Originally Posted by
Gresp15C
I would look carefully at maps to find a route that avoids higher speed roads if at all possible. The rule of thumb that I've given my kids is to avoid roads that have two or more lanes of traffic going in one direction, because the drivers are being controlled by the flow of traffic rather than vice versa. Unless there is a dedicated bike lane.
Once you gain a bit more confidence on the neighborhood streets, you will be a better judge of which of the faster roads you can ride on.
See if cyclists have already found a preferred route through your neighborhood. I live on such a route, and dozens of bikes go by every morning. There's strength in numbers, and the car drivers expect us.
Why would you want to avoid roads with multiple lanes in each direction? Those are IMHO the easiest to ride on because there is always at least one lane open for motorists to pass, instead of motorists having to slow down, wait to pass, getting impatient, etc.
OP, either ride in the lane, center or left of center in the right lane, or use the sidewalk with EXTREME caution (read: SLOW!). Please, whatever you do, do not ride in the gutter of the road. You're far more likely to get overlooked and sideswiped by a motorist who either doesn't notice you off at the edge, or thinks he can squeeze by in the lane. And of course there is all the debris near the gutter that is blown over by passing cars.
It may seem counter intuitive at first, but the farther left you get, out from the edge, the better passing you'll get. If you choose to use the sidewalk, you must use great care at all road crossings, but even more so at driveways. Motorists aren't looking for cyclists on sidewalks, and can easily pull out and hit you. It's worse when the sight lines are bad, such as a sidewalk with a retaining wall, shrubs or trees immediately behind it.
I highly recommend CyclingSavvy if you live close enough to a class location. They teach you the tools and techniques to go anywhere by bike, whether there is bike infrastructure or not. They teach things like how to recognize crash hazards, and ways to avoid them. Contrary to what some may believe, CS is NOT anti-infrastructure. But by learning and using the techniques taught in the class and on the road, you can recognize potential conflicts and hazards while riding on a sidewalk or in a bike lane, and learn the best ways to avoid the potential crash hazards. Most people who take CS are beginners, many of them women, and I know personally of many who discover how easy and stress-free it can be to ride on public roads. You don't have to be fast. I ride 10-12 mph on some 40-MPH roads if I have a strong headwind and/or uphill, and very rarely have any problems.
I'm also a big proponent of making yourself as visible as possible. None of this "ride as if you're invisible" nonsense. No, you are there, you exist. Might as well make yourself known, as if you're shouting from the rooftops "HEY, I'm a cyclist and I'm right here! Look at me! See me! Avoid me!". In addition to an assertive lane position, I like to use bright lights at all times day or night - steady (or pulsing) at night, and flashing in daylight hours. I run two 2-watt rear lights (Cygolite Hotshots) for visibility and redundancy.
If the roads you use have plenty of space for motorists to pass (multiple lanes each direction, or center turn lane, and/or wide outside lanes) it should be relatively easy.