Advocacy & Safety - Ever been hit on the open road?

I posted this in the touring forum, but someone suggested I post it here too. Maybe someone has some kind of stats?

I know many of us have been in accidents while riding in the city - whether commuting to work or touring through a city. But how many have actually been hit by a car while out on the open road - either touring or out for a day ride in the country?

I ask this because people don't seem to think much about riding their bike around town, but when we say we tour, they freak out. It seems to me that it is much safer on the open road than it is in town, but I might be wrong there...

I think the type of vehicle, whether motor vehicle or bicycle, is irrelevant. The way people handle being out on the open road, fewer and widely spaced intersections and entrances/exits, is safer than the way they handle their vehicle in and around intersections and operating in a more traffic congested environment. Now, the crashes that do happen are worse because of the higher speeds, but there are fewer crashes. I say this having not looked up any statistics to support my position, so if I'm in error someone please show me.

Nope. Been rear ended by a bus, and cut up by a car, both times severe enough to damage my bike, but both incidents were in town. The open road seems a lot safer to me.

I posted this in the touring forum, but someone suggested I post it here too. Maybe someone has some kind of stats?

I know many of us have been in accidents while riding in the city - whether commuting to work or touring through a city. But how many have actually been hit by a car while out on the open road - either touring or out for a day ride in the country?

I ask this because people don't seem to think much about riding their bike around town, but when we say we tour, they freak out. It seems to me that it is much safer on the open road than it is in town, but I might be wrong there...

Since open road generally means fewer intersections... I tend to agree with you.

I used to ride every weekend out in the open back country of San Diego County... never had a problem... none what so ever. But in town, I have been hit three times, and been harassed more than I can count.

Long tours, never an issue. I've been down the west coast from San Francisco to the tip of Baja... and only "in town" have I ever encountered problems.

I ask this because people don't seem to think much about riding their bike around town, but when we say we tour, they freak out. It seems to me that it is much safer on the open road than it is in town, but I might be wrong there...Are you sure they are freaking out over safety rather than the distances you tour? For some, a 5 mile ride is a really, really long ride. They just can't imagine 20, 30, 50, 100 or 200 mile rides.

OK, so answer me this... I used to ride my bike to work through the city all the time and nobody every looked at me like I was crazy because it was so dangerous. Yes - they looked at me like I was crazy because it was cold and whatnot, but the danger factor never came up.

Now we are touring and spend 90% of our time out on the open road. Our bikes are visible from miles away due to all the neon-colored doodads we have on them. And yet everybody says, "But isn't it dangerous?"

What is it about touring that makes everything think it's so dangerous when commuting to work not necessarily seen as so?

You must live in an odd town, because in every place I have commuted, I get the "But isn't it dangerous?" question.

I do agree that although cycling is very safe, country riding is safer than city riding. So I have no idea why anyone would think it more dangerous.

Are you sure they are freaking out over safety rather than the distances you tour? For some, a 5 mile ride is a really, really long ride. They just can't imagine 20, 30, 50, 100 or 200 mile rides.

Well, yeah - they freak out about that too. But once they've accepted the fact that we are riding more than three miles, the first question out of their mouth is, "Isn't it dangerous?"

OK, so answer me this... I used to ride my bike to work through the city all the time and nobody every looked at me like I was crazy because it was so dangerous. Yes - they looked at me like I was crazy because it was cold and whatnot, but the danger factor never came up.

Now we are touring and spend 90% of our time out on the open road. Our bikes are visible from miles away due to all the neon-colored doodads we have on them. And yet everybody says, "But isn't it dangerous?"

What is it about touring that makes everything think it's so dangerous when commuting to work not necessarily seen as so?

I commute primarily on rural roads, which probably would count as the "open road". Maybe i'm missing something obvious, but the percieved reason why its more dangerous is that everbody is driving 55mph (with few to no streetlights), instead of ~25-35 in town.

In Vermont, about 6 miles of my twelve mile ride to work were on a
very windy country road that might be similar to what you are talking
about because most of VT is 'tour' type riding. I had a few close encounters
with people ripping around blind corners or cresting a hill too fast.
Id say the most dangerous place Ive ridden is here in FL with 45mph speed
limits on roads with miles of strip malls and all the entrances and access
roads into/out of them.

I commute primarily on rural roads, which probably would count as the "open road". Maybe i'm missing something obvious, but the percieved reason why its more dangerous is that everbody is driving 55mph (with few to no streetlights), instead of ~25-35 in town.

That makes sense. I guess the idea that the cars are going faster would make accidents worse if they did happen. that being said, I've rarely had even a near miss on the open road, whereas we have lots of them every time we enter a city!

Well, yeah - they freak out about that too. But once they've accepted the fact that we are riding more than three miles, the first question out of their mouth is, "Isn't it dangerous?"

Well, where are you touring?

Right now, we're riding from Alaska to Argentina. Yes - I can see why people think this is dangerous. After all, most people are convinced every person in Mexico is a bandit or kidnapper. But even if we are just riding out to the Snake River Canyon from Boise on extremely remote roads where we maybe see one car per hour - people still say the same thing.

Right now, we're riding from Alaska to Argentina. Yes - I can see why people think this is dangerous. After all, most people are convinced every person in Mexico is a bandit or kidnapper. But even if we are just riding out to the Snake River Canyon from Boise on extremely remote roads where we maybe see one car per hour - people still say the same thing.

I went through Mexico in 1984 down to the tip of Baja... on a bike you are not likely to be the target of the kidnapper... but a bandit might see you as easy pickings. I go to Baja often... and only in the border cities does it seem "edgy."

On the empty remote roads, my biggest fear is NOT being seen. I did use a flag on a pole in Baja... but recently I was on isolated roads in Northern AZ and frankly thought it was a darn fun ride... perhaps the biggest issue is driver's nodding off... but that is going to be an issue whether you bike or drive.

Good luck on your ride... that is some trek.

Oh you may want to post this in the Touring forum...

Oh you may want to post this in the Touring forum...

She did ... I suggested she come here because the people here like talking about this kind of stuff.



And also, part of my response in that thread .... I think there are two factors that scare people about being out on the open road in the middle of the country: 1) the speed of the vehicles going by, and 2) the remoteness.

She did ... I suggested she come here because the people here like talking about this kind of stuff.



And also, part of my response in that thread .... I think there are two factors that scare people about being out on the open road in the middle of the country: 1) the speed of the vehicles going by, and 2) the remoteness.

The remoteness is why folks tour... the speed is another issue... but on remote roads motorists do tend to give plenty of room.

As for A&S... :innocent:

The remoteness is why folks tour... the speed is another issue... but on remote roads motorists do tend to give plenty of room.



Yes, but a lot of city folk are afraid of the remoteness of the country ... they view it as somehow more dangerous than their city.

Speed itself and accidental right-drifts are huge issues. If you ride your bike at 15mph, 30mph overtaking traffic closes on you at a leisurely 15mph, giving motorists ample time to notice you. In contrast, 60mph traffic closes on you three times as fast. We have been seeing a huge increase in right drift incidents, in which motorists veer out of lane and into the bike lane or shoulder. Since our roads are crowned, an inattentive motorist will tend to drift to the right, rather than the left.

Ashamed to admit that I hit a car pretty good once. I was only 14 and was riding to work, looked down to see if I could figure out what that noise was coming from the chain. A car had pulled out of a driveway and the door was just opening as I looked up. I took out the taillight with my knee. Older lady was very nice about it and gave me a ride home. Had stitches in my knee. Probably the funniest thing about it was hearing her yell "Oh Good Lord!" as I flew through midair with my bike sailing behind me. Never been hit by a car, but a few close call. A scary one recently on a steep mountain pass. Blind corner, SUV pulling a boat passing me on about a 15% uphill grade when a truck pulling a horse trailer comes around the corner. Made my already screaming heart jump a beat!

OK, so answer me this... (snip)
What is it about touring that makes everything think it's so dangerous when commuting to work not necessarily seen as so?

Three reasons:

1) The fear of being in the road that is ingrained in us from our youth. We are told not to play in the street, look out for cars when walking and the like. The perception is that only when you are in a motor vehicle are you safe on the highway. This notion also contributes to a bicycle inferiority complex that is pervasive in our society and it even afflicts many veteran cyclists.

2) The potential closing speed cyclists are exposed to can be alarming to some, especially if they are skeptical that bicycles are a part of traffic. They can reason that since rear-end collisions are so common among motorists that slow moving cyclists are especially likely to be involved in one. The danger of overtaking traffic is greatly exaggerated in the mind of the public.

3) Scary movies use remote backdrops (the fear of the unknown) for mayhem to be inflicted on the supporting cast while being out of the reach of help. It is a silly premise: One who is looking for a victim to prey on would not seek them in a unpopulated area.

I ask this because people don't seem to think much about riding their bike around town, but when we say we tour, they freak out. It seems to me that it is much safer on the open road than it is in town, but I might be wrong there...


I've done a lot of distance touring and am always being asked about "dangers". Not just on the road and with cars and traffic but questions like "Do you carry a gun?" were remarkably frequent. I just chalked it up to people's fears of the unknown.

As someone who commutes by bike daily. I still get asked about danger and safety. Today I rode my 20+mile round trip in a raging snow storm and rode home in the dark and it was still snowing and very icy. I'm sure if I'd run into my neighbor as I got home they would have said, "Don't you think it's dangerous?" I would probably have replied, "yeah, it is. But so is driving in this weather."

I mean it's not like touring is without it's dangers- I had a friend struck on tour with me on a quiet road- road glare blinded an 80 year old man. I have 2 friends who were struck outside of Calgary on an open road, yes, both of them got hit by a driver resulting in very serious injuries. The driver was drunk. These two cyclists eventually recovered and still ride daily- in NYC, where they now live.

A woman was seriously injured on a sidewalk right near where I was working less than 10 minutes after I walked along the same sidewalk by ice flying off the roof of a building- but it's not like I'm going to give up walking on the sidewalk or spend my life looking up for falling objects. If I'd listened to most of the people I met on tours or talked to before I left on a tour I'd never have gone anywhere on my bike.

Be reasonably cautious, be visible, make sure your bikes in good working order and if you're instincts or intuition says you're in danger listen to that inner voice and take actions that make you feel safer.

Thanks for your responses! I guess there is a lot of fear of the unknown and that's probably most of it. I dunno - I just can't see how it's any more dangerous to ride in your hometown than it is in mine. Just because it's my town doesn't make it any safer.

Thanks for your responses! I guess there is a lot of fear of the unknown and that's probably most of it. I dunno - I just can't see how it's any more dangerous to ride in your hometown than it is in mine. Just because it's my town doesn't make it any safer.

You bring up a very good point there ....

When I tell people I'm cycling in and around my home town, they're OK with that ... but if I say I'm going to cycle in and around a town in England, France, Australia, etc. ... all of a sudden it's dangerous.

Meanwhile there's someone who is cycling in and around those towns in England, France, or Australia, and the people they associate with think that's fine, but if that person says he/she is coming to Canada and is going to cycle in and around my town ... all of a sudden it's dangerous.

It is fear of the unknown.

Yep. I just don't get why people would think that Quito is safe for Maria, but not for me. Why can Gitanjeli ride around Mumbai just fine, but when I go there, it's dangerous? I realize I've traveled a lot more than most people so maybe I've just overcome that fear of the unknown, but I wish more people could see that people live in all those places they fear - and feel very safe there!

We have been seeing a huge increase in right drift incidents, in which motorists veer out of lane and into the bike lane or shoulder. Since our roads are crowned, an inattentive motorist will tend to drift to the right, rather than the left.

Who is the "We" seeing a huge increase in right drift incidents? You and our old friend HH? Happen to have any references/evidence of this "huge increase"?

Are you sure they are freaking out over safety rather than the distances you tour? For some, a 5 mile ride is a really, really long ride. They just can't imagine 20, 30, 50, 100 or 200 mile rides.
I just tell them "20 is the warm up, the real ride starts at 50."
A bit like life.....

No, I've never been hit on the open road.

I do tend to avoid the combination of narrow-two lane, bad sight lines, and heavy motor traffic.

TOPIC: EVER BEEN HIT ON THE OPEN ROAD?

Yes. There was only one incident in which I was hit by someone. While out touring Cape Cod many years ago, my stepfather, apparently unaware and/or oblivious of the many bicycling safety rules that my mother and I knew so well. rode up behind me, bashed into the back of my bicycle, its force sending me over the handlebars. Upon my getting up, he proceeded to stand there in the road and yell at me for my "being in the way".