Commuting - I want to commute but I'm afraid!

My auto commute to work seems to be one giant traffic jam the whole way and I'm sick of it.:crash: I'd love to try and ride the 10 miles to work, but the fact is that it may not be very safe. For one thing, traffic around here sucks. The roads around here were not designed for this much traffic, nor were they designed with bicycles in mind. The multi-lane intersections only add to the problem. There are simply too many cars around here. A bike path around here is a 6-inch wide shoulder littered with tree branches and broken glass. Combine that with 100,000 half-asleep commuters stuck in stop and go traffic before their morning coffee and you have a recipe for disaster. I'm pretty much out of excuses. Ten miles is nothing. My office has showers and lockers. I'm sure I could find a place to stick my bike within eyesight. But the fact is, there's no guarantee I'd make it alive! How do you guys in the middle of urban sprawl do it? Any safety tips? Cool reflective gear/gadgets you would recommend? Pretty soon I'll have no choice but to drive to work, so I was hoping to get my feet wet soon. Reassure me that statistically I'm more likely to get killed or injured while driving...right?:confused:

Ride assertively but not aggressively. Make sure you are visible.

Maybe look for routes bypassing the really bad bits? A detour is sometimes worth it in the long run.

As Chewa said, you need to get out there and do it in a controlled assertive manner. Most inner city accidents happen when a cyclist is in the street fumbling around trying to get where He or She needs to go. Get lights, bright ones on both ends of the bike, you need to be seen to survive. Advice would be to find and test ride your route on the weekend when traffic is less. get to know the roads and the lane you need to be in at intersections. Get to know how your bike handles and where the holes and debris are. Good luck, every day will be an adventure.

Yes, better to ride with caution if it's that bad. The lights will help, especially the blinking ones. Also, some reflective tape to put on your jacket would probably help some too. Invest in some strong lights for your handlebar. At some point in the winter, your morning commute may be done in darkness or semi-darkness. Also, you will probably want to get a mirror so you can see the traffic behind you if you need to check and see what the traffic's looking like. Always be mindful of the "door zone"- the 3 feet next to a parked car where someone can open their car door and door you in the process. Be aware of buses if there are bus routes, and if you're feeling extra nervous, use hand signals so the traffic arounds you can anticipate when you need to do lane changes and stuff like that.

I think as you get used to riding in traffic, you'll see it's not so bad. I don't know of very many streets that ARE designed for bikes, and thousands of folks bike to work and home every day.

Really, it's not so bad. Just practice caution, and you'll be ok.

Koffee

My advice would be to learn and practice the techniques of interacting with traffic and controlling the bike in the conditions you'll be encountering. And
take your time with it. There isn't any imperative to cycle commute before you feel comfortable with it.

John Allen's "Street Smarts" booklet, online at

http://www.bikexprt.com/streetsmarts/usa/index.htm

is a good starting point.

Another good thing is to take an Effective Cycling course. Also the book Effective Cycling by
John Forester (MIT Press) who originally developed the program is a fantastic resource.

And once again, take your time with it. When you learn cycling techniques practice them first on roads with little or no traffic, then both your ability and your confidence will increase to the point where interacting with traffic becomes second nature.

Go to a local bookstore and get a county map. You can write your county government and get one for free as well. These county maps show much more detail than a "road atlas". Examine the map looking for less traveled routes to where you work. You could try scouting around in your car as well.

One of the things that most folks overlook when first thinking about a bike commute is that they are no longer driving a car. It sounds silly but it is true. A good bike commute route is not necessarily suitable for a car commute. There are few things that will not even be revealed by a close look at the county map. A bike can travel through parks, alleys, cemetaries, and other areas not generally travelled by automobiles.

Dan

Oh, I had to chime in one more time. I just remembered my first commute.

It was funny- I only had to go like a mile and a half, but I was so scared I could HEAR my heart beating! Seriously!

It took about four blocks to finally get the courage to merge into the left lane so I could turn. Ha! And in the 15 minutes (yep, it took that long because I was afraid enough of the traffic that I was moving very slowly) it took to get to my job, I had at least one bus honk loud and rudely at me, plus about another 4- 5 cars. It was ridiculous. What's worse was that the street I was on had potholes all over the right side of the road, and I was trying to stay far to the right, but my teeth were rattling with all the jostling I was doing by not simply merging with the traffic and making them give me some room in the lane. :rolleyes:

It's been a year now, and I do a lot more commuting- in fact, I do everything by bike, except the very far suburbs. Those roads are a snap, and I have no hesitation to jump out on the roads and ride with confidence. I still hate Michigan Avenue and State Street, but that's because of the sheer volume of buses- it can slow you down there until you overtake them, but other than that, I'll get on any road that's legal for a bike to be on. It'll take time for you too. I like the idea of getting out there and doing a practice run to your job when the traffic is lighter- like early morning Saturday and Sunday. Think of it as a dress rehearsal for the real thing.

Koffee

Stop and go traffic is a real boon to the urban cyclist. If you are moving as fast or faster than the cars, they present little threat. The advice by other posters is good, particularly with regard to vehicular cycling.

I've been commuting in the Washington, DC area for six years. That is one of the most congested areas in the country, and it is still a piece of cake on a bike. My trip is 5 miles each way, and I find it easier and much less hassle than driving.

Paul

Koffee, I forgot about the door zone, thanks for bringing that up, it is one of the most dangerous situations because it is such an unprdictable thing when it happens.

Keep in mind that the route you choose when cycling doesn't have to be the same route you use when you drive.

Get a detailed surface map of your area, and spend a weekend exploring the access roads, side streets, residential areas, parks, and other potential routes and shortcuts that drivers often never even notice or consider.

But if at least part of your commute takes you onto multi-lane arterials, as it probably will, then you're getting good advice here. The central truth is that being predictable is the fundamental principle. Drivers are scared of cyclists because they don't know what to expect from them. If they can see exactly where you're going, they will accept you more readily because you don't trigger their adrenaline.

The other response they usually exhibit is resentment if you seem to be slowing them down. If you hold a consistent line, they can pass you more confidently and this problem is reduced. If you must take the lane, be aware of how much traffic is stacking up behind you and be courteous about letting them pass as circumstances permit. And look like you're working as hard as you can to go as fast as you can. They appreciate that.

If you're new to vehicular cycling, though, then reading the earlier-suggested material, or finding and taking an Effective Cycling course, will help a lot.

RichC

I commute in northern Passaic County, NJ and for awhile I used to commute on the road. Now that I found a state water line and an abandoned RR line, I get to commute mostly off road, which is great. The first commute is always odd, just the newness and the unknown of it all is a strange experience. Feel free to drive the route at the time you plan on biking if that makes you more comfortable. It'll be more familiar and familiarity brings comfort. Like others have said, the shortest route is hardly the best so try to get a county map(s) and map out a better route...

Jay

My first bike commute in London was terrifying. I followed the signs to central London and mixed it with all the traffic. I pretty soon got a decent map and figured out a quieter alternate route.
You may want to practice your ride on a Sunday morning, to avoid any surprises in the road surface. When you ride a regular route, you know every bump in the road, so you can concentrate on the traffic and positioning.

One thing I've learned in my 6 months commuting is that you're better off following the rules. Stop for red lights and ride with (not against) traffic. If drivers see you taking short cuts on the sidewalk or something cheap like that, they're less likely to give you the benefit of the doubt later on when you might need to swerve around a pothole or something. When I first started, I always passed cars on the right to get to the head of line. This not only makes some people angry, but it's dangerous. Just stick with traffic, wait your turn, keep an eye out for others and you'll be fine.

Bike commuting is the most enjoyable lifestyle change I've ever made (besides getting married!). I only wish I had your 10 mile commute, rather than my puny 1 mile. Stick with it and read this forum regularly; it's a great source of advice and inspiration.

Good luck.

One thing to do is try to work at different hours to avoid rush hour. If possible, go to work before rush hour and come home before rush hour. Or go after rush hour. I know this isn't always possible with a lot of jobs.

What really helped me start to bike in traffic was doing it with a friend who was experienced. I use to avoid biking in traffic. One day, I was with a friend and didn't have much of a choice. We rode around downtown for a while and I just stuck right behind him and did what he did. Ever since then, I've been riding in traffic no problem.

If you aren't comfortable merging into a left-hand turn lane, just go across the street as a pedestrian.

Talk to other cyclists if you know any in your area. They can help reccomend bike friendly routes.

And about doors, be extra cautious of cars with break lights on and scan for people inside the cars.

If your streets are litterally jammed with car traffic, then you are safe. It is worst when traffic is very heavy, but moving at a fast pace... especially if the right lane is very narrow.

If you want a fast commute, look for wide streets that either have slow traffic, or a wide right lane so cars can pass you safely, or a nice looking bike lane. Get good rear lighting and good rear reflectors to be seen from behind, and a decent headlight to be seen from facing left-turning traffic.

As for "tricky spots", the worst fall in the "right lane must turn right" category, especially if the turn is a large-radius (fast-moving) one. Left turns can always be done as a 2-step turn, especially in the dark.

I have studied the alternate routes to my office. In fact, due to the way the main expressway cuts off one part of the city, I am forced to take a more out-of-the-way route that goes through a college campus (suicidal pedestrians), past the middle school (lots of buses and soccer moms), and through a complicated and congested multi-lane intersection with little to no pedestrian accomodations. I have practiced the route before so riding in traffic is nothing new to me. I always try to ride defensively, but things may be different at 7am when everybody seems to be running late and the traffic only adds to their impatience. I guess what it comes down to is facing my fear, putting all my excuses aside and just doing it. I'll look into the resources mentioned above. Thanks, guys!

There's some great advice in here for you, live311.

My only bit to add is take it easy by not trying to ride every day straight up. You'll find the ride quite mentally draining at first as you get used to being assertive in traffic and dealing with some of the dildos who are allowed to get behind the wheel of a car! Try just two non-consecutive days in your first week, and build it up from there until you're really confident about the whole thing.

Once you're used to it (took me about a month or so of commuting) it will be second nature and actually much less stressful and mentally draining than driving a car. I look at is as free exercise. It might take me three times as long to ride to work than it does to drive (I drive against the flow on the freeway, so have an easy run to work), but I find I arrive at work with more energy and get home far more relaxed, and I don't have to make time in my morning of afternoon to go to the gym or go for a ride. Some afternoons it's nice to just keep on pedalling - my commute is about 12 miles, but I've been known to do 30 on the way home.

Invest in some good quality lighting too. No need to spend a fortune, but make sure it's more than sufficient for the lighting conditions you're riding in, and the routes you take. It's worth it....

Another source for good advise.http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/commute/index.htm

INstead of leaving at around 7am how about around 6:30am, sometimes it is amazing the difference in the amount of traffic just a half hour makes.

Everything everyone else said, and, get yourself a good tail light. I have the Wal-Mart Bell 4 high intensity LED rear flashing tail light. I've been complimented by all the officers that work nights here in town about the visibility factor that the light itself gives off. If you want I can send you instructions on how to make a good 20W 12V halogen headlight that will cost you around $75-80. And it works great. There is no need to spend $200 for a headlight. Obey all traffic laws also.

Agree with the others about finding another route and getting a quality tail light. My alternative route is almost twice as long as the direct route, but it actually saves me time by cutting out a heap of notoriously slow Queensland traffic lights.

Of course, on Friday evenings and during the school holidays, it generally clogs up with traffic, but I, for one, enjoy riding in dense traffic. If you ever wanted to realise the full extent of the superiority of a bicycle over a car, heavy traffic is just the place to do it.

Have you contacted the League of American Bicyclists (http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/index.html) to find out where in your area you can take a Bike Ed class? It's purpose is to help cyclists who want to ride on the road, for recreation or commuting.

I took the class 3 years ago. It helped me overcome many of my fears about riding in traffic.