Originally Posted by
NoviceJohn
I know most cyclists prefer to ride on streets / roads but these stories just prove riding on streets are dangerous regardless of how much or how many safety accessories you are riding with. I bought my 1st road bike two months ago and I'm still hesitant to ride in my neighborhood streets, let alone city roads. Right now, I only ride on MUPs and lucky it's 21 miles long so I can still get some decent rides in.
Riding on the sidewalks are at least as dangerous. I know, I used to ride almost always on the sidewalks. Had more close calls that way. Nowadays my commute is mostly bike lane.
No matter how you travel on a bike there is an element of chance involved. We don't really know if drivers see us or not. Our best defense is situational awareness. Even then nothing is 100%. It's been a long time but I've been hit more than once.
Most of us can't us a MUP to commute. Even when I can I run into interesting situations. The following are night time situations I have run into on the MUP, parents letting their toddlers wonder all over the path with no supervision, fishermen sitting on one side of the path with their line going across the path into the canal, people letting their dogs run loose, joggers and other bikers swerving into your path just as you are passing, the MUP crossing major street with no crosswalks signals or other method of crossing.