Originally Posted by
electrik
Maybe you ride somewhere that people don't open doors or pull out in front of you. In conditions here even 1 meter less stopping distance often means the difference between getting tagged or just giving a dirty look.
That's true for the most part. The last time I was looking for a cheap place to rent, the bicycle route to work was important. I am never on high traffic streets in rush hour. My 5 or 6 am start time on the job usually means that I'll only see about 6 vehicles moving on the way in to work on those mornings.
I do have some shifts that start at 9. I am able to go about 10 blocks along residential streets to get to a bike path. It's the scenic route. It adds some time and distance, but it's worth it.
I hadn't even thought of driving in rush hour conditions and I agree brakes would be a lot more important then.