Watch out for bicycles too.

[Captain Dirty]

Takes a lot of tax money to upgrade the roads for cyclists.. and the cyclists do not pay any road tax for that !!

See ArlyA's post #46. I put many more street miles on my 2 registered, insured, and taxed motor vehicles than the 3000 miles I ride my bicycle each year.

I have had occasion to ride on the interstates in South Dakota and New Mexico. It is legal as the interstate is the only practicable way to get from A to B. One can argue that the interstates are "upgraded" roads. Great sight-lines; relatively good pavement, although the high speed traffic sweeps a lot of debris into the breakdown lane; fair separation, although a semi passing at 60 mph greater speed 10 to 12 feet away can buffet one around. I found it "safe" but generally unpleasant and boring. I much prefer riding on curvey roads where two wheels allow banking and one has much more intimate connection with the surroundings.

 

[ArlyA]

See ArlyA's post #46. I put many more street miles on my 2 registered, insured, and taxed motor vehicles than the 3000 miles I ride my bicycle each year.

I have had occasion to ride on the interstates in South Dakota and New Mexico. It is legal as the interstate is the only practicable way to get from A to B. One can argue that the interstates are "upgraded" roads. Great sight-lines; relatively good pavement, although the high speed traffic sweeps a lot of debris into the breakdown lane; fair separation, although a semi passing at 60 mph greater speed 10 to 12 feet away can buffet one around. I found it "safe" but generally unpleasant and boring. I much prefer riding on curvey roads where two wheels allow banking and one has much more intimate connection with the surroundings.

My home state is SD and I'd be damned if I'd ride with the 80mph interstate traffic!

 

[civilian]

My home state is SD and I'd be damned if I'd ride with the 80mph interstate traffic!

But when the interstate is the only road going between two points, you have no choice. My wife and I have ridden on interstates in NM and WA state where it was legal and no other way around. Not the nicest way, very noisy, and not fun. Not sure of the speeds, WA was in 1982, and semis were aloud in the breakdown lane going up hills. It wasn't fun being there when a truck came upon us going up hill, with another in the right lane with cars passing him in the left lane. We had nowhere to go except against the guard rail and hope for the best. Luckily the the semi passed the one in our lane and he was able to move out of the breakdown lane just before getting to us. Jon

 

[tradosaurus]

But when the interstate is the only road going between two points, you have no choice. My wife and I have ridden on interstates in NM and WA state where it was legal and no other way around. Not the nicest way, very noisy, and not fun. Not sure of the speeds, WA was in 1982, and semis were aloud in the breakdown lane going up hills. It wasn't fun being there when a truck came upon us going up hill, with another in the right lane with cars passing him in the left lane. We had nowhere to go except against the guard rail and hope for the best. Luckily the the semi passed the one in our lane and he was able to move out of the breakdown lane just before getting to us. Jon

I'm assuming you are referring to riding bicycles on the shoulder of the interstates?

I would strongly suggest getting a bike carrier for your vehicle and transporting your bikes by car to your nearest mountain bike trail. That is what my wife and I do.

 

[civilian]

I'm assuming you are referring to riding bicycles on the shoulder of the interstates?

I would strongly suggest getting a bike carrier for your vehicle and transporting your bikes by car to your nearest mountain bike trail. That is what my wife and I do.

We could not use a car to transport the bikes. The Washington tandem bike trip started in Seattle airport, out to the coast, down into Oregon then up to Crater Lake and down to Medford OR to fly home, 2 weeks. NM mountain bike trip started in Roosville, MT at the border down the Continental Divide through ID, Wyoming, Colorado, then NM and ended up at the border of Mexico, 10 weeks.

Missed one other time. Cross country road bikes from OR to VA, through Sinclair WY when we had to ride the shoulder of an interstate. Wife, daughter 15, son 12 and myself, 3 months. Because we were traveling by bicycles and no sag support, we rode the interstate because there were no other roads/trails, etc to ride. Jon

 

[ArlyA]

I would strongly suggest getting a bike carrier for your vehicle and transporting your bikes by car to your nearest mountain bike trail. That is what my wife and I do.

There are not bike trails to everywhere.

 

[tradosaurus]

There are not bike trails to everywhere.

I don't understand this statement.

I am suggesting, for concerns of safety, to transport your bikes by car to your nearest mountain bike trail. There is an app you can download on your phone that will list trails in your area.

We found a really nice 6.2 mile mountain bike trail just 25 miles from us.

 

[tradosaurus]

We could not use a car to transport the bikes. The Washington tandem bike trip started in Seattle airport, out to the coast, down into Oregon then up to Crater Lake and down to Medford OR to fly home, 2 weeks. NM mountain bike trip started in Roosville, MT at the border down the Continental Divide through ID, Wyoming, Colorado, then NM and ended up at the border of Mexico, 10 weeks.

Missed one other time. Cross country road bikes from OR to VA, through Sinclair WY when we had to ride the shoulder of an interstate. Wife, daughter 15, son 12 and myself, 3 months. Because we were traveling by bicycles and no sag support, we rode the interstate because there were no other roads/trails, etc to ride. Jon

Cross country road bike trips are different than what I am talking about. I wouldn't chance those either. And I certainly wouldn't be having my kids riding near traffic.

 

[Code54]

I believe what he is saying is not all of us have trails nearby. Think of it this way - you have a 50 mile round trip to ride, now let's say you only rode 5 days a week, that is 250 miles of driving to trails each week, or 1000 a month, that's a lot driving/time/expense. Also, a lot more bikers are injured mountain biking than road riding (lots of broken bones, dislocations, etc) so it is not exactly the safe option for some. I know my wife isn't too interested in mountain biking with me but enjoys a ride in the evening after dinner down our back county roads.

 

[tradosaurus]

I believe what he is saying is not all of us have trails nearby. Think of it this way - you have a 50 mile round trip to ride, now let's say you only rode 5 days a week, that is 250 miles of driving to trails each week, or 1000 a month, that's a lot driving/time/expense. Also, a lot more bikers are injured mountain biking than road riding (lots of broken bones, dislocations, etc) so it is not exactly the safe option for some. I know my wife isn't too interested in mountain biking with me but enjoys a ride in the evening after dinner down our back county roads.

If you are wanting to ride every day I can see the conundrum. And I suspect those bikers injured on bike trails are the more adventurous types that take trails at high speeds. The point of this thread I suppose is to talk about the dangers of riding bicycles on or near the roads. I think it's playing Russian Roulette.