Advocacy & Safety - Good news from Ma,Vt,NY,OH,IN,WV,PA tour this summer

Hi folks. I just got back from an eight week tour in the northeast (very rainy and stormy weather, arf), and have good news for most cyclists. As usual, I found drivers remarkably courteous and tolerant of me on the roadways. Keep in mind I am talking about country roads....but then again, not all of them had great shoulders, either. In any case, it was remarkable how often motorists stopped behind me if the view ahead was not clear, and waited till they could see or I (myself) gave them an all-clear signal to pass. I never bothered to snap a picture but there were countless times when motorists (especially trucks) veered well into the other lane even when I was way off to the edge of the raod, not riding, taking a brief rest. I want to extend thanks to the many people who have worked hard to see the Erie Canal bicycle trail (I was on part of it) come to fruition; as well as some rail-to-trails in Pennsylvania.

roughstuff

It's been my experience too growing up in New England that the driver/cyclist encounters were friendly. Only when I moved down south did I ever get the honk and swerve etc... Funny thing is that the New Englanders have the reputation of being uppity and rude while the southerners have the reputation of hospitality. That's my 2 cents.

Sounds like a nice ride :)

It's been my experience too growing up in New England that the driver/cyclist encounters were friendly. Only when I moved down south did I ever get the honk and swerve etc... Funny thing is that the New Englanders have the reputation of being uppity and rude while the southerners have the reputation of hospitality. That's my 2 cents.

Sounds like a nice ride :)

Hmmm...could be. New England drivers aren't bad they are just crotchety. OH,IN,WV,and PA are not new england states, so I am encourages by how accomodating motorists were. Even in the Catskills, annoyingly close to New York City and its cadre of crazy drivers, things went well.

roughstuff

roughstuff- first off, sounds like a great ride. are you gonna post some pics? and share your routes- maybe on veloroutes.org?

I'm currently in Western MA and would concur with your reports of drivers, for the most part, being quite accommodating on my rides. I did, however, just have a particularly nasty Sunday ride in Southeastern MA last weekend with several varieties of harassment. I'm wondering if the fact that the route I rode is partly the MS 150 and Pan Mass Challenge routes and the locals are getting sick of large packs of cyclists so they took the opportunity to take it out on some guy riding solo through their 'hood.

I've also noticed that drivers seem more accommodating when I have the bike all loaded up with panniers etc than when I'm just out for a day ride. Almost like they get the feeling that there's some kind of purpose to the ride, or that they feel sorry for me laboring up some hill or, is it possible, a touch of respect or even envy?:p

PA drivers are great. Maryland drivers are a completely other story. They must have a hard time taking driver's license pictures at the Maryland DMV because apparently you have to have your head strait up your *** to get a license to drive in that state.

roughstuff- first off, sounds like a great ride. are you gonna post some pics? and share your routes- maybe on veloroutes.org?

I'm currently in Western MA and would concur with your reports of drivers, for the most part, being quite accommodating on my rides. I did, however, just have a particularly nasty Sunday ride in Southeastern MA last weekend with several varieties of harassment. I'm wondering if the fact that the route I rode is partly the MS 150 and Pan Mass Challenge routes and the locals are getting sick of large packs of cyclists so they took the opportunity to take it out on some guy riding solo through their 'hood.

I've also noticed that drivers seem more accommodating when I have the bike all loaded up with panniers etc than when I'm just out for a day ride. Almost like they get the feeling that there's some kind of purpose to the ride, or that they feel sorry for me laboring up some hill or, is it possible, a touch of respect or even envy?:p


I will post some pictures on my webpage, cyclingscholar.com, soon. Interesting speculation about panniers and gear. I had a mega-low gear for this tour (my knees are shot from malaria that I caught on my world tour a few years back) and was able to conquer my two most challenging hills, Vermont's Smugglers Notch, and North Mountain in Pennsylvania. A sign said north mtn was 18% for 3 miles. I don't know about that, but it sure was steep.

roughstuff

PA drivers are great. Maryland drivers are a completely other story. They must have a hard time taking driver's license pictures at the Maryland DMV because apparently you have to have your head strait up your *** to get a license to drive in that state.

I was in extreme western maryland and did Ok, but far too small a 'sample size' to be meaningful. Also it was pouring rain. Had a beautiful wild campsite in a hayfield. In my eight weeks on the road i only paid to camp 5 times.

roughstuff

roughstuff- first off, sounds like a great ride. are you gonna post some pics? and share your routes- maybe on veloroutes.org?


Oddly,my best pic was on the last morning of my tour, 20 miles from home.....


http://www.cyclingscholar.com/otisshade1.jpg

roughstuff

p.s. I tried to control thse size but had no luck. :(