small town commuting? i don’t have my license and am tired of having to ask people for rides everywhere so i’ve been looking into biking to work. 2.7 miles. half of it has a sidewalk, other half is back roads with minimal shoulders. lots of turns. will it be safe ? i assume because of the turns people wouldn’t be going so fast, but there are a few blind spots. any advice ? should i do it?
by horangies
5 Comments
i also took a video of the route lol, i’m mostly just concerned when it comes to safety and the etiquette to biking with no shoulders… do I ride in the lane ? or off to the side? the road is not too busy but the main back road is.
I would not do it personally, it’s hard to think of road design that would be more dangerous to be honest.
How is the traffic on the street? Are there many other people cycling on it? If possible, take a look at how people are driving in it.
The double yellows mean no overtaking, are these just some short sections or is the whole road like this? For your safety, I’d “take the lane”, riding in the gutter invites cars to try and squeeze very narrowly past you overtaking illegally
I’ve commuted on similar roads. Being visible and taking the lane was what I believe led to my success. Nowadays you can get a solid ebikes from a reputable brand for $1000 which would help relieve pressure from motorists trying to pass on the hills.
Ultimately, your safety is the most important thing and if you don’t feel comfortable with it I would not recommend it.
Looking at the area on Strava Heat maps there may be some parallel options unless you are trying to get to the retail front where S. Edwards Ave dead ends.
No shoulder/bike lane. So take the whole lane.