaming yellow stuff:
http://www.terrybicycles.com/search.html
Just punch in "nightlife" and they'll all come up.

(And if you do web shopping searches you can find some of those pieces cheaper elsewhere.)

[aly]

I feel the same as you about the rural traffic, but I get more relaxed and feel more confident each time I ride. I'm thinking about getting a mirror, since the cars are often quiet and spook me when I don't expect them- it would also help me stop looking behind me and swerving into the road.

We have lots of crazy sports bikes and expensive fast cars zooming all through the rural roads where I ride, however, it's worth dealing with. I absolutely love the central coast and would also be eager to ride all the time if I lived there. I think you'll be happy and much more comfortable than you expect. You're so lucky to live up there!

[indysteel]

Isn't it interesting, froglegs, I feel MUCH MUCH safer on rural roads than town ones...

The others have given great advice - ride with someone else if you can - but behind each other, not parallel to each other.
Bright/ high vis clothes a must.
And always carry a cell phone and let someone know where you are going and/or how long you think you'll be.

Do have a go - I lurve country roads

I'm with Road Raven here. I "cut my teeth" riding by myself out in the country. My nearest misses with cars have been in town, including on this past weekend where the car intentionally buzzed me (an oversized pickup with the American flag painted on the back window incidentally). I'd much rather ride country, rather than town or city, roads. Of course, out in the country there's another hazard, at least in my neck of the woods. Loose dogs!

The suggestions you've gotten are good ones. You might check around at bike shops or local clubs to see if there are any regularly uses rural bike routes in your area. For instance, I do a route quite frequently that one of the shops uses for its weekly training ride. The people who live and/or travel on those roads are used to seeing cyclists and are generally more aware.

[PscyclePath]

I didn't read that but kind of came up with the idea myself. I call it the Redneck Principle when I wear my U.S. Army jersey
But sometimes I wonder if that star looks like a bulls-eye

I have the same problem with mine, I guess... but I write it up to being an Army vet in a primarily Air Force community...

... At least there's no Navy bases here! ;-)

Tom

[aicabsolut]

I've been buzzed lots of times on lots of different roads. I just stay as far to the right as is safe. I look behind me all the time. I make sure the driver behind me sees me turn around, and I use that to clue them in that I'll need to come out farther to avoid an upcoming hazard or something. I will take the lane when necessary, and I check behind me even more.

I think mirrors provide a false sense of security. I'm all in favor of just learning how to look behind you and hold a line. Use your ears and your eyes.

Rural roads are my favorite riding terrain, even on some of the higher speed ones.

[annie]

I ride in town ONLY to get out of town or to get to work. Otherwise, it's backroads, country roads for me. I am much more uncomfortable in town, riding the busy streets.

I think you've been given some great advice here, on how to deal with riding on the rural roads. I can't think of anything to add. All I want to say is that once you try it and get used to it, I believe you'll never want to go back to riding in town. I encourage you to give the rural roads a chance.

Annie

[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.

[RolliePollie]

When I first started riding the rural country roads around here, I was scared to death! But over the last few months, I've come to love riding the poorly paved, shoulderless roads for so many reasons...beautiful scenery and light traffic to name a few. But I would not ever consider riding without my helmet mirror! Although I can generally hear traffic coming up behind me, I want to know what kind of car it is, if there's more than one back there, etc. Plus there are some nearly silent cars out there, like the Prius, and you don't always hear them coming. It's helpful for me to know that the big pick-up truck that's about to pass me also happens to be pulling an extra large horse trailer. Or that the loud vehicle I hear really is a monster logging truck who I know is not going to slow down or move over. I still look over my shoulder before crossing streets, left turns, etc., but that helmet mirror really makes me feel safer.

I hope you can get out on those country roads and enjoy yourself. I used to literally shake from the fear, but now I'm in love with my rural routes. Good luck!

[Tri Girl]

go get 'em froglegs! Go hit those country roads and enjoy yourself.

I'm with sara- I always wear my mirror (and my neon blinding green safety vest). Sure I look dorky, but cars can see me and I can see them. I love my mirror, because I've found that if I ride in the tire place on the road, when a car is coming up behind me I move over and most cars are very appreciative that I've moved over for them. I rarely have been buzzed when doing this. When I first started riding, I never did that and got buzzed a lot more. I think it's because they see that I'm giving them room so they give me room. Don't know if that's the case or not, but it makes me feel better anyway.

[RolliePollie]

I love my mirror, because I've found that if I ride in the tire place on the road, when a car is coming up behind me I move over and most cars are very appreciative that I've moved over for them. I rarely have been buzzed when doing this. When I first started riding, I never did that and got buzzed a lot more. I think it's because they see that I'm giving them room so they give me room. Don't know if that's the case or not, but it makes me feel better anyway.

I've noticed this same phenomenon! I get buzzed a lot more often if I'm already riding really close to the side of the road when a car comes up behind me. I agree that maybe drivers are perceiving us as doing them a favor by moving over. And many times, I'm riding in the tire place out by the center line because the entire right half of the lane is broken pavement. Then I really have to move over for cars, and maybe they do appreciate all that effort I'm making to get out of their way! At any rate, all this is possible because of that handy dandy little helmet mirror.