Originally Posted by
Paul Barnard
I'd use the shoulder or sidepath shown in all three to those street views. I'd do so with the knowledge that motorists would likely not process me as part of the traffic picture. Left turners, right turners and those crossing the shoulder or side path are likely to cut in front of me. I can mitigate that. Other than efforts to make myself visible, rear strikes are very difficult to mitigate.
Realize that those side paths only go a short distance. Maybe a 1/4 mile and the other a 1/2 mile to a mile depending on where your route takes you. And you'll stop many more times while using them than you will in the road. For a ride of 30 miles with few stops, I'd be hard pressed no matter how busy both of those roads were to want to endure the additional stopping required or having to slow down for pedestrians.
And the 30 mile route I was talking about is on two lane country roads and highways with no shoulder. It's a very pleasant ride overall. The views I showed you are just a choice of segments that I can take from that route to get home.
But some do use them. However they aren't out but for a very short and slow ride. And if they are going anywhere, they can't stay on them long without having to get in the road.
If you wish to use them I'm okay with that. I'll wait for you at the other end! And this is a very reasonable viewpoint because you take into account the things that keep me in the road. You just wish to go about it the other way...
Originally Posted by
Paul Barnard
I'd use the shoulder or sidepath shown in all three to those street views. I'd do so with the knowledge that motorists would likely not process me as part of the traffic picture. Left turners, right turners and those crossing the shoulder or side path are likely to cut in front of me. I can mitigate that. Other than efforts to make myself visible, rear strikes are very difficult to mitigate.