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I'm a cyclist and have to discourage the OP from considering this commute.
In NJ, there are almost no bicycle facilities. Bicycles are not considered in highway design here. About half of all drivers sincerely believe bicycles are not supposed to ride on streets, but should use sidewalks instead. And half of them use this belief as justification to lay on their horns or yell as they pass you, try to pin you against parked cars, play "chicken" against you, throw things at you, etc.
Also, as another poster mentioned, it gets dark early in winter and drivers will not expect to see you. Also, when there's snow on the ground, shoulders and even right lanes can have piles of plowed snow, leaving no safe place to ride (even if one exists otherwise).
Cycling in Jersey is not safe. And that's a shame.
Try looking for housing in Highland Park. Good schools and a very short, safer bike ride or even a nice walk to J&J.
I'm a cyclist and have to discourage the OP from considering this commute.
In NJ, there are almost no bicycle facilities. Bicycles are not considered in highway design here. About half of all drivers sincerely believe bicycles are not supposed to ride on streets, but should use sidewalks instead. And half of them use this belief as justification to lay on their horns or yell as they pass you, try to pin you against parked cars, play "chicken" against you, throw things at you, etc.
Also, as another poster mentioned, it gets dark early in winter and drivers will not expect to see you. Also, when there's snow on the ground, shoulders and even right lanes can have piles of plowed snow, leaving no safe place to ride (even if one exists otherwise).
Cycling in Jersey is not safe. And that's a shame.
Try looking for housing in Highland Park. Good schools and a very short, safer bike ride or even a nice walk to J&J.
Exactly. It seems as if you're coming from out-of-state with no ties to a particular area, it makes the most sense to live close to work.
While Highland Park might not be as ritzy as Westfield, the OP's will have a lot more time for safe bicycle riding with a nice, short commute across the Raritan every day.
This is not SoCal. I discouraged my husband from taking his bike on 17 for about a mile to the park and ride because the drivers in NJ are aggressive and distracted. A commute that long is a terrible idea and would be asking for trouble especially during commute times when the sun is at an angle making it difficult to see in the best of conditions.
ETA: A guy that works with my husband was just hit by a car over the weekend while cycling and he's in ICU. Take it with a grain of salt if you want, but riding a bike in NJ on actual roads is almost unheard of.
Last edited by aquafriday121; 06-06-2016 at 08:39 AM..
My experience with NJ drivers are mostly negative. They are very aggressive and confrontational. I would not recommend biking more than a couple of miles.
Thanks all for the helpful replies. I made a decision after 9/11 to ride to work and have done so in DC metro traffic, Washington state, and San Diego county. My longest commute has been 50 mile round trip. I had to use my mtn bike occasionally in DC due to snow and of course drive a few days after big storm. Well, sad to learn the infrastructure doesn't support riding to work. I have another job prospect in Norfolk area so will see what I can learn about that area ( have bikes in Portsmouth and the tunnels and bridges were scary)
Jim
Thanks all for the helpful replies. I made a decision after 9/11 to ride to work and have done so in DC metro traffic, Washington state, and San Diego county. My longest commute has been 50 mile round trip. I had to use my mtn bike occasionally in DC due to snow and of course drive a few days after big storm. Well, sad to learn the infrastructure doesn't support riding to work. I have another job prospect in Norfolk area so will see what I can learn about that area ( have bikes in Portsmouth and the tunnels and bridges were scary)
Jim
I just have to ask what connection there is between 9/11 and your decision to bike to work?
Thanks all for the helpful replies. I made a decision after 9/11 to ride to work and have done so in DC metro traffic, Washington state, and San Diego county. My longest commute has been 50 mile round trip. I had to use my mtn bike occasionally in DC due to snow and of course drive a few days after big storm. Well, sad to learn the infrastructure doesn't support riding to work. I have another job prospect in Norfolk area so will see what I can learn about that area ( have bikes in Portsmouth and the tunnels and bridges were scary)
Jim
I think big cities like NYC or DC or "newer suburbs" like Irvine or parts of Bucks County PA are better for cycling. Cities tend to have more bicycle lanes, drivers are more vigilant, and there are more cyclists on the streets, so you're expected. In "newer suburbs" built since the 1980s or 90s, you often see bicycle lanes or trails, or wider streets where it feels safer to ride. NJ has the combination of narrow, high-speed thoroughfares and type-A drivers who will try to mow you down just because you're "in the way." It's a nasty combination.
If you were looking to live/work in places like Hoboken or Jersey City, I'd say cycling would be great for commuting. But in the 'burbs, it's a bad idea. Highland Park would be good because the route to J&J would be pretty safe. You could probably also find a route from East Brunswick through Cook College and downtown New Brunswick. EB has good schools, from what I've heard.
I lived in the Norfolk area for years, and lived in both Norfolk and Portsmouth. That's also a pretty poor area for cycling, but just like NJ, you can find a good route if you pick the right origin and destination points. You cannot bike through the tunnels, but if you want an alternative to the Downtown or Midtown tunnels, you could take the passenger ferry from downtown Norfolk to/from Olde Towne Portsmouth to get across the Elizabeth River. Elizabeth River Ferry - Hampton Roads Transit -
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