Least bike-friendly region in U.S.?



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Mark Smigel

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For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic drivers
and attitudes?

I'm not a cyclist (not yet at least), but I've avidly read a few cross-country logs over the years,
and it seems northern Florida near the coastal bend keeps recurring as a problem area in terms of
dangerous drivers and cyclist-unfriendly sentiments. Much of Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas seem
to play runner-up. The contrast is even more surprising when I read about, for example, a trip from
Little Rock to Wichita... the aura seems to flip 180 degrees for the better about halfway through.

Also, for what it's worth, I seem to keep stumbling into accounts of dog packs roaming western
Kentucky -- I guess that area is bad for cycling in?

Hopefully I'm not broadbrushing too much with this... I'm mostly interested in the patterns I
keep seeing.

MJ
 
IRT cycling northern Florida, I recently rode/drove every inch of Adventure Cycling's Northern Tier.

The difference in cycling ambience between South Florida & North Florida is rather drastic.

I must say that north Florida (above I 10) turned out to be overall the most bike friendly areas I
have encountered in all of Florida. With the exception of a huge bridge makeover north of Pensacola,
US 90, with a great paved shoulder most of the way, was absolutely great. I can particularly
recommend the stretch between Milton and Marianna. East of Marianna, the lack of paved shoulders
means going along back roads north of 90 to get to the bridge over the Chattahoochie River.

From Chattahoochie to Tallahassee via Quincy there is a back road. Adventure cycling's route thru
Tallahassee is is also rather easy & sedate.

Getting from Tallahassee to Monticello is rather roundabout using part of the St Mark's Railtrail.

Monticello to Madison is a real pleasure as is Madison & all of Madison County. The folks there
have really gone all out to welcome touring cyclists. It is a shame that there is no bike shop
in Madison.

Continuing towards St Augustine from Madison, I turned off 90 and onto SR 6 which took me thru
Jasper and into White Springs - great ride with a paved shoulder everywhere.

From White Springs it was delightful back roads (mostly Adventure Cycling's route) to High Springs.
From High Springs I took the paved shoulder along southbound US 27 into Newberry and then worked my
way via the AC route to Archer.

Along the AC route from Archer to Citra via Micanopy the AC route is simply gorgeous, with little
traffic, plenty of shade and little restaurants along the way.

The segment from Citra into Palatka was a bit busier and had very little paved shoulder. I was
singularly unsuccessful in finding a viable alternate to the AC route thru that area.

However, once in Palatka, you will encounter great roads all the way into St Augustine.

Enroute I stayed in B&B's in Pensacola, Milton, DeFuniak Springs, Marianna, Quincy, Monticello,
Madison, White Springs, High Springs, San Mateo (near Palatka) & St Augustine.

Overall I found the drivers in north Florida (along US 90) to be vastly more bike friendly
than, say, in the Miami area. However, I have discovered a route thru Miami that keeps me out
of harms way.

HTH

Regards from the Velo Nut

Dale V Lally Jr W0OWF Pompano Beach FL [email protected]
 
>Much of Mississippi, Alabama, and Arkansas seem to play runner-up.

I have had the opportunity to takes several longer rides in the Tuskegee-Auburn area of Alabama.

I found the drivers friendly and courteous. Unlike California, where everyone is in a hurry, these
drivers were content to wait until the road was clear and then slowly pass in the other lane.

One of my favorite stories occurred near Tuskegee, riding with a friend on a two lane road. Side by
side in a long sweeping turn, we realized there was a car behind us we were blocking. Immediately I
pulled ahead and we moved towards the right.

The car did not pass until we were well past the turn. Then they slowly passed, and as they did, the
passenger rolled down the window, smiled and said:

"You all take care now."

They waved and that was it.

When the passenger rolled that window down we were expecting (and deserving) the finger. Instead we
got some good old fashioned hospitality.

Another time I was lost and asked directions. The fellow told me I was on the right road but be
careful, down the road a piece I should watch out for his brothers dog.

Glad I was ready.

Jon Isaacs

Jon Isaacs
 
[email protected] (Mark Smigel) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
> drivers and attitudes?
>
> I'm not a cyclist (not yet at least), but I've avidly read a few cross-country logs over the
> years, and it seems northern Florida near the coastal bend keeps recurring as a problem area in
> terms of dangerous drivers and cyclist-unfriendly sentiments.

I have lived in Tallahassee since 1990 and have found the North Florida/South Georgia area to be the
most bicycle friendly area I have ever ridden.

> Also, for what it's worth, I seem to keep stumbling into accounts of dog packs roaming western
> Kentucky -- I guess that area is bad for cycling in?

I did the Old Kentucky Home Tour last year and, in two days, I saw a total of two unrestrained
dogs. I grew up in Kentucky and never found the dogs to be a bigger problem than any other place I
have lived.

Seems to me that few dogs are really serious about attacking. When I see them coming, I just start
screaming at them and riding right towards them. They seem to be intimidated

**** Durbin Tallahassee
 
"Mark Smigel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
| For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
| drivers and attitudes?
|

Anywhere you find cowboys and rednecks is a bad place to ride a bike.
 
I dunno. I live in a red area and see a lot of stupidity and occasional aggression (like screaming,
yelling stupid things, etc.). I think there's more to it than politics (which in my experience has
little to do with intelligence.)

I do know someone who was shot while riding a bicycle in Florida, but I don't remember where and he
has had it happen before when not on a bike.

Pooing Is Cool wrote:
>
> On 26 Jan 2003 01:33:40 -0800, [email protected] (Mark Smigel) said:
>
> >For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
> >drivers and attitudes?
>
> http://www.uselectionatlas.org/USPRESIDENT/GENERAL/pe2000USA2.gif
>
> The blue areas have the worst drivers.
>
> --
>
> I think. Therefore, I am not a conservative! ------ http://www.todayslastword.org -------

--
Lincoln Ross NOTE ADDRESS CHANGE: [email protected]
 
Nearly all the bicycling accidents I read about occur in the red areas....
 
ICS <[email protected]> wrote in message news:%Y2Z9.6959$wL1.1932@fe01...
>
> "Mark Smigel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> | For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
> | drivers and attitudes?
> |
>
> Anywhere you find cowboys and rednecks is a bad place to ride a bike.
>
>
>

Because in their bigoted ignorance they will make sweeping, unfair generalizations about cyclists?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
- "Each day is future history. So don't step lightly." --Clive Cussler
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
 
[email protected] (**** Durbin) wrote...
> I have lived in Tallahassee since 1990 and have found the North Florida/South Georgia area to be
> the most bicycle friendly area I have

Cool! Thanks for setting me straight.. I guess the trip logs I read were probably not a
representative sample, or might have had a bit of personal bias.

MJ
 
"ICS" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<%Y2Z9.6959$wL1.1932@fe01>...
> "Mark Smigel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> | For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
> | drivers and attitudes?
> |
>
> Anywhere you find cowboys and rednecks is a bad place to ride a bike.

You will find rednecks anywhere in the US. They just don't all have a Southern accent.

**** Durbin Tallahassee
 
On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 03:43:24 GMT, SC Hiker Biker <[email protected]> said:

>Nearly all the bicycling accidents I read about occur in the red areas....

But the bicycling "on purposes" occur in the blue areas.

--

I think. Therefore, I am not a conservative! ------ http://www.todayslastword.org -------
 
26 Jan 2003 19:48:08 GMT, <[email protected]>, [email protected] (Jon
Isaacs) wrote:

>Unlike California, where everyone is in a hurry, these drivers were content to wait until the road
>was clear and then slowly pass in the other lane.

San Diego was just voted the second most polite city in the US.
--
zk
 
I grew up riding in Iowa--pretty darned friendly 'cause the residents all know about RAGBRAI and
want cyclists to come to their town. Very few rednecks when it comes to cycling.

On the other hand, Texas (land of the red pickup truck) can really suck. Heck, a few years ago some
d-head even tried to run Lance over. He pressed charges, and the guy did time. Great victory for
cyclists but sad statement that a TDF winner is a target on the road in his own home town.

--
ie "ride fast, take chances"

"**** Durbin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "ICS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<%Y2Z9.6959$wL1.1932@fe01>...
> > "Mark Smigel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > news:[email protected]...
> > | For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
> > | drivers and attitudes?
> > |
> >
> > Anywhere you find cowboys and rednecks is a bad place to ride a bike.
>
> You will find rednecks anywhere in the US. They just don't all have a Southern accent.
>
> **** Durbin Tallahassee
 
On Mon, 27 Jan 2003 00:39:24 -0500, Matt wrote:

>> Anywhere you find cowboys and rednecks is a bad place to ride a bike.

> Because in their bigoted ignorance they will make sweeping, unfair generalizations about cyclists?
>
Woah, pardner, was that irony I heard?

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Do not worry about your difficulties in mathematics, I can _`\(,_ | assure you that mine
are all greater. -- A. Einstein (_)/ (_) |
 
Damn rednecks and their stereotypes! I ride here in Texas and have found the drivers who aren't from
here to be the worst. Houston is not Texas, don't let that cloud your judgement. Just like every
place in this world, there are drivers who are cocks and riders who are cocks and the vast majority
are somewhere in the middle just trying to get where their going whether it's in a car or on a bike.

"ie" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> I grew up riding in Iowa--pretty darned friendly 'cause the residents all know about RAGBRAI and
> want cyclists to come to their town. Very few rednecks when it comes to cycling.
>
> On the other hand, Texas (land of the red pickup truck) can really suck. Heck, a few years ago
> some d-head even tried to run Lance over. He
pressed
> charges, and the guy did time. Great victory for cyclists but sad
statement
> that a TDF winner is a target on the road in his own home town.
>
> --
> ie "ride fast, take chances"
>
>
> "**** Durbin" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > "ICS" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:<%Y2Z9.6959$wL1.1932@fe01>...
> > > "Mark Smigel" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > news:[email protected]...
> > > | For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
> > > | drivers and attitudes?
> > > |
> > >
> > > Anywhere you find cowboys and rednecks is a bad place to ride a bike.
> >
> > You will find rednecks anywhere in the US. They just don't all have a Southern accent.
> >
> > **** Durbin Tallahassee
 
"Mark Smigel" <[email protected]>
> For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
> drivers and attitudes?

Any region that the vehicle of choice is an SUV with the driver taking the kids to soccer practice
with a cell phone glued to her/his ear.

Regards,
 
"JEFF TOXEY" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Damn rednecks and their stereotypes! I ride here in Texas and have found the drivers who aren't
> from here to be the worst. Houston is not Texas, don't let that cloud your judgement. Just like
> every place in this world, there are drivers who are cocks and riders who are cocks and the vast
> majority are somewhere in the middle just trying to get where their going whether it's in a car or
> on a bike.

It's ALWAYS the drivers who are 'not from here' who are the worst.

Everybody else sucks, and I'm great.

Pete
 
[email protected] (Mark Smigel) wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
> For those who ride rural and main routes... which part of the U.S. has the most problematic
> drivers and attitudes?
>
> I'm not a cyclist (not yet at least), but I've avidly read a few cross-country logs over the
> years, and it seems northern Florida near the coastal bend keeps recurring as a problem area in
> terms of dangerous drivers and cyclist-unfriendly sentiments. Much of Mississippi, Alabama, and
> Arkansas seem to play runner-up. The contrast is even more surprising when I read about, for
> example, a trip from Little Rock to Wichita... the aura seems to flip 180 degrees for the better
> about halfway through.
>
> Also, for what it's worth, I seem to keep stumbling into accounts of dog packs roaming western
> Kentucky -- I guess that area is bad for cycling in?
>
> Hopefully I'm not broadbrushing too much with this... I'm mostly interested in the patterns I
> keep seeing.
>
> MJ

Do not, Repeat, Do not ever try to ride your bike through Jacksonville, Florida, You will
not make it.
 
Phil wrote:>Do not, Repeat, Do not ever try to ride your bike through
>Jacksonville, Florida, You will not make it.

I grew up here in Jacksonville, Florida and rode my bike almost every day as a kid. Since I moved
back here 3.5 years ago I have ridden all over this city and its outskirts. While Jax might not be
*the* most bike-friendly place in the world, it's hardly suicidal to ride here. Just my$0.02.
BTW-I'm planning to take a bit of a ride later this afternoon. It's about 75 F outside and
sunny-perfect weather.

Cheers, Tzahi Ben-Moshe

Elen sila lumenn' omentielvo!
 
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