“You ride your bike to work from the city?”

“That’s dangerous!”

“Drivers are crazy!”

If I had a dollar for every time I heard that refrain, I’d be considering early retirement right now.

Listen up people and take this to heart.

 

You can ride your bike to work and not die.

 

I know that seems like a bold statement to the uninitiated.  But, at 45 years old I have decades of 2 wheel wisdom to back it up.

Literally, I’ve seen and experienced it all.

Biking to work has sooooo many benefits that the pros outweigh the cons immensely.

I want more people to ride.  And guess what?  So does your town, your state, and your country.

Bike infrastructure is on the rise everywhere which means the riding is safer and drivers are more aware.  Yet, car culture still dominates by a large margin and the average person still thinks that:

Two Wheels + Pedaling = Certain Death.

 

Let’s squash some stereotypes and talk about how to increase confidence on your current or soon- to-be bike commute.

The first thing I want to point out is that we are never going to have it as good as they do in Holland.

 

“Amsterdam is such a beautiful city.  People ride their bikes everywhere.”

 

My early retirement would be a beachfront mansion in the Malibu if I had yet another dollar for that one.  I chuckle at this because it’s always the non-biking people that see this as unique and a novelty.

“You can do that here, you know.  Like, bike to work or school or the grocery store.”  I always respond.

It’s easy to understand why people feel that way about our Dutch friends (and most Western European countries).

They have cycle tracks.

We don’t.

 

This image from:  Rebuilding the Rust Belt

It’s safer than riding in the road with the cars for sure and these tracks are usually packed with locals using their bikes more for utility than recreation.

The hyped scenario of a pretty Dutch woman in a flowing skirt riding her WWII era black step through 3 speed with purple star gazing lilies and yellow daffodils neatly arranged in the wicker handlebar basket is so romanticized over here.

Newsflash:  That’s not reality – it’s something you’ll see at one of the impromptu parades at Disneyland.  Now, if you think the Magic Kingdom represents real life then you should probably be reading a different blog.

AND…Let’s not forget the biggest reason why bikes rule in the Netherlands….

A gallon of gas on May 11, 2015 in Holland = $6.96 US dollars.

A gallon of gas on May 11, 2015 in the USA = $3.06 US dollars.

Source: US Energy Administration (www.eia.gov)

Your Toyota 4 Runner with its 23 gallon tank would cost $160.08 across the pond to fill up.  Even a Honda Fit would cost $73.78 for it’s 10.6 gallon capacity…Oh, yeah that bike commute is looking like the much better option.

Forget about Amsterdam for now.  Here’s what you’re hoping for in the USA’s immediate future.

 

 

 

 

The next embellishment I want to address is the “Drivers are Crazy” sentiment.

No they aren’t.  And I live in Boston.  A city nationally known for its combative drivers.

Of course I know there are the exceptions, but I can only point to my own history for this one.  27 years of history to be exact.  That’s how long I’ve lived and biked in urban areas.

Boston and Chicago.  Two burly, fast paced cities with shit loads of traffic.  You know how many close calls I’ve had in all the years living in those two places?  One, maybe two that weren’t really that close, but more brushes with the entitlements of an asshole.

Again, not craziness, just “my agenda is more important than yours” type stuff.  We see this all the time as drivers.

The point is that I ride smart.  I ride with traffic in a car-like predictable manner.  I signal where I’m going.  I don’t take risks on turns or blow through stop lights.

I know there are laws that nice politicians in crisp, dry cleaned skirts and suits put into place to protect me as a biker.

 

But, it’s the Laws of Physics that I follow.

In the contest of Car vs. Bike, Car wins 100% of the time. 

I ride with that percentage in mind always.

 

Drivers, all drivers, don’t want to hit you.  They want to coexist.  But, you have to remember that all those signs that say “Share the Road” are directed at you, the biker, as well.  Give respect and you will get respect.

I don’t ride like a douche and thus, I am still alive and undented.

 

Here are more tips to keep you confidently upright and crankin’.

 

SEE and BE SEEN

Yeah, those neon clothing colors are uncool and annoying.  You know what?  So is getting crunched by an F150.

You want to stand out from everything around you.  My Bruins t-shirt radiates against the concrete and glass of the city as well as the browns and greens of the wooded ‘burbs I ride through.

 

 

 

Your color choices need to be obnoxious so you are first thing a driver sees when he rounds that blind corner.

Lights – front and rear are a must.  I have four.  Two white LED bad boys are up front.  One flashes to alert the cars I’m there.  The other lights the way after sunset.  Two flashing red lights in the back – one on the seat post and one zip tied to my helmet reminding the drivers coming up from the rear not to bump into me.

 

 

Don’t skimp on this if you plan to ride at night.  Spend some cash and go for a front light of at least 500 lumens.

Of course you are wearing a helmet.  Add a rearview mirror that sticks to the side for $20 bucks.  A landscaping truck pulling an extra wide trailer coming up from behind on a busy, narrow road is good knowledge to have.

 

 

Plan a Route Away From the Cars

I think a lot of people are put off because when they drive the busy car commuter roads there’s no way it seems safe to ride.  But, the beauty of the bike is that you can go where the cars cannot – Behind buildings, through neighborhoods that are connected by narrow paths, down alley ways.

Skirt the busy sections and patch together a fun route to get off the main corridors.  I know some bikers that ride the most direct route even if it means rubbing elbow to side review mirror with all the cars.  Why?

Don’t hesitate to add some distance to the ride if it takes you through a quiet area.  On my commute, I go the long way on Green Lodge and Elm Streets because they’re lightly used, dead quiet roads and the scenery smooths out any lingering mental static.

It’s my favorite part of the day.

 

 

Ride the Route on a Weekend First

With the route established, ride it on an off day.

I know, I know – nobody wants to head toward work on the weekend.  But, by doing this you can practice without any arrival stress and the busyness of peak hour.

Take note of any big sewer grate dips or narrow sections of road.

Make a plan for those left turns at intersections.  How will you maneuver yourself to the left turn lane through traffic?

If this is all happening in spring be wary of banged up road edges and pot holes from the pavement grinding winter snow plows.

Guess what?  Most major cities have a pothole hotline.  And it works.  I had a nasty crater of a thing repaired on my commute within 3 days of reporting it.

Click HERE to see pothole info for Boston.

Google your city to see if the Public Works Dept. offers this service.

 

While the Bike is in Motion

• Right, right, and stay right. I hug that road edge as tight as possible.  Give the cars room and confidence to pass.  You are the slower object – act accordingly.

• Keeping to the right may mean that you have to eat a sewer gate or tumble over some debris on the road edge. You can handle this with bigger tires.  Mine are 40mm wide which is a nice hybrid road/dirt compromise.  For commuting, your bike should be able to handle more than just fresh black top.

• If you are riding with someone else, do not ride side by side all the time. It’s okay to do if the road is quiet, but get single file when a car comes.

 

——–Start Personal Rant:——————————————————————————————————————————

I can’t stand bikers who ride side by side and expect the passing cars to adjust to them.  I don’t care if it’s a two lane road and there are laws that allow this in your area – it’s just fucking rude.  You are asking drivers to take twice the care in your safety because you want to have a conversation about the bunker on 17 at the company golf outing last weekend.

DON’T BE AN ASSHOLE! 

SHARE THE ROAD!

SINGLE FILE! 

NO EXCUSES!

Some of you roadies out for that weekend group ride are guilty of this.

——–End Personal Rant:——————————————————————————————————————————-

 

• When coasting down hills, keep the right (curbside) pedal up. You may need to take evasive maneuvers at speed and that extra 3 inches of pedal width will come in handy if you need to break right a hair.  Better that pedal is high to go over the curb instead of low and into it.

 

 

• Don’t let the “Conservation of Momentum” attitude put you in danger.

This is a tough one that I have to remind myself of always.  You’re riding.  Your natural instinct is to continue with as much forward motion as possible.  We all want to avoid complete stops because it takes more energy to get back up to speed which is a pain in the arse.

So we may roll into an intersection still on the pedals, coasting at 3 mph, carving small turns to keep the bike moving and feet on the pedals.  We are ready to dart through as soon as possible.

Try to avoid this.  Yeah, I do it sometimes, but only in light to no traffic areas.  In a busy area, the cars are ready to rocket through as well and they don’t quite know what you are doing.  You’re being unpredictable and it’s leading you to an accident.

Stop, wait, and go with the flow of traffic.  I can’t stress this enough.

 

 

That’s plenty of info for you to chew on.  I’ll add more if I get any good Reader suggestions or another bullet point comes to my mind.

Be alert, ride strong, and enjoy yourself.

Commuting by bike is its own reward.

You’ll see.