I finally got up enough nerve to ride the four-lane U.S. highway instead of taking the back roads that added 30 minutes and about three hilly miles to my commute. It was great! With my three mirrors, I could see if the approaching vehicles were giving me enough clearance and I saw most of them move to the other lane to pass. A few vehicles decided they couldn't afford to lose their place in "the race" but even though they passed me without leaving the lane and I didn't have much of a shoulder, I still felt like there was enough room.

Compared to narrow, curvy, hilly two-lane roads without shoulders, I felt just as safe, if not safer, even though the speed limit on the back roads is 35 or 45 mph while it is 65 and then 60 mph on the highway. But the fact that the traffic wasn't too heavy, they had ample time to see me (in my high-res shirt and a horizontal orange flag hanging to the left off of my rack,) and they had another lane to take to pass me left me feeling pretty comfortable.

So tomorrow I'm going to try going home that way. Traffic is a little heavier that time of day but still not too bad in the section I travel. There's another five miles of the highway closer to the city that I will continue to avoid but the back road alternative isn't much longer and is much more pleasant to ride.

I don't think I would have ever had the nerve to try riding this highway without all the information and training I've received on this forum. Thanks!

An extra three miles takes 30 minutes? How hilly are those miles?

And you're actually riding in the lane on a 65 mph highway? Or just on the shoulder?

- Warren

I keep telling y'all how hilly my route is! Also, I'm not very fast, even with the electric bike. In fact, I rarely had to use the motor while on the highway since the grades of the hills were smaller. I'll have to check out my Google pedometer to see how many miles I actually took off.

I never actually had to ride in the lane, though there were times when the shoulder was only about 18 inches wide. Most of the time -- say 75% -- I had 3- to 4-foot shoulders. I was only on the highway about five miles, I think. It went quickly!

Are you allowed on highways? Bikes aren't allowed on any 400 series auto routes here in Ontario...

I don't advise ever riding in the lane on a 65 mph road. I don't take the lane on any roads above 35 mph unless they're choked with traffic. The speed differential is just too high. 65 mph equates to 88 feet a second!

You're still not very safe on the shoulder of a fast road, though -- people have really stupid reactions that often lead them to drive toward anything they look at. This is why state troopers will always approach the passenger-side door -- to avoid being killed by a stupid motorist who can't keep his/her car inside the lines when distracted by something on the side of the road.

Be careful out there, Longhorn. Keep in mind that all the flags, lights, bells, and so on strapped to your bike do a lot less for your safety than making a good decision on where to ride.

- Warren

Posted road speed is just a suggestion anyway.

I ride to work on Fallowfield and Prince of Wales, they are just regular roads through the country-side, but they have an 80km/h limit. The funny thing is that traffic MAYBE moves at 10km/h ... I pass probably close to 1000 cars on the way to work.

When I ride home late and the traffic is moving, when a truck goes by at 80-100, you can really feel it.. thank god for the wide shoulder!

also keep in mind that most people don't drive 65mph

I'd take a backroad route, even a hilly one, over a 4-lane exhaust-filled highway full of crazy SUVers in hurry mode any day. Good Luck, Longhorn, and be careful!

I'm sorry for your loss.




Of riding time. :-)

curious: in what states is it legal to ride a bicycle on the highway? it's definitely illegal in california (well, at least southern cal!). uh, and i dunno if i'd want to ride my bike on a socal freeway even if it was legal!

What's a highway?

Interstates usually illegal
State Routes usually legal
County Routes almost always legal

I agree with earlier poster, I wouldn't ride on any road where traffic is going above 50. This usally means a 35-45 mph speed limit, depending on local drivers.

CA drivers usually go 10-15 mph above speed limit. CO usually 4-8 above. I don't know how much faster drivers drive in Tx as areas of Tx drove in were too sparcely populated.

Actually there are a few exceptions to that rule, in places where there are no viable alternative routes (there is a regulation, specifying what those sections are). I travelled about 35 km on the 400 this summer, going to Parry Sound (at Georgian Bay) from Toronto. It felt very safe too, with those big wide shoulders (although one has to be careful, as there are shoulder-less parts).