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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Question on bad roads

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Old 03-06-10, 07:48 AM
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Question on bad roads

When the right hand side of the road is destroyed but the center is ok, what do you normaly do? (in a low traffic scenario) Ride the center and keep looking over your shoulder for traffic? Slow down but always stay to the right? Use a helmet mounted mirror so you could keep and eye on traffic while riding near the center? Or something else?

There's a 5 mile stretch on my route that I despise for this reason, I currently stay to the right and slowdown but I need a better solution before I destroy my bike.
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Old 03-06-10, 08:03 AM
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I would ride the center in low traffic but I would really be looking for a different route!
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Old 03-06-10, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by gvon79
Use a helmet mounted mirror so you could keep and eye on traffic while riding near the center?
This.
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Old 03-06-10, 08:28 AM
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Ride in the center and dial it up to 400 watts.
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Old 03-06-10, 09:09 AM
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Use a helmet mounted mirror so you could keep and eye on traffic while riding near the center?
Yes. There's on long hill near here, and the pavement on the side is not pleasant (not broken, but very very knobbly). It's very easy to watch for cars with my mirror, and riding on the smooth part makes the hill tolerable.
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Old 03-06-10, 09:13 AM
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Ride in center and stay super vigilant. And be careful for those sneaky silent hybrids!
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Old 03-06-10, 09:15 AM
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Ride in the center and be happy there is at least a smooth area to ride in!
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Old 03-06-10, 09:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Nachoman
Ride in center and stay super vigilant. And be careful for those sneaky silent hybrids!
The problem with hybrid drivers is that they'll gun you down without remorse and then feel smug and self-righteous about it. Cyclists do, after all spew out more CO2 than a hybrid car, right?
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Old 03-06-10, 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by RacerOne
Ride in the center and be happy there is at least a smooth area to ride in!
This.
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Old 03-06-10, 10:04 AM
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Find another route, petition the city/county to fix it, or (my favorite) view it as an excuse to buy a new cyclocross bike.
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Old 03-06-10, 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by TromboneAl
Yes. There's on long hill near here, and the pavement on the side is not pleasant (not broken, but very very knobbly). It's very easy to watch for cars with my mirror, and riding on the smooth part makes the hill tolerable.
I'm going to buy a mirror today and see how that goes. Thanks.
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Old 03-06-10, 01:42 PM
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Ride in the center, period. You are a legal vehicle with as much right to the lane as anybody else. Plus, you are less likely to be hit in the center of the lane than you are to the right.
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Old 03-06-10, 02:02 PM
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Originally Posted by gvon79
When the right hand side of the road is destroyed but the center is ok, what do you normaly do? (in a low traffic scenario) Ride the center and keep looking over your shoulder for traffic? Slow down but always stay to the right? Use a helmet mounted mirror so you could keep and eye on traffic while riding near the center? Or something else?

There's a 5 mile stretch on my route that I despise for this reason, I currently stay to the right and slowdown but I need a better solution before I destroy my bike.
Was in this scenario this morning in my downtown area. Felt like how the lunar surface looks. I've already checked out the map for a better route tomorrow. Today I took the center lane and picked up the pace. Also, when behind a car with none behind me I moved to the left of that lane when approaching intersections so those oncoming drivers looking to make their left hand turn could see me.
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Old 03-06-10, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by urbanknight
Find another route, petition the city/county to fix it
I'd get a helmet-mounted mirror and petition the city/county. I've contacted our city whenever I see a road hazard that causes danger to bikes (and inconvenience to cars). It doesn't always work, but you may be pleasantly surprised. You could also try your local city/county representative.
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Old 03-06-10, 02:34 PM
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Ride in the lane. I have a mirror and use it all the time. In Texas a bike is to ride as far to the right as practical. If the shoulder is all chewed up, it's not practical to ride there. When I see someone coming up behind me. I don't bail over to the shoulder; I just shift slightly to the right to invite a pass but make it so they still have to change lanes to pass me. I don't give up my right of way.
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Old 03-06-10, 04:43 PM
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Call up your Shire council and have them add the road to their list of roads to fix.
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Old 03-06-10, 08:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Machka
Call up your Shire council and have them add the road to their list of roads to fix.
Are we hobbits now?
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Old 03-06-10, 08:36 PM
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Originally Posted by RacerOne
Are we hobbits now?
You know, it's not just yanks who post here. Google "shire council" and see what you find.

In my case, I think I'd have to contact the Office of Public Works at Barad-dur.
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Old 03-06-10, 08:39 PM
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People here don't get it.
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Old 03-07-10, 02:20 AM
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Originally Posted by RacerOne
Are we hobbits now?
Originally Posted by Kneez
You know, it's not just yanks who post here. Google "shire council" and see what you find.

In my case, I think I'd have to contact the Office of Public Works at Barad-dur.

In North America, shires are known as "counties". In the UK, Australia, and possibly New Zealand they are called shires. In France, I believe they are called departments.
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Old 03-07-10, 02:37 AM
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What's the speed limit on the road?

Originally Posted by bike eagle
Ride in the center, period. You are a legal vehicle with as much right to the lane as anybody else. Plus, you are less likely to be hit in the center of the lane than you are to the right.
Right on. If you're more assertive, you're actually safer IMO.

I'd have no qualms about riding in the middle if it's 60km/h or less. 70m/h and above might be a bit dodgy, especially if it's a windy road.
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Old 03-07-10, 07:21 AM
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Originally Posted by gvon79
When the right hand side of the road is destroyed but the center is ok, what do you normaly do? (in a low traffic scenario) Ride the center and keep looking over your shoulder for traffic? Slow down but always stay to the right? Use a helmet mounted mirror so you could keep and eye on traffic while riding near the center? Or something else?

There's a 5 mile stretch on my route that I despise for this reason, I currently stay to the right and slowdown but I need a better solution before I destroy my bike.
There's a low income area of my ride that the city refuses to take care of (apparently) and yeah, if traffic's up, I manage the crap as best as I can. If traffic's low, I take advantage of it and take the lane, hammering by the potholes as quick as I can.
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