Newbie in Rockville: should I get off the sidewalk?

[jrenaut]

Do what’s safe and legal. It sounds like you’re taking good precautions. I don’t even feel safe DRIVING on the streets in Rockville, so I certainly don’t blame you for not wanting to bike there.

[Greenbelt]

Safety first, legality second, propriety third, style last. Suburban bike commuting is an huge challenge, and rules and customs and guidelines that may work in other places may not work in areas where pedestrians and bikes were a distant afterthought when roads and commercial areas were “planned.”

My daily commute often includes salmoning up a short stretch of sidewalk alongside Greenbelt Road (another multi-lane suburban speedway like Rockville Pike), going cross country through a grassy area, cutting through parking lots behind some shops and office buildings, cutting through a bus stop waiting area (very slowly and courteously of course), and crossing at cross walks. All this to avoid congested or high-speed suburban roads. It’s just something you sort of have to do sometimes.

[DismalScientist]

I generally feel that it is safer in the street than on the sidewalks and I think there are studies that confirm this. Drivers do not expect fast moving vehicles on the sidewalk, so you’ll have to make eye contact with anyone likely to cross your path. This is particularly a problem when on a left sidewalk (i.e. going in the opposite direction of traffic). In my opinion, the best way for you to be noticed by drivers is for you to act as a fellow driver and take the street.

I open up this can of worms with the following link: http://www.labreform.org/blunders/

[Silver]

Thank you both. Rockville is very different from the parts of DC where I used to live and where most of my friends cycle, so I’m just trying to use common sense as I figure out how to get around here.

Greenbelt, “salmoning” is exactly what I have to do in some places. Are you the Greenbelt with the videos on Vimeo? If so, love your work!

[Silver]

DismalScientist, the thing is that I’m not moving particularly fast, nowhere near the speed of traffic. If I were, I might be more comfortable riding in the road. TFTL; I’ll have to save it for later.

[Greenbelt]

I don’t necessarily disagree with dismal scientist — it “generally” is safer to take the lane than to ride on sidewalks for the reasons she (or he) mentions. However, there’s no way in heck I’d ever take the lane on Greenbelt Road. It’s just far too bike and pedestrian hostile. Roads like that are just the exception to the usual rules for me. Plus, the general streetscape on those sorts of roads is so ugly and intimidating that there aren’t many pedestrians on the sidewalk. Of course, you can’t ride fast and do have to just stop for turning traffic — can’t expect them to yield to you ever.

[creadinger]

Silver, I really sympathize with your situation. I used to live along Colesville Rd in Silver Spring and that, along with East-West Hwy are two more examples of artery roads that I would never feel safe riding on – especially on a daily basis. On E-W and Colesville I have seem many drivers going upwards of 50 mph.

On the other hand, I really hate riding on sidewalks. It just doesn’t feel right to me. There are a ridiculous number of potential hazards from the gap between the sidewalk edge and the grass, possible collision points at driveways, parking lots, intersections, etc… and I know you said you’re courteous to peds, but what about those days when all there seem to be are moms with double-wide baby strollers. Will you get off the sidewalk and pass in the grass each and every time?

My suggestion would be to look for a side road solution. Even if this will take you out of your way and add a mile or two onto your commute, I think it’s probably worth it. It will get you used to riding on semi-busy roads without having to be on Rockville Pike and over time you’ll probably get faster and more skilled in your cycling. This will increase your confidence and ability to ride in bike-unfriendly situations when necessary. At least for a short while.

[Silver]

creadinger, I know what you mean about Silver Spring. The sidewalks there are a lot busier than the ones I travel on. And I am using mostly side roads, although even on those the traffic is cranky sometimes.

I guess I’m distinguishing between what I can reasonably to do make my own commute more sensible and what’s good for cyclists as a whole. In some cases I can see how it would be wiser to take the lane, and I do that. In reading this thread, I’ve figured out a way to simplify things by riding on the road in one stretch. I’m just not willing to put my body and my bike on the line for the sake of some principle, to blaze a trail for other cyclists. I’m not that brave, and the drivers around me are just not that cool.

[creadinger]

@Silver 4322 wrote:

I guess I’m distinguishing between what I can reasonably to do make my own commute more sensible and what’s good for cyclists as a whole. I’m just not willing to put my body and my bike on the line for the sake of some principle, to blaze a trail for other cyclists. I’m not that brave, and the drivers around me are just not that cool.

Understood. Maybe the best way to ‘take on the cause of commuting cyclists’ is to not become a grim statistic. Your advocacy for cycling will go a lot farther if you are alive. Don’t be a hero, and no one is invinceable. I learned that this past year when this happened. http://road.cc/content/news/24512-multiple-raam-winner-jure-robi%C4%8D-dies The guy rode across the entire US non-stop multiple times and was killed in an accident a few kilometers from his home.

[DismalScientist]

Unfortunately the bicycle infrastructure around here tends to be more bike-unfriendly than where I grew up. In general, if the lanes are wide, traffic doesn’t bother me much, regardless of the speed differential. I will pick my route based on the friendliness of the infrastructure. This may be a useful resource: http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/gistmpl.asp?url=/content/gis/bikegroup.asp Hope it helps. I don’t advocate you doing anything with which you would be uncomfortable. There are certainly routes in Arlington that I wouldn’t want to ride on: Arlington Blvd, Columbia Pike, Washington Blvd from Glebe to Clarendon. I would pick parallel routes, but I do not know your options.

[Greenbelt]

Here’s an example of how rough it can be trying to ride on Route 1 in College Park. You could argue that Lauren should have taken more of the lane. But still…
http://collegepark.patch.com/articles/video-testing-the-three-foot-law#video-2500211

[Greenbelt]

Here’s an example of how rough it can be trying to ride on Route 1 in College Park. You could argue that Lauren should have taken more of the lane. But still…
http://collegepark.patch.com/articles/video-testing-the-three-foot-law#video-2500211

[scorch]

In rockville pike id use the sidewalk carefully, hardly anyone walkin there anyway. But if its better on the street of course, suburban cycling is pretty tough and you have to be careful. I ride on the sidewalk quite a bit in suburbia. It usually has no pedistrians and the traffic on the road is high and there is no shoulder.

[scorch]

In rockville pike id use the sidewalk carefully, hardly anyone walkin there anyway. But if its better on the street of course, suburban cycling is pretty tough and you have to be careful. I ride on the sidewalk quite a bit in suburbia. It usually has no pedistrians and the traffic on the road is high and there is no shoulder.

[Bill Hole]

I hate riding on the sidewalk and avoid it if possible. But part of my commute takes me a short distance along the Pike, and I use the sidewalk. Rockville Pike terrifies me. As another rider said, look for side streets and trails (after the sidewalk I zigzag over to the Trolley Trail). If you do ride the sidewalks, be extra vigilant – drivers don’t expect a fast-moving bike on the sidewalks and driveways and parking lot entrances can be lethal.

[Author]

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