JTGraphics

My work place moved today and my daily commute has gone to 5mi one way to about 1.25mi I really liked my daily short commute before my longer weekend ride. I also must deal with heaver 4 pm traffic on a 2 lane road with little to no shoulder with a 45mph speed limit but seems they are doing 35.
So its downhill for about .25mi and I hit 30mph so I'm tempted to just take a lane and fly down this slight downhill everyday, should I? it seems safer to me than to ride slow and get buzzed.

ironhorse3

I'd be tempted too, but crashes at high speeds like this cause much greater injury. So you're taking a small chance on a very bad outcome. But to look at it the other way, you have a good chance of no crash. Still, considering the sheer vulnerability being on a bike at speeds like that, I'd think twice. At least, don't tailgate the car ahead of you and make sure you have good brakes. Slower, when it's wet out.

daintonj

Definitely. It's a lot safer than hugging the side of the road, especially when you're going at a decent pace.

Captain Obvious strikes again.

30mph is not really that fast, a fast road cyclist will only be doing around 8mph less than that on a flat.

I'd take the lane and cycle like the devil, going fast downhills makes cycling fun.

jefferee

Should be sufficiently safe taking the lane. 1/4 mile at 30 mph is only about 30 seconds--shouldn't have that much of a backlog of traffic behind you in that amount of time.

However, you will need to be extra-cautious about potholes, objects on the pavement, and sudden stops by motorists ahead of you. You will probably need extra distance to stop your bike compared to a car traveling the same speed.

Rosie8

Have you considered finding a safer, slightly longer route so you can gain back the 3.75 miles you're losing off your commute?

amit_shah25 

+1 ! You can always add some interesting / safe route that you enjoy back to your commute without worrying about gas prices

BroadSTPhilly

How much room do you have to negotiate in case something happens in front of you? Is there a shoulder? I do 30 to 35 on a downhill stretch of road where the cars are doing around 35-40 I take the lane but then there are three lanes.

sean000

1.25 miles? You could just walk it... you'll get more exercise. Or find a longer but safer route to pedal.

As far as the hill in question, I prefer to take a lane when I'm going that fast... unless the speed limit for cars is even faster than the speed I'm able to sustain... in those situations I still take the lane when it's safer to do so, but I pull off to the side as soon as there is room for me to allow cars to safely pass.

I used to have a 1 mile (each way) commute on a busy street. I walked it quite often... especially on days when it was really cold or really wet. On days that I rode, I found an alternate route that allowed me to stick to quiet streets with less traffic. This route stretched the commute to two or three miles each way, but I didn't have to ride in traffic and I would arrive to work feeling a bit more energized. Even though I could easily walk to work, I preferred to ride since I could leave work and go straight to a longer recreational ride on my way home. I discovered that I'm more likely to go for an extended bike ride after work if I have to get on the bike to get home anyway. If I just walk home or take the bus, I might end up just grabbing a beer and hitting the sofa instead. And that's not good for the ol' gut

Bike4More

I usually take the lane on descents because there is less crap in the roadway than the bike lane or shoulder. Smoother too from the tire ruts.