4 ms·

Try commuting on your bike without dedicated lanes. It's dangerous as hell, car drivers are the worst. It's also super pleasant when you do have your own spac

Try commuting on your bike without dedicated lanes. It's dangerous as hell, car drivers are the worst. It's also super pleasant when you do have your own space, as it's nearly as quick as driving, but you get great exercise and it's pretty fun too.

closeparen 9y ago
If it's pleasant, you aren't exercising. 15mph is not "nearly as quick" as 60mph by any twist of the imagination. I ride regularly without dedicated lanes and feel far safer than I do at urban public transit stations. In other words, I don't think I can agree with anything in your post, other than that it's fun.
- jmknoll 9y ago
  Light exercise can certainly be enjoyable. "Nearly as quick" certainly doesn't apply to all situations, If you're doing long distances on the highway where you're averaging 60mph, then its definitely not an ideal use-case for a bicycle. But if you're driving in the city during rush hour, you might realistically be averaging closer to 10mph. For an example, my morning commute in Shanghai takes about 30 minutes by bicycle, 35 by car, or 40 by subway. Traffic lanes are congested, bicycle lanes aren't. As to riding without dedicated lanes, I can't really speak to that. We have enough bike lanes here that I usually avoid roads without them, but it seems like it would be bad for both cyclists and drivers.
- awjr 9y ago
  I'm beginning to recognise that you are a Vehicular Cyclist and probably fight against protected cycle lanes as this 'forces' you to use them. I've seen this argument a lot and only seems to be prevalent within the USA. Most of the EU has recognised that this is a failed approach that only results in less people cycling.
u801e 9y ago
> Try commuting on your bike without dedicated lanes. It's dangerous as hell I've been doing it for over a decade. I take the lane and the vast majority of cars switch to the adjacent lane to pass me. It's not dangerous at all if you ride in a predictable manner.
- awjr 9y ago
  Tell that to a parent who has to make a decision if their 8 year old should cycle to school by taking the lane. This is the fundamental problem with this thinking. "I can do it, why can't you?" The evidence is that is you want people cycling it must be visibly safe and segregated from cars no matter how easily you find it is taking the lane.
  - u801e 9y ago
    > Tell that to a parent who has to make a decision if their 8 year old should cycle to school by taking the lane. I am the parent of a 6 year old and am currently teaching her how to keep to the right on the local MUP while riding. Once she's got that down, I'll start taking her on the roads here. I suppose it really depends on personal experience. If the parent doesn't have experience riding in traffic, then I doubt they would feel that it's appropriate that their child(ren) do so.

closeparen 9y ago

If it's pleasant, you aren't exercising. 15mph is not "nearly as quick" as 60mph by any twist of the imagination. I ride regularly without dedicated lanes and feel far safer than I do at urban public transit stations. In other words, I don't think I can agree with anything in your post, other than that it's fun.

jmknoll 9y ago
Light exercise can certainly be enjoyable. "Nearly as quick" certainly doesn't apply to all situations, If you're doing long distances on the highway where you're averaging 60mph, then its definitely not an ideal use-case for a bicycle. But if you're driving in the city during rush hour, you might realistically be averaging closer to 10mph. For an example, my morning commute in Shanghai takes about 30 minutes by bicycle, 35 by car, or 40 by subway. Traffic lanes are congested, bicycle lanes aren't. As to riding without dedicated lanes, I can't really speak to that. We have enough bike lanes here that I usually avoid roads without them, but it seems like it would be bad for both cyclists and drivers.
awjr 9y ago
I'm beginning to recognise that you are a Vehicular Cyclist and probably fight against protected cycle lanes as this 'forces' you to use them. I've seen this argument a lot and only seems to be prevalent within the USA. Most of the EU has recognised that this is a failed approach that only results in less people cycling.

u801e 9y ago

> Try commuting on your bike without dedicated lanes. It's dangerous as hell I've been doing it for over a decade. I take the lane and the vast majority of cars switch to the adjacent lane to pass me. It's not dangerous at all if you ride in a predictable manner.

awjr 9y ago
Tell that to a parent who has to make a decision if their 8 year old should cycle to school by taking the lane. This is the fundamental problem with this thinking. "I can do it, why can't you?" The evidence is that is you want people cycling it must be visibly safe and segregated from cars no matter how easily you find it is taking the lane.
- u801e 9y ago
  > Tell that to a parent who has to make a decision if their 8 year old should cycle to school by taking the lane. I am the parent of a 6 year old and am currently teaching her how to keep to the right on the local MUP while riding. Once she's got that down, I'll start taking her on the roads here. I suppose it really depends on personal experience. If the parent doesn't have experience riding in traffic, then I doubt they would feel that it's appropriate that their child(ren) do so.