Originally Posted by n00b_62
Which brings me to my question: Michigan has very few bike lanes, fairly fast roads, and incredibly rude drivers. Most of the time, with my MTB, I can at least hold my own on the roads, but there is one stretch of my commute where I am going on a fairly steep uphill into the wind, so I am usually topping out at around 8mph while pedaling as hard as I can in the lowest gear, of course in a 35mph zone. There are few other options, since this road crosses a river about a block away from this stretch and there are only 2 other roads in town that cross it. Riding on the sidewalks in Michigan is legal (and the sidewalks on this street are even specially marked "sidewalk bike path", so this is always an appealing option, though these sidewalks get moderate pedestrian traffic. What would you recommend doing?
I googled MICHIGAN BIKE ROUTE MAPS and found some good stuff on the D.O.T. site. Rivers in Lansing, ann Arbor, Flint, south Detroit. When there is a "sidewalk bike path" do you have to use it? I do not mean the police want you there and tell you to go there. By law MUST you? Find out because if you hit a pedestrian using one and the law has not forced you to be there their lawyer could claim you were operating a vehicle on a pedestrian right of way and have you crucified. Given it is OK I'd use it when traffic was heavy. Just get a bike/tire combo that lets you onto and off of curbs. Recommend? Find the local bike club and ask how their riders handle that area. Take one of the safe cycling classes the League of American Cyclists run and ask the instructor what to do. Bring a big map of your route to the class.
Sometimes I just take the right wheel lane position and force the cars to choose between hitting me or passing safely. Works here but this area is a cycling nirvana.