Many beginning cyclists can do more to avoid dangerous altercations with distracted or angry drivers that include road rage, close calls and even accidents.
My employment takes me to various places in town. One of the first things I do in preparing for a new to me route is to look online or a credible map for the safest route in to my destination.
Google has a bicycle in maps. Select it and consider their route. It’s usually safer and more enjoyable to take the alternate cycling route.
To be forewarned of construction or closures, join your city’s engineering, planning or bicycling email list to receive timely updates. There is a lot of building going on!
Local cycling advocacy groups, related city departments or bike shops are good choices for a paper bicycling map of your area.
We have a platinum infrastructure rating here so I am very fortunate to find streets parallel from busy streets that offer quiet rides through parks or bicycle boulevards along parkway or at the very least an unprotected bicycle lane.
Riding on sidewalks isn’t legal everywhere, but it is here. Sometimes it is the safest and only way to get from point A to point B.
I’m also seeing an interesting and exciting trend here where sidewalks are not only being widened to accommodate cyclists and pedestrians but also connected to roads at intersections with proper traffic lights and brightly painted intersections for safety.
