Definitely agree. There are only two or three local routes I'm comfortable training on. It'll be indoors the rest of the time this year.

I'm lucky enough to have some pretty friendly roads around, but also a ton of trails. I train on my cross bike year round, it's a great option.

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Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

We have a lot of trails but they want you to keep it at like 15 or so.

Oh yeah, I'm not talking about bike paths, I'm talking actual trails. A nice open gravel trail is a great thing for hard efforts.

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Any run that doesn't include pooping in someone's front yard is a win.

I'm pretty lucky to have both around here.

Some of the paved trails get busy and you need to keep your speed down. But others are far away from any housing, so there are very few pedestrians. But I'd say 80% of my riding these days is on some kind of non-car trail.

When I ride outside (only about the half the year) I'm generally only doing it on the weekend as soon as it's light to see. I live in a relatively rural area with back roads and am back home by 8:00, even after a three hour ride. I'm doing all week-day rides inside, but still am sketched a bit, even when I only encounter a few cars on a 2-3 hour weekend ride.

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OK, the 2nd one is legit. But if I'm getting put on a stretcher for any reason, I'm texting or calling my wife if I can. I don't quite understand why you think that would be unusual or wrong.

Yes, IMO it's all about getting out early when there are minimal cars on the road. I never ride in the dark, but sunrise allowing I do 95% of my outdoor riding (2-3k mi/yr) before 7am. a 1 hour ride from 6-7am is my go-to. (In may/june I can go from 530 to 7, yay!) Granted, I don't do many rides over 2 hours as I'm an oly/sprint racer mostly...i'll NEVER leave for a ride at like 2pm on a Saturday or Sunday no matter how perfect the weather is or how badly i need the training...bc of so many more cars being out on the road. Never.

Other than time of day to ride - I always wear very bright kit and have a rearward facing flashing light. I hate seeing so many magazine ads or other media of folks out riding in 100% black kit, with no lights or reflective elements. Nothing against how people dress, we live in a free country, but I choose bright colors always and I think it makes a big difference. I really love the Trek Segafredo Hi-Vis campaign that they did as I think it'd benefit every road cyclist at all times to wear hi-vis or brightly colored kit.

Also, 2nd story mentioned by OP implies riding when it was dark AND wet (raining? not sure, but wet implies it). I am not accusing anyone of reckless riding or anything of that nature - and certainly very glad OP wasn't injured in either of those incidents - simply saying that riding in conditions like that is going to elevate the risk of drivers not seeing you AND increases chances of drivers losing control of their vehicles due to wetness at the same time.

OP wasn't riding. Just describing the actions of other drivers while also driving his/her car.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Ah. I totally misinterpreted that.

Just for clarification, in the first incident, yes he/she was riding (in a group).

2nd incident was just observation.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

When I drive in my car to drop my kids off in preschool, or am in the car to run an errand it is absolutely staggering how many folks I see who are playing / occupied with their phones. I would venture to say it is at least 50% of all drivers. Very, very scary.

Id be calling, not texting. And she was literally just getting put on the stretcher and seemed calm.

What did people do before cell phones? Its like the parents who claim their kids need phones in school so they can get ahold of them. I could be wrong, but back before cell phones, you would call the office and they find you. Or in this case someone would call or go to the first person they could get ahold of when practical, not the injured person texting as they are getting put on the stretcher.

Sorry if I didnt make that clear, yougmail are correct, riding in the first case driving behind in the second rhat happened tonight.

As for mentioning the conditions it was just to add to his lack of attentiveness. Not only did he not realize after the first correction he shouldnt be texting and driving, he obviously didnt know he should be doing that at all, let alone in less then ideal conditions.

After last night I am also reconsidering.

Was riding the small section of road to link up mountain bike trails on my way home from work (about 2km of road).

Was overtaken in a 60km/h zone when I was travelling 55km/h (downhill) by a tip truck towing a double size trailer loaded with a mini excavator.

Driver overtook on a blind corner approaching a crest.

Then cut in early and almost hit my front tire (missed by 10-15cm) with the trailer.

I passed him again about 1km later when he was parked on the side of the road letting his mate out.

F*cking jackass.

Texting is far more efficient than calling. That's why it's taking over. First, my wife, not a big phone person, has her phone off or on silent 90% of the time. So I'd be wasting a full minute of the EMTs time waiting for the ring (hoping there's signal), then her voicemail message. In a text I can get the important information to my mom, wife, and close friends in about 20 seconds with one text message (I have one group message with combined emergency contacts for just this purpose). E.g. which hospital I'll be at. That'd take 1-2 minutes per person with voice. *If* they happened to pick up.

I'd call if I specifically knew that she was at home, near a phone. Which is about 10% of daylight hours.



I'm not debating the larger cultural implications of cell phones. They're here, like it or not. And though they have negatives, they're incredibly effective at some things like communicating important information to multiple people in a matter of seconds.

I do most of my rides as early as possible just as you do to avoid as much traffic as possible. I ride mostly on rural back roads there is little traffic and even when there are cars there is more than enough room for them to get by me. Even then there are idiots who buzz me. I do make sure to wear a bright kit and have front and rear facing blinking lights. I'll occasionally go for an evening ride but that's rare.

Everything in life has risks. I believe you're over-reacting and being rather illogical.
Are you planning to also give up driving? If not, why not? Your observations apply to driving risk too.
Yes, it's easy to imagine a scenario where a bad driver causes you to get hurt. That doesn't mean the actual risk is high.
People are rubbish at evaluating risk. Look at terrorism. The risk is tiny and the best response would actually be to do very little. But half the world is obsessed with it and as a result is escalating the problem through masssive over-exposure.

I may be over reacting, but with my first child on the way, priorities change.

Yes the same potential risk is there when driving (except I have more options of escape and ways to notice whats going on. Let's not forget bigger vehicle, so easier to be noticed). Driving I can more easily evade potential problems then riding a bike (power, ability to drive places the bike wont go if needed).

Let's not forget too, that driving I am in a 2 ton vehicle with space around me, biking your not. I think we can all agree getting hit at say 30 MPH in a car will cause a lot less damage to your body then getting hit on a bike at the same speed.

So much this....we, as humans, completely suck ass at assessing risk and properly adjusting our behavior as a result.

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Is this an American phenomenon?

Or let me ask in another way, why are the american drivers that much worse than elsewhere in the world. Is it because you dont expect bicycles in the US? Or is there a higher tendency to drive with mobile/under influence?

Where I live (DK) i have never ever thought of it as being dangerous to ride my bike on the road.

I hear you, I see it day in and day out when I run through town especially... people buried in their phone.

I think having MORE cyclists on the road makes us all safer than less.

I think it is a American phenomenon. In the Netherlands I don't experience these problems at all. True, there are a crapton of designated bikelanes, but also the places where you have to ride your bike on the streets are perfectly safe. I think one of the major differences is that almost every person here rides a (normal) bike from time to time.