General Cycling Discussion - Do you feel safer either walking or riding a bicycle?

Just curious to find out if those of you who ride your bike plenty feel safer riding a bike over walking in your neighborhood, in town, on the MUP?

I know how you feel. In SC, my answer is neither. In WI, either are safe. Actually, the midwest states that I've been to all beat the H outta SC in this regard. There are almost no roads with shoulders here in Greenville county, the streets that do have sidewalks also have the high speed high volume traffic you mention, and there are no interconnecting sidestreets to avoid this bike-unfriendliness. I am surprised to hear that Portland has any of this problem. Thought it was the ultimate cycling city?....the search continues for my next new job & town. On the bright side, it looks like my house will be sold soon :)

Safe in what way, getting my arse kicked by some 5 foot cholo dude with a tatoo on his butt or being taken down on the bike in an accident?

Safe in what way, getting my arse kicked by some 5 foot cholo dude with a tatoo on his butt or being taken down on the bike in an accident?

I think I'd take the five foot cholo dude over the accident, at least I could out run him! Very funny post Beanz!:lol::lol::lol:

I feel safer Bicycling. I can get out of the way faster, on a bike.

I feel safer Bicycling. I can get out of the way faster, on a bike.
Yes! And I can get there quicker by bike, less time on the road.

More time on roadway/walkway= heightened chance of flattening by a ravenous SUV.

walking or casual biking, i don't think i've noticed a difference.

when i used to run though, i felt a little safer running than biking, just because doing either halfway serious, i was going faster on a bike and more things can happen at speed to have to react to.

Well, I only ride mostly in the park, in bike paths and state trails. I feel much safer in a bike, because it is faster than walking and if someone is trying to mug me, I can get away faster. Sometimes I see peoples walking alone in state trails, in the woods. Especially women and I think that they are crazy, because there could be some pervert etc lurking in the bushes etc. Don't anyone watch America's Most Wanted and Cold Cases etc?

I mean you can't be worrying all the time, but at least be cautious and bring along someone. I am a man. About 5ft10 and 180 Lbs, but still I always have a partner to ride bikes with.

I'm fine doing either one.

Well, I only ride mostly in the park, in bike paths and state trails. I feel much safer in a bike, because it is faster than walking and if someone is trying to mug me, I can get away faster. Sometimes I see peoples walking alone in state trails, in the woods. Especially women and I think that they are crazy, because there could be some pervert etc lurking in the bushes etc. Don't anyone watch America's Most Wanted and Cold Cases etc?

I mean you can't be worrying all the time, but at least be cautious and bring along someone. I am a man. About 5ft10 and 180 Lbs, but still I always have a partner to ride bikes with.

I am paranoid about riding/walking alone in trails/woods. I work in NYC and feel much safer riding the subways and walking NYC street at night than I do riding/walking my local trails. I'm a 5 ft nothing female and don't want to take any chances. That said, I don't feel safe biking/walking at night on empty paths/roadways but would feel perfectly safe walking/biking in a crowd.

1) My town doesn't have MUPs, and I rarely ride on MUPs if they happen to be available anyway.

2) I walk about as much as I cycle in town. I walk to and from work every day for a total of 15-18 km/week. Plus sometimes some extra walking to get groceries, go to French class or go to church. I don't spend much time cycling in town because I prefer to cycle on the open road in the country. But it's possible I may cycle 15-18 km/week or so in town.

3) As for safety, I feel just as safe walking as I do cycling ... or cycling as I do walking.

Cyclomania, Whether walking or cycling, the safety level is determined by your personal threshold of percieved danger. I'm not real sure I understand exactly what you're referring to, personal safety from an attack or likelyhood of an accident, I'm thinking the former.

Brad

Cyclomania, Whether walking or cycling, the safety level is determined by your personal threshold of percieved danger. I'm not real sure I understand exactly what you're referring to, personal safety from an attack or likelyhood of an accident, I'm thinking the former.

Brad

That's what I was asking but I guess my cholo dude didn't get the message through.:p

When I was in my early twenties, I went fishing all by myself in the Pymatuning Reservoir back in Ohio. I was just peacefully sitting along the edge of the lake, when suddenly, I heard popping sounds, followed by whizzing noises. I do believe that someone was quite possibly trying to shoot me!

Since then, I enter trails of forests and parks with a feeling of great trepidation.

I therefore, prefer to ride very quickly on park trails whenever alone. In the city, I'm simply poetry in motion. I'll ride anywhere and everywhere in the city with absolutely no fear. In the city, I'm quite in my comfort zone when cycling.

Too bad I can't take that same Zen energy into the woods!

- Slim :)

I feel safer when walking.
A pedestrian moves much slower than a cyclist. And the braking distance of the latter is vastly larger than of the first.
Riding or driving anything that has wheels(be it a bike, car, skates, skateboard etc.) is generally much riskier than walking.

Neither... but I'm quite a paranoid person anyways and try to keep my guard up for both, more so for Cycling.

Neither.

That's what I was asking but I guess my cholo dude didn't get the message through.:p

I think only those of us living along the Mexican border would. ;)

Brad

Just curious to find out if those of you who ride your bike plenty feel safer riding a bike over walking in your neighborhood, in town, on the MUP?

Safer:

Neighborhood - bike
Downtown - walk
MUP - that's a tossup. Those things are often warzones.

I think only those of us living along the Mexican border would. ;)

Brad

:roflmao2:

Without a doubt walking. It does beg the qualifying question "safer from what?"

I rarely if ever ride MUPs and I am almost exclusively a road rider. So on a bike I'm statistically much less safe riding than when walking since I walk on the sidewalk and not in the line of traffic. Bottom line though, "safer" doesn't factor much as I don't let perceived threats dictate my life (with some notable exceptions).

Limited MUPs here in Louisville. I'd rather ride a bike. Louisville has an abysmal record with pedestrian deaths. One guy was hit a couple of months ago waiting for the bus... on the sidewalk. Yeah, I feel better being a part of traffic than in the way.

OP is in the largest city in the state, I'm in one of the smaller ones ,
there lies the difference

wide shoulder is OK , and the planked in trestle and some track crossing
are my hazards,

Crosswalks at particular places help , and I wait till the traffic is stopped
or, far enough away to be safer..

Without a doubt walking. It does beg the qualifying question "safer from what?"


Yes, let's hear the OP's answer to that question.

I'm a lot more worried about my personal safety than getting into an accident. So, I feel safe on the bike, safe walking with my dogs, and soon I'll have a CHL and feel even safer.

If I felt safer walking, I wouldn't own a bike.

I don't have a problem , even though I'm pale-skinned and live in the ghetto. Part of that is cuz I'm big and scary-looking; the other part is, thugs seem to think I'm a cop. I guess a paleface, riding an expensive bike in 'their hood', just HAS to be, no ordinary cracker would DARE.

I'm a lot more worried about my personal safety than getting into an accident.

And if I worry at all, I worry more about getting hit by an inattentive driver (drunk, stoned, texting, sleepy) than about my "personal safety".

And if I worry at all, I worry more about getting hit by an inattentive driver (drunk, stoned, texting, sleepy) than about my "personal safety".

Well, I'm a woman, and I've been harassed / followed / yelled at by cars before as a pedestrian. It's something that each person has to determine for themselves.

Well, I'm a woman, and I've been harassed / followed / yelled at by cars before as a pedestrian. It's something that each person has to determine for themselves.

Well, I'm also a woman.


And most of the places I ride or walk, I'm more concerned about bears, wolves, snakes, kanagroos, dogs, uneven pavement surfaces ... and inattentive drivers ... than I am about someone harassing, following, or yelling at me.

If I felt safer walking, I wouldn't own a bike.

I don't have a problem , even though I'm pale-skinned and live in the ghetto. Part of that is cuz I'm big and scary-looking; the other part is, thugs seem to think I'm a cop. I guess a paleface, riding an expensive bike in 'their hood', just HAS to be, no ordinary cracker would DARE.

Nah__!

It's probably more related to the fact that you don't appear to be afraid.. I've found that there's this animalistic instinct within us all. If we sense fear, we either go in for the kill or we toy with it. If it doesn't look like you could toy with it, we back off!

Be careful not to look too threatening though. That may be interpreted as some type of internalized hatred. If that occurs, your days are most certainly numbered....

- Slim :)