Is the Raleigh area bike friendly?

[Clever User Name]

No. The area is not bike friendly. There are many who are openly hostile to bikers. Many of the roads marked as bike routes seem more like sick jokes.

That said, I'm a casual biker (rarely more than 20 miles a ride), but I manage to putter around Raleigh inside the Beltline (echoing rnc2mbfl), which seems safer than outside of it on the roads. I also ride the Greenway trails, and in Umstead Park (good for a cyclocross or mtb). The problem in a lot of places is that you can't go to far without having to either hop on or cross busy roads where bikes are unexpected an unwelcome. I wish I could use my bike more, but I'm too chicken to risk it on many of the roads.

[TabbyCats]

Before we moved here this summer, I was used to seeing maybe 1 cyclist a week--in the perfect setting (to me) for someone to bike--flat, straight highways with paved shoulders. Then we move here with hilly, curvy, NO shoulder state highways and BIKES all over the place. It's so scary to come around the curve at the proper speed limit and have to slam on the brakes because of a biker in my lane and an oncoming car in the other.

I'm not a "cyclist", so I don't know what you're looking for when you ride for pleasure (on weekends--in riding gear, out in the country), but wouldn't it be better if cyclists chose roads that at least had shoulders? It's one thing to be using bikes for commuting and can't avoid certain roads, but when it's your choice as to where you ride for pleasure, why make it so dangerous?

Cyclists: don't go getting mad at me....I'm not one of those hostile drivers. I'm the overly cautious one shaking my head and saying a prayer for you.....AND me.

[Clever User Name]

Originally Posted by TabbyCats

I'm not a "cyclist", so I don't know what you're looking for when you ride for pleasure (on weekends--in riding gear, out in the country), but wouldn't it be better if cyclists chose roads that at least had shoulders? It's one thing to be using bikes for commuting and can't avoid certain roads, but when it's your choice as to where you ride for pleasure, why make it so dangerous?

Cyclists: don't go getting mad at me....I'm not one of those hostile drivers. I'm the overly cautious one shaking my head and saying a prayer for you.....AND me.

Fair question, and I understand why you ask. If you're not a cyclist, it seems easy enough.

Now, hop on a bike and try it. When you find a series of connected, safe roads to ride with a good shoulder, that allow you to travel more than a few thousand feet, please let me know. If you try to put together a ride from your home that's worth the effort, it's impossible. Sooner or later you have to end up on a less than desirable road. It stinks for all parties involved.

[MikeJaquish]

Town of Cary has specified/is planning to specify that all new planned thoroughfares will have to have a wide enough right-of-way to allow for bike lanes.

Bicycle Plan

http://www.townofcary.org/__shared/assets/chapter410096.pdf (broken link)

[SALUKI_LOVER]

bottom line, if I had the chance to bike to work I would!

[bonesheal]

No! It could not be a lot worse. The roads have barely enough room for cars, and the cars are not watching for bikers. Even on lonely roads cars will come up on you fast and then squeeze by you. I used to ride 15 miles to work in downtown Los Angeles, and I would get pinned to the side of the street by uninsured dumptruck drivers while jumping potholes. I gave it up after moving here because it just feels too dangerous.