it takes someone truly gutsy to ride a bike on the highway.

[mamacash2]

I don't know about you guys....but to me it takes more than a CHICKEN to get on a bike in this day and age....maybe a Bull costume..or some other animal not associated with being a coward...because it takes someone truly gutsy to ride a bike on the highway. 

[natvrabit]

because it takes someone truly gutsy to ride a bike on the highway.  (mammacash)
OR some NUT like i witnessed the other week on my way to work, that seemingly assumed the ENTIRE ROAD was theirs and just as a car was carefully trying to pass this biker, the biker whipped around into a U-TURN. For the life of me, I don't know how this driver stopped in time not to run over this nut case.

[new2chatham]

There was some sort of cyclist  even going on yesterday around 5pm. I saw a bunch of cyclists going down one of the major thoroughfares in Pittsboro. I can't remember what road but I do remember being grateful that I was not in the long line of cars behind them.

[Tbone]

Roads need to be made more bicycle friendly. I met a man from Austria once who was visiting friends in Chatham Forest. He saw a bicyclist riding down 64, on that thin strip of shoulder pavement, could not believe what he was seeing, and took a picture. He explained - in his country bikes often have their  own, separate (protected by a barrier) lane.

[belle]

because it takes someone truly gutsy to ride a bike on the highway.  (mammacash)
OR some NUT like i witnessed the other week on my way to work, that seemingly assumed the ENTIRE ROAD was theirs and just as a car was carefully trying to pass this biker, the biker whipped around into a U-TURN. For the life of me, I don't know how this driver stopped in time not to run over this nut case.

did he signal, like with a left arm extended? or just whip into it?

I have been keeping mental score, since that guy got killed in Cary. traffic violations by bicyclists, vs. cars being rude. it is about 50-50.

[WolfpackFan]

Roads need to be made more bicycle friendly. I met a man from Austria once who was visiting friends in Chatham Forest. He saw a bicyclist riding down 64, on that thin strip of shoulder pavement, could not believe what he was seeing, and took a picture. He explained - in his country bikes often have their  own, separate (protected by a barrier) lane.

I am okay with this as long as there is a tax on bicyclist to pay for it.

[natvrabit]

because it takes someone truly gutsy to ride a bike on the highway.  (mammacash)
OR some NUT like i witnessed the other week on my way to work, that seemingly assumed the ENTIRE ROAD was theirs and just as a car was carefully trying to pass this biker, the biker whipped around into a U-TURN. For the life of me, I don't know how this driver stopped in time not to run over this nut case.

did he signal, like with a left arm extended? or just whip into it?

I have been keeping mental score, since that guy got killed in Cary. traffic violations by bicyclists, vs. cars being rude. it is about 50-50.

No signal. Seemed oblivious to any possible traffic on a Sunday morning. His riding partner started to do the same thing until they heard the screeching tires from the car in front of me slamming on brakes. A bit of a scramble for all of us. Then I saw almost the same scenario two weeks later. DOH! These folks need to learn to share the road with vehicles and not just assume because it's the weekend, that both lanes of the country roads belong to them for their pleasure! They are out there in FLOCKS and full spread at times.

[belle]

they are out there, and I watch for them because my daughter, against all parental pleading, is one of them.

they break the law with impunity. going through Town (Pittsboro) I saw one trade off from side walk to road as he saw fit. then he ran the red light at Thompson street.

OTOH, I see them on Hamlet's Chapel being passed in double yellow curves when no way the driver could see.

[natvrabit]

I've arrived at work late more than one time because I won't go around them in a blind curve and I ride along with them! My boss has also, so he understands. He said the other week some vehicle behind him started laying on their horn, because he wouldn't pass the bikers in the blind curves.
I sure don't want to hit one of them, nor them hit me!
I must say in retrospect, it was a joy when I only had to keep the eyes peeled for deer!

[belle]

I've arrived at work late more than one time because I won't go around them in a blind curve and I ride along with them! My boss has also, so he understands. He said the other week some vehicle behind him started laying on their horn, because he wouldn't pass the bikers in the blind curves.
I sure don't want to hit one of them, nor them hit me!
I must say in retrospect, it was a joy when I only had to keep the eyes peeled for deer!

what is a truly caring, concerned car driver to do, when, especially in town, the bike riders are scofflaws?

more than once, I had to Demand a cop at least speak to a bicyclist. even at 30 years old, they act like children. on the road, I give them the respect any vehicle deserves. in town, they act like children.

[kuranes]

I'm a cyclist who lives in Chatham County. I ride recreationally all over the county and commute by bike to Chapel Hill most days. I'd say that 90% of the drivers in this area are courteous and safe when passing bicycles. On the other hand, there is the other 10% who consistently endanger the lives of cyclists (and pedestrians, and other drivers) by excessive speeding, aggressive driving, distracted driving, drunk driving, etc.

Most debates about bicycling quickly devolve into an argument that casts most bicyclists as law-breakers and most drivers as rude, aggressive jerks. I don't think this is constructive. Cyclists in America are killed every week, as often because they were riding safely on the wrong road at the wrong time as because they were riding recklessly.

Bicycling and bicyclists aren't going to go away, and they should not! Cycling, particularly as a commuting method, has many advantages over driving. It promotes good health, saves commuters money on fuel, saves taxpayer dollars (bikes don't require multilane highways, nor do they destroy roads such that near-constant repaving is necessary), reduces America's dependence on foreign oil, reduces pollution, eliminates the need for giant parking lots, the list goes on and on. I'm not trying to be a snob, I consider myself very lucky to live in an area that is relatively bike-friendly and to have lived close enough to my school and work to be able to commute by bike. I realize that not everyone has the option of commuting by bike; my point is simply that bicycling has a lot of advantages and should be encouraged.

So the question, then, is what can we all do to make the road a safer place for everyone? For bicyclists, I think this means riding predictably, with courtesy, using lights at night, and obeying traffic laws. For motorists, I think this means waiting until it's safe to pass bicyclists on the road, giving plenty of passing room, driving at a safe speed, paying attention to the road (for god's sake stop texting!), finding a DD when drinking, etc. For politicians, I think this means promoting transportation infrastructure that promotes sustainable and safe methods of getting around. Basically, we should all try to act like human beings who respect other human beings.

Whoo, long post.

[SeeingAllSides]

I am all for bikes on a paved road only when there is space for them on the paved shoulder outside the white line, period.

And, yes, I know a bicyclist has legal rights that will allow them to win that lawsuit from their hospital bed after the very objective laws of physics have been violated by one of any multitude of parties on a busy highway at 5:30 p.m. between Monday and Friday.  Either that or their estate will be compensated richly.

I'm sorry to be so blunt, but this is such a no brainer to me. 

My mother taught us as little kids not to play on our bicycles in traffic.  And, that is still sound advice to this day.  It is not a judgement call on anyone's politics, the environment or anything else.  It is just common sense.

I rode a Harley for years and based on what I see on the roads these days just in my car, my ridin' days won't be back anytime soon.  I can't imagine exposing myself or a loved one to that type of avoidable risk on a bicycle.  Drivers today are way too distracted, stressed out, etc. and "after the fact" is too late...

[mary51802]

I do not mind bikes on the road as long as I can get around them. During rush hour on 2 lane roads in North Chatham it is fry=ustrating to get stuck because of oncoming traffic and you have a deadline to get to work.

That is when most people seem to get irate at them. Maybe for recreation do not do it in peak times.

[srvfan]

it is frustrating, but at the same time it generally takes what, a few seconds or a couple of minutes at the most to wait to pass them safely?  Those couple of minutes are really not that big a deal, and speaking as someone that is perputually running behind schedule if it is that big a deal just leave a little earlier so you're not in a rush.

Plus, I'll take dealing with getting around a bicycle or a group of bicycles over a school bus any day.

[Silk_Hope]

I was an avid rider in my younger days. When I moved to NC from MD in the 80's I found the car drivers to be a lot more aggressive towards cyclists, one reason may be is that many country roads up north are 35-45 mph and not 55.

When I was riding I always stayed to the right, rode in single file and obeyed the laws. The only accident I ever had with a car was a right turner crossing across the bike lane I was in. Cyclist in Chatham are rude about lane usage and do not yield to cars, many of them give cyclists a bad name.

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