what whould you do

[Eriol]

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Colorado+Springs,+CO&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=38.838657,-104.723721&spn=0.000976,0.002682

I'm traveling straight on the road in the link. This road is usually very heavily traveled, if I stay in the shoulder I'm in danger of a right hook from people using the exit ramp. If I take the right lane people yell for me to get in the shoulder. It's a no win situation. I'm just wondering what other people do, treat it like an intersection and stop, take the right lane, or find a different road :) ?
thanks

[twahl]

Tough one. Me?

I'd look for a different route. If that's not possible, use the shoulder and watch for the right hook.

[N_C]

What roadway is this? It looks like an interstate with a clover leaf style interchange with other exits & entrance ramps. Is there a minimum posted speed limit? If there is there's a good chance it is illegal to ride on this roadway. Where is this? Is it legal to ride bike on this roadway? If not then do what is safest based on what is happening at the time. If you can ride VC, otherwise use the shoulder & be aware of the right hook. If it is illegal to ride on this roadway then stay off of it & find another route.

[markf]

My first choice would be to find a different route.

If you can't find a different route, I would start down the shoulder to the right of the exit lane until I was just past the gore point (where the white lines for the left edge of the exit and the right edge of the highway split apart), look back for exiting cars, and sprint across fast when it was clear.

My preferred option on Interstates is to take the exit, then ride back on to the Interstate with entrance ramp associated with that exit. Is this not possible here?

[mechBgon]

Is it possible to go up the exit ramp and then just go down a matching re-entry ramp on the other side? If so, that would be a good compromise. What's the actual speed that people are driving there?

[Eriol]

What roadway is this? It looks like an interstate with a clover leaf style interchange with other exits & entrance ramps. Is there a minimum posted speed limit? If there is there's a good chance it is illegal to ride on this roadway. Where is this? Is it legal to ride bike on this roadway? If not then do what is safest based on what is happening at the time. If you can ride VC, otherwise use the shoulder & be aware of the right hook. If it is illegal to ride on this roadway then stay off of it & find another route.

The overhead shot is misleading, its not an interstate. It's just a major local roadway in Colorado Springs, it seems as if this town as two types of roads major and residential.

Unfortunatly, the road it dumps into is another major local roadway with a divider so I can go up the otherside. The only other alternative is to take a parallel road (~3 miles out of the way), I'll probably use that one in the future at least during rush hour.
I would say the speed limit is 50, but the average speed is 60

[unkchunk]

I'm assuming you're heading east, from the left side of the sat image to the right. And the traffic is heavier than shown. Good news it seems to be straight and flat for clear viewing of the cars comming up from behind. Bad news there doesn't appear to be stop lights behind to group cars into packs. Maybe one a ways back at an RV dealer? Good news the third lane forms just a little behind you at what looks like the road entrence to the construction company. So cars will be in the two left lanes. Bad news cars taking the ramp will peel off at high speed on to that new third right hand lane. Good news, there's a stop light ahead that can slow the traffic down.

First time on I road I don't know I tend to go on the shoulder until I feel more comfortable. I'd ride along past what appears to be an over head sign before the exit ramp, to the next street lamp. Stop there until it's clear and then cross the ramp, not trusting car blinkers at all. But since that right hand lane is newly formed, once you are in it it's yours. I'd be a little worried that the ramp turns off before the stop light though. That tends to bring out the AJ Foyt in drivers.

Glad to see that you made it through your ride yestereday.

Whoa, is that a go cart miniture golf world on the other side?

[sggoodri]

The low-stress but less convenient strategy is to reduce your speed while checking for a traffic gap in the right lane, and time your movement into the right lane to coincide with both the beginning of the curve and a lack of traffic in the right lane. Worst case is you have to stop before you cross the path of turning cars, and wait for a gap.

What I would probably do is ride the right side of the lane on approach and keep an eye out for turning cars. The turn is so shallow that a "right hook" could most likely be easily avoided by appying the brakes when it starts.

Then again, depending on my comfort level, I might very well take the lane on the approach. I would start on the right edge of the lane, and signal to merge toward the center of the lane. If somebody gives me room, or if the space appears by itself, I would take the lane, proceed past the conflict point, and move right again. I won't sweat it if I get a horn honk. If I don't get space to move left, I can still use the above methods.

[HiYoSilver]

Rule #1 - stay off roads with speeds > 45 mph if at all possible. Why? Cyclist death rate inscreases dramatically.

3 miles is only another 10 to 15 minutes. There is no way you can safely go straight at 15 mph when traffic is try to right cross you at 55 mph.

[joejack951]

That's a tough situation in heavy traffic. If your only concern was getting honks, I'd say take the lane every time (honks don't physically hurt someone). With dense 60mph traffic, depending on your speed, it could be very difficult to get into the lane at all though. If you could manage 20-25mph, it shouldn't be too difficult to get someone to slow down and let you merge for a short time. A mirror is really helpful in situations like this. In similar situations, I will take the lane as early as I can justify and just watch my mirror to make sure people are slowing or changing lanes. I personally would never want to stop in the shoulder right at an exit ramp for fear of getting hit. If put in a situation where I either had to stop or continue down the shoulder onto the exit, I'd take the exit.

This isn't an impossible road to bike on so unless the 3 mile longcut was very enjoyable, I'd take the same road and have fun applying traffic cycling skills :)

[The Human Car]

Here is an interchange that I have crossed: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=baltimore,+md&ie=UTF8&ll=39.005379,-76.893745&spn=0.001015,0.002682&t=k&om=1

So heading from north to south option one is time my exit from the shoulder with a break in traffic in the right lane (roughly where the sign is) (signaling) I ride just to the right of through traffic or to the far left of ramp traffic in a straight line from shoulder to shoulder across the ramp. This allows motor traffic to pass me without upsetting anyone. The trick in this maneuver is to make sure you have plenty of visibility or a brake in traffic before leaving the shoulder as the first 10-15 feet you are taking the lane.

If traffic is dense and you can sense the angst in the motorists option two is to go down the ramp a bit so there is enough sight distance to see who is exiting and when a large enough break happens cross the ramp and proceed back to the main road via the far shoulder.

[mechBgon]

Also, if you do ride there, a neon-lime ANSI Class II / III safety vest or a neon-lime/yellow jersey or jacket should help you be seen from as far away as practical. If you're interested in adding a really powerful rear strobe light to your bike, you can make one from a 9.6-volt RC-car battery and a red Nova BULL LED (http://www.http://strobeguy.safeshopper.com/80/2425.htm?688), these are nice. But the light & battery/charger kit will run you about $100 and you have to make your own mount for it, so I know that's not everyone's cup of tea. But darn are they good :)

[head_wind]

I am very seldom that far east and haven't ever been there on a bike. As I recall Powers speed limit is 55 there and Platt is probably 50. Even if I had an idea of where your are going from-to I probably wouldn't have any suggestions besides look at the map. I guess that I'd use the shoulder and stop for anyone I expected to use the exit ramp.

Sorry I'm not more help.

[TCNJCyclist]

I was going to start a separate thread about crossing on/off ramps, but I think I can have my question answered in here.

My college campus is encircled by I-95 and to get anywhere that is bicycle-friendly, I have to cross it. There's no way around it. I primarily do it here (going north-south):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=ewing,+nj&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&z=16&ll=40.289363,-74.810951&spn=0.008086,0.021458

I could also do it here (but this crossing is about as bad as the first):

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=ewing,+nj&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&z=16&ll=40.276825,-74.827602&spn=0.008087,0.021458&iwloc=addr

So here's the question that I've been debating with members of our college cycling club for a couple of weeks: Traffic at both crossings is fast (45mph+ posted), but it's not dense, so I can get into the lane next to the exit/entrance lane without a problem. Is it safer to ride on the right side of the lane that's next to the entrance/exit lane and do that from the beginning of the first ramp to the end of the last or stay in the shoulder as much as possible and look back every time you come to a ramp before crossing it and getting back in the shoulder?

Thanks

[Helmet Head]

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Colorado+Springs,+CO&ie=UTF8&t=k&om=1&ll=38.838657,-104.723721&spn=0.000976,0.002682

I'm traveling straight on the road in the link. This road is usually very heavily traveled, if I stay in the shoulder I'm in danger of a right hook from people using the exit ramp. If I take the right lane people yell for me to get in the shoulder. It's a no win situation. I'm just wondering what other people do, treat it like an intersection and stop, take the right lane, or find a different road :) ?
thanks
This looks remarkably similar to part of my commute:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q=La+Jolla+Village+Dr+%26+I-5+(S),+La+Jolla,+CA+92037&ie=UTF8&lr=lang_en&z=18&ll=32.872,-117.22934&spn=0.002564,0.005246&t=k&om=1

Traffic is typically moving 40-50 mph here.

Going east (left to right), the rightmost lane crosses the southbound ramp, then becomes a right only lane for the northbound ramp. Looks like yours does too. When I move over exactly depends on traffic. Often I'm in the 2nd lane over before I even get to the southbound ramp. Drivers headed for the freeway on either ramp can use the rightmost lane to pass on my right. Those headed east have two lanes to my left to choose from. If they honk or yell (very rare), I hold my ground and shrug my shoulders or something. I'm always over into the center of the next lane by the point just after the southbound (first) ramp.

[Bekologist]

having ridden a lot of interstate with these types of ramps, all you can do is maximise your visiblity and conspicuity with ANSI wear and blinkies, keep a good look behind you starting well before the merge, find a good spacing leading up to claim it to move across, signal assertively, and do it.

where on each off ramp and on ramp depends on traffic, sometimes it is a quick merge, sometimes it is a slow one to let some cars pass before you cross the off ramp.

i think taking the lane anywhere to the west of the overhead sign and back towards the business would get greeted by overtaking cars with honks, just as the OP has indicated when he takes the lane.

[Helmet Head]

Honks are good - it confirms they've noticed you! Mission accomplished!

[ItsJustMe]

With all due respect to the VC ideals, I'd probably treat it as an intersection. I might toy with the idea of proceeding down the offramp far enough that I could then wait for a gap and cut straight across the ramp and merge back onto the shoulder. If you're a ways down the ramp (I'm not talking far, just far enough that you can go straight across and back onto the shoulder without having to backtrack) you'll be able to easily spot the people who are coming down the offramp who didn't use their signals, and you'll have a few less cars to worry about.

As far as honks, it's a no-win, you're going to get honks.

[Bekologist]

honks are good, yeah, right...its just the drivers wanting to see if you have some Grey Poupon.....maybe when they are yelling at the original poster they are just asking for some condiments?

I'm sorry, but honks from cars doing 50-60 miles per hour onto an offramp a bicyclist is transiting is NOT good, it is a warning and a sign of alarm, not kind, compassionate 'how you doing, lil' buddy?' toots on the horn.

head has the right attitude, though. he's tough enough to ride in the face of honks and 60 mile per hour traffic.

just get the PTA to consider this a safe route to school and everything will be good....teach those lil' buggers to NEGOTIATE with speeding, distracted drivers, gosh darn it!

[Speedo]

Why not just take Galley Road?

[sbhikes]

I don't know, the photo doesn't look so bad to me. The lanes aren't very wide so it's not like you have to manage acres of asphalt.

In light traffic I would hold a straight line with the shoulder ahead of me. In heavy traffic or if I wasn't able to time a decent gap, as someone esle suggested, I would head down the arc a little bit (probably to that point on the map where the picture seems to have a little jog in it and the paint doesn't quite line up) so that I could go straight across. I think it is easier sometimes if you are in a position to look directly at people rather than try to look behind you, and I think you get that by heading down the arc a bit.