Originally Posted by
chgurlsng
How do you deal with the constant fear of being hit by a car? My commute to school is only 3 miles. Part of it has a bike lane and a separate MUP if I so choose to use it. I then have to turn onto a busy two lane road that has no shoulder whatsoever. I have to cross a main four lane intersection and go over railroad tracks which gets a little awkward when I'm behind a school bus. At least 3 times per morning, I can just barely reach out and touch a car trying to pass me.
If I use the sidewalk, it takes me 45 minutes to get to school because I have to keep crossing the street using crosswalks since the sidewalk doesn't go the whole way down on both sides.
If there are any cross-streets or drive ways you're a lot more likely to get hit by a car when you're riding in cross-walks and on side-walks because cars are not looking for vehicle speed traffic there especially traveling in the opposite direction (aka "salmoning" like the fish swimming up stream to spawn).