Beaver County, PA.
Zero support for bicycling. Very few adults ride bikes and cars are not expecting to see you therefore you are invisible. No berms on most roads. All the roads are winding rural routes with hills and blind corners. There are big trucks as well as cars and everyone is speeding.
About a month ago a bycilist was killed about seven miles from my house on a road I ride occasionally. There was one paragraph in the police/fire section of the paper and that was it. No name, no details, infact I can't even find any inforamation at all now. Nobody cares because any adult who rides a bike is a crazy weirdo.
I'm certain I will be hit at some point if I continue ride, especially on my road bike. Hopefully I won't be hurt badly.
Edit: One more thing, I was 90 miles into my first century (riding solo and unsupported) when I had to stop and take one shoe off for a few minutes because my feet were swelling. I laid the bike down and sat on the pavement on the side of the road near a golf course. Now what would you do if you saw a guy with a nice road bike laid down, sitting there in the gravel on the side of a rural road as the occasional car wizzed past at 55mph?
Several people were golfing about 30 yards away and several car passed. I didn't even get a single, "You alright?" It's a good thing I wasn't having any serious problems, because I could have laid down and died and I don't think anyone would have even helped.
Around here you are 100% on your own.
Last edited by biknbrian; 10-21-07 at 02:18 AM.