Originally Posted by
ParkingTheBus
I hear a lot of people who claim that riding on rural roads aren't safe at all for cyclists... I have to say that I strongly disagree.
I live in the suburbs, filled with 8 lane roadways and cars whizzing by at 70-80 km/hr. There's often more cars and dangerous objects such as potholes. More cars = more angry people = more close passing.
I almost always choose to go for rides on less busy country roads. Luckily, a 5 minute ride gets me into the country where I feel much safer... Less traffic and I find the drivers who I do encounter are generally very courteous and give me plenty of room when passing.
I agree that riding on rural roads, as opposed to suburbia and city. Is not safe. I did a metric century today in West Virginia. Part of the route was on two-lane rural roads, and part of the route was was on state roads that were four-lane divided highways(no higher than 45mph). More than once I was passed extremely closely by motorists' that were oblivious to/ignorant to, the state's 'close passing' law. There was even one motorist who had ample opportunity to pass. But chose to be a pain in the backside. Courtesy of his horn.