this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2024
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Infrastructure mostly. The weather sucks today but I've ridden motorcycles WAY below freezing so that's not my problem. High speed two lane roads with no shoulder or bike lanes or sidewalks. Just a ditch on one side usually. A couple of rare times I've had to walk local roads I had multiple people stop and offer me a ride because it's that dangerous.
That's just awful.
I tend to be the type to say "just ride, or you'll be waiting forever for infrastructure to be perfect", but when it's as hostile and dangerous as you describe, it's super difficult.
Rather than main roads, have you tried looking up alternates to your destination that use side-roads or more residential roads? I've found some very creative routes over the past year that keep me off most of the main roads around me. Doesn't eliminate the use of those roads entirely, but they offer safer options.
There are four viable routes I could take to work. It's 11-14 miles depending on the route. The longest route takes me on some nice country roads with non-existent traffic but every route has some absolutely deadly and busy roads too. There are three large landscaping companies between me and my work and their mulch trucks fly around those blind curves at 50+ mph all day long.