5 ms·

I'm still deeply uncomfortable about riding a bike next to / in front of a car compared to the sidewalk, and I'm not sure how to overpower that fear...

peller 9y ago
Well, same as any other fear, you have 1) face it and 2) do that bit by bit. Ride one block on the street. Did you survive? Cool; your fear is now ever so slightly diminished. The next day, two blocks. And so on. It does help if you are confident in your ability to ride in a straight line and to brake on a dime (aka using mostly the front brake). And, same as passing a truck on the highway in a car, it's generally not a good idea to hang out in a car's blind spot. As for cars that are scared to pass you, yea, that's really obnoxious. But as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, the vast majority of bike-car accidents don't happen on the straight-aways; they mostly happen in intersections.
- projektir 9y ago
  The other fears are mostly irrational, though. This one doesn't appear to be: it seems to be a cultural thing that US bikers are OK with riding next to cars, while to me it just seems... not prudent. How does that protect me from a car just ramming into me from behind? There just doesn't seem to be anything I can do about that. I'm always relying on the hope that the driver behind me is paying attention and I'm not big on hope. Riding on the street to me is usually very rattling because of how many cars repeatedly pass me, it doesn't really reduce my fear.
analog31 9y ago
YMMV of course, but it has helped me to have a rear view mirror on my bike. I do not use it as a substitute for turning my head and looking when I'm going to change lanes or make a turn. But it lets me comfortably maintain a sort of "inventory" of what's behind me at any given moment. I'm much less likely to get taken by surprise. I tend to be conspicuously and gratuitously polite. For instance I will wave if I see that someone is stuck behind me, and will pull aside when possible. One thing I realize is that i'm often in someone's neighborhood, so they'll probably see me again.
- projektir 9y ago
  That sounds pretty nice, at least I'd be able to see if there's a giant Hummer going at me at the speed of light.
johnpowell 9y ago
Same here. If a sidewalk is available I use it for biking. And I am 40 years old and have driven a car less than ten times in my life. I bike/bus/skateboard everywhere. I have only had one accident and that was bad because the driver was looking out the side window when she hit me. And it was a gentle hit and I just rolled up on the hood. The problem was she had headphones on and keep accelerating into the road taking a left turn. I was on her windshield staring at her when she finally looked forward and noticed me. I had enough time to think, "she is going to slam on the brakes and I am going to be so fucked". Which happened and I was flung off the hood of her car into incoming traffic. Luckily I was alright except for a few scrapes and bent rim. The sidewalks aren't really busy enough where I live for biking on them to a issue. And if I go downtown I just walk my bike.
mmariani 9y ago
Everyone that cycles on open roads had at some point to work on that fear. Though a little challenging at first, it's pretty simple. Hold your line, if you have to deviate from it make sure you use your hands to signal your intention. There's tech to help you with that too. Garmin makes a proximity sensor that you can install on your bike that you let you know when cars are getting close to you; and there's my favorite solution, a Bontrager Flare RT rear light. Finally, you should use your bike to explore alternate/less trafficked routes. Bonus tip sourced from anecdata: I've found out that if you can keep up with the traffic speed most drivers will leave you alone. Keep cycling and have a nice ride! :)
- projektir 9y ago
  Yeah, mostly I plan to drive on trails and such, and, honestly, probably a lot of sidewalks. But sometimes you can't avoid it / the foot traffic is very busy so it makes sense not to bother the pedestrians. Proximity sensor + rear mirror sound like good ideas to at least make one feel safer, I didn't know these were a thing (don't bike much due to aforementioned fears), thanks!

peller 9y ago

Well, same as any other fear, you have 1) face it and 2) do that bit by bit. Ride one block on the street. Did you survive? Cool; your fear is now ever so slightly diminished. The next day, two blocks. And so on. It does help if you are confident in your ability to ride in a straight line and to brake on a dime (aka using mostly the front brake). And, same as passing a truck on the highway in a car, it's generally not a good idea to hang out in a car's blind spot. As for cars that are scared to pass you, yea, that's really obnoxious. But as mentioned elsewhere in this thread, the vast majority of bike-car accidents don't happen on the straight-aways; they mostly happen in intersections.

projektir 9y ago
The other fears are mostly irrational, though. This one doesn't appear to be: it seems to be a cultural thing that US bikers are OK with riding next to cars, while to me it just seems... not prudent. How does that protect me from a car just ramming into me from behind? There just doesn't seem to be anything I can do about that. I'm always relying on the hope that the driver behind me is paying attention and I'm not big on hope. Riding on the street to me is usually very rattling because of how many cars repeatedly pass me, it doesn't really reduce my fear.

analog31 9y ago

YMMV of course, but it has helped me to have a rear view mirror on my bike. I do not use it as a substitute for turning my head and looking when I'm going to change lanes or make a turn. But it lets me comfortably maintain a sort of "inventory" of what's behind me at any given moment. I'm much less likely to get taken by surprise. I tend to be conspicuously and gratuitously polite. For instance I will wave if I see that someone is stuck behind me, and will pull aside when possible. One thing I realize is that i'm often in someone's neighborhood, so they'll probably see me again.

projektir 9y ago
That sounds pretty nice, at least I'd be able to see if there's a giant Hummer going at me at the speed of light.

johnpowell 9y ago

Same here. If a sidewalk is available I use it for biking. And I am 40 years old and have driven a car less than ten times in my life. I bike/bus/skateboard everywhere. I have only had one accident and that was bad because the driver was looking out the side window when she hit me. And it was a gentle hit and I just rolled up on the hood. The problem was she had headphones on and keep accelerating into the road taking a left turn. I was on her windshield staring at her when she finally looked forward and noticed me. I had enough time to think, "she is going to slam on the brakes and I am going to be so fucked". Which happened and I was flung off the hood of her car into incoming traffic. Luckily I was alright except for a few scrapes and bent rim. The sidewalks aren't really busy enough where I live for biking on them to a issue. And if I go downtown I just walk my bike.

mmariani 9y ago

Everyone that cycles on open roads had at some point to work on that fear. Though a little challenging at first, it's pretty simple. Hold your line, if you have to deviate from it make sure you use your hands to signal your intention. There's tech to help you with that too. Garmin makes a proximity sensor that you can install on your bike that you let you know when cars are getting close to you; and there's my favorite solution, a Bontrager Flare RT rear light. Finally, you should use your bike to explore alternate/less trafficked routes. Bonus tip sourced from anecdata: I've found out that if you can keep up with the traffic speed most drivers will leave you alone. Keep cycling and have a nice ride! :)

projektir 9y ago
Yeah, mostly I plan to drive on trails and such, and, honestly, probably a lot of sidewalks. But sometimes you can't avoid it / the foot traffic is very busy so it makes sense not to bother the pedestrians. Proximity sensor + rear mirror sound like good ideas to at least make one feel safer, I didn't know these were a thing (don't bike much due to aforementioned fears), thanks!