Originally Posted by pdlamb

I can agree to the point that "large road debris," meaning (to me) large rocks, tree limbs, etc., tend to get cleaned up fairly fast or moved by cars and trucks. But I have to agree with the ruts and potholes point. I've seen some nasty ruts or pavement cracks, the kind that looks like they're designed to eat bike tires, that have lasted for a year or more. Likewise, there's a road near my commute that's got large dips in the pavement, [opening car doors] not real potholes because the pavement is merely sunk, not broken. Hitting those dips after a rain could cause a wipeout if a cyclist didn't know about them. Hazards such as those I tend to route around. In some places, where the governments are fiscally strapped, I don't know that I could avoid by going a road or two over.

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

… Jim’s Law of the Road, "No matter how well-paved and lightly-traveled the Road, a vehicle is likely to pass you on the left, as you encounter an obstacle on the right." That’s my justification to wear a rearview mirror, my premier decision for safety. That's the most salient advice I give to the statement, "I'm afraid to ride in traffic."