everything you did or didn't want to know about our Interstate highway system.
I didn't know bicycle lanes were allowed in certain areas. Saw this in Ca., Or., or Wa. Dont recall which.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/faq.cfm#question9
Speaking of Interstates, I had been out of it for a 14 years. Last trip in the bus, feeling more comfy driving it, I started looking at cars passing me. Not enough we now have 2 tv screens on the dash of our cars. Probably every 4th car was texting. I am wondering if we have we always been a "You can't tell me what I can/can't do" America? Or has it always been that way and I just wasn't paying attention?
Not bitchin' Just an observation. That scares me driving....
Thinking of welding railroad rails around the bus at car level.
Too much weight, just tough it out.
Quote from: chessie4905 on October 04, 2021, 04:33:20 PM
everything you did or didn't want to know about our Interstate highway system.
I didn't know bicycle lanes were allowed in certain areas. Saw this in Ca., Or., or Wa. Dont recall which.
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/faq.cfm#question9
You see it in AZ and Idaho too we have friggn bike lanes every where in Scottsdale
There are indeed some sections of CA freeway where bicycles are allowed. Seems to be where there there is no other public road access. I lived for 30 years where the nearest freeway access has such a section.
Somehow I just knew that was the case but when posted here it piqued my interest to recollect the specific signage. No wonder it was obscure, never is it stated bicycles are allowed, just the opposite. How's this for it's OK to ride your bike on the freeway. LOL
Crap - just read it again. I guess the coppers could say an e-bike is illegal and not a bicycle. :(
Many years ago when I rode my bicycle across the US, I had to ride on interstate highways in several western states simply because there were no practical alternate routes for bicyclists. I remember riding for many miles on the shoulder in Wyoming and Montana, and apart from the shredded remnants of truck tires it wasn't bad at all. Next year I'll do a short tour from Albuquerque back to Southern California, and the recommended route uses I-40 whenever old Route 66 is unavailable. Bicyclists are allowed to ride down I-15's Cajon Pass, but there's no damn way I'll be doing that; there's a perfectly good alternate route through Hesperia that I'll take instead. On I-5 in northern San Diego County bicyclists are allowed to ride on the shoulder if the Marines have closed Camp Pendleton, the usual bike route, during one of their exercises there.
John
I am surprised that bicycles are allowed on some sections of I-80 in Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada. I see the signs that state Bicycles must exit. I doubt I would ever be brave enough to ride a bicycle on the shoulder of a highway with 80 MPH traffic!
Quote from: belfert on October 05, 2021, 12:57:37 PM
I am surprised that bicycles are allowed on some sections of I-80 in Wyoming, Utah, and Nevada. I see the signs that state Bicycles must exit. I doubt I would ever be brave enough to ride a bicycle on the shoulder of a highway with 80 MPH traffic!
I agree lol. 'Shredded remnants of truck tires' Yipes I'd just be wondering when one would take me out 😉
Having personally experienced it, it is a startling experience. You just need to pedal faster to get off quicker. :-\
give them time. For safety sake, they'll reduce speed on interstate roads that have bike lanes to maybe 45.
US95 near Searchlight, NV as wide as an interstate, in a wide open valley, has a bike lane used by treking bicyclists from LV Valley. A box truck delivery driver, high on some kind of speed wiped out several cyclists and injured several more at freeway speeds, while they were in the bike lane. Not a smart idea...
Quote from: lvmci on October 06, 2021, 09:19:54 AM
US95 near Searchlight, NV as wide as an interstate, in a wide open valley, has a bike lane used by treking bicyclists from LV Valley. A box truck delivery driver, high on some kind of speed wiped out several cyclists and injured several more at freeway speeds, while they were in the bike lane. Not a smart idea...
If you ride a bike on a Interstate ride the ones with a key and a engine,bikes are a PITA in Scottsdale on Sat and Sun you see large groups of 50 or more not in the bike lane but in the traffic lane and it takes for ever to pass those without hitting one or more
Quote from: luvrbus on October 06, 2021, 05:34:24 PM
If you ride a bike on a Interstate ride the ones with a key and a engine,bikes are a PITA in Scottsdale on Sat and Sun you see large groups of 50 or more not in the bike lane but in the traffic lane and it takes for ever to pass those without hitting one or more
Awesome! Get more bikes, less cars!
need to install Jersey barriers whever they are OR charge them toll. OR get them the hell off the interstates. Next thing will be mobility scooters.
Quote from: chessie4905 on October 07, 2021, 08:31:29 AM
need to install Jersey barriers whever they are OR charge them toll. OR get them the hell off the interstates. Next thing will be mobility scooters.
We have problems with golf carts AZ license the things to drive on streets, bikes are faster in speed
Quote from: chessie4905 on October 07, 2021, 08:31:29 AM
need to install Jersey barriers whever they are OR charge them toll. OR get them the hell off the interstates. Next thing will be mobility scooters.
The sections of I-80 I'm talking about where bicycles are allowed is very rural. They are usually areas where few other roads exist. I don't recall seeing more than one bicycle on I-80 in probably 60,000 miles driven on I-80 between Des Moines and Reno since 2002. You have to be one serious bicyclist and very prepared to ride on those stretches of interstate.
We met a bicyclist in Tok AK that started 4 months prior at the south tip of S America - his goal was the North slope of AK! Trying to beat winter, it was Aug. he had my respect & undivided attention.
Quote from: belfert on October 07, 2021, 03:56:05 PM
The sections of I-80 I'm talking about where bicycles are allowed is very rural. They are usually areas where few other roads exist. I don't recall seeing more than one bicycle on I-80 in probably 60,000 miles driven on I-80 between Des Moines and Reno since 2002. You have to be one serious bicyclist and very prepared to ride on those stretches of interstate.
Bicyclist get serious in the West there is no way I could ride a bike from Boise to Stanley Id and back down
I have made that trip dozens of times,,,each time with an airplane.. On one trip south bound, stopped at Smiley Creek airport in the last week of August and had four inches of snow that had to be removed from the wings to continue south over the pass..>>>Dan
The section I pointed out is hardly rural. I think daily count is about 200k
The serious cycling crowd spend big dollars on bicycles,where I bought Sonja's bike they had some for sale from 8000 bucks up to $15,000.00 lol she didn't get one of those but hers did cost me $4,000.00 6 years ago
There was a guy where I worked that after he retired, bought one. It was $3500. That was 20 years ago. We all just shook our heads.
Bought my bike used for $40 about 15 years ago, ride it a lot, sometimes twice a day, even rode it when it was 110 degrees a few weeks ago. ;D
Quote from: Ed Hackenbruch on October 08, 2021, 05:52:21 AM
Bought my bike used for $40 about 15 years ago, ride it a lot, sometimes twice a day, even rode it when it was 110 degrees a few weeks ago. ;D
I paid $5200.00 for my Harley in 1983 brand new paying $ 10 to 15 grand for a pedal bike is beyond me lol so was 4k but Sonja loves the bike
Guess that the money cycling enthusiast pay for their bikes is no crazier than the money we all spend on our old buses. To each his own.
Quote from: richard5933 on October 08, 2021, 06:34:12 AM
Guess that the money cycling enthusiast pay for their bikes is no crazier than the money we all spend on our old buses. To each his own.
So true Richard ,I have friend that paid $150,000.00 for a friggn Harley
Quote from: richard5933 on October 08, 2021, 06:34:12 AM
Guess that the money cycling enthusiast pay for their bikes is no crazier than the money we all spend on our old buses. To each his own.
Ain't that the truth! LOL Shoot, the 15k bike is a better way to lose less money and keep more in your pocket. The black hole in a bike is a lot smaller than one in a bus.
Quote from: windtrader on October 07, 2021, 06:44:10 PM
The section I pointed out is hardly rural. I think daily count is about 200k
Do they allow bikes on an interstate with that kind of traffic volume? That would be crazy, and in that case there should be a physical separation of bicyclists from traffic. Here in Minnesota bikes are prohibited on all interstates.
Quote from: belfert on October 07, 2021, 03:56:05 PM
The sections of I-80 I'm talking about where bicycles are allowed is very rural. They are usually areas where few other roads exist. I don't recall seeing more than one bicycle on I-80 in probably 60,000 miles driven on I-80 between Des Moines and Reno since 2002. You have to be one serious bicyclist and very prepared to ride on those stretches of interstate.
It's no big deal, really. The only times I had to stay alert was when crossing offramps and onramps, but that's no worse than changing lanes in busy city streets. Compared to cycling round Connaught Circus in Delhi in the rush hour (it's rush hour in Indian cities 24 hours a day!), it's a doddle. One nice thing about riding on interstates here is the draft from passing trucks - it sucks cyclists along very nicely, so when I was in WY and MT I was doing effortless 100-plus mile days. I'll be doing a short ride next year from NM back to SoCal, and the long empty stretches of Route 66 are of more concern to me than occasional short forays on I-40. If that ride goes well, I'm planning something more ambitious abroad later, either the Pamir Highway or Manali to Leh including some passes over 5000m. Should be fun!
John
If that ride goes well, I'm planning something more ambitious abroad later, either the Pamir Highway or Manali to Leh including some passes over 5000m.
Should be fun! I hear the bike tour through Kyber Pass is beautiful and serene on your way to Peshawar. Not sure how far west the Taliban will help you in case you get a flat tire but you might have other more pressing issues to deal with. Ladak/Leh is cool to see. I'm still waiting for Vietnam to open to head to Soon Dong Caves
Quote from: windtrader on October 09, 2021, 08:30:26 AM
Should be fun! I hear the bike tour through Kyber Pass is beautiful and serene on your way to Peshawar. Not sure how far west the Taliban will help you in case you get a flat tire but you might have other more pressing issues to deal with. Ladak/Leh is cool to see. I'm still waiting for Vietnam to open to head to Soon Dong Caves
I went through the Khyber Pass in 1977, back when it was possible to go overland to India, when Iran was open, when Afghanistan was a beautiful peaceful country that welcomed tourists, when the Kalash were still almost unknown, when Srinagar was truly heaven on earth, when the Khamba were still fighting a CIA-sponsored guerilla war in Tibet. That's all changed now. One last trip to Central Asia may be my swansong, then I'll be traveling in my bus when I'm too old to ride a bike.
John
Check for a PM.
Kashmir was incredible, as close to Shangri-La of lore, houseboats on the lake, and shikara rides and vendors. Nearly got hijacked to Karachi as the last flight out of the country before shutting down was the flight after ours. We escaped back to Dehli but the girls we met while waiting to depart got an unexpected leg on their adventure travel.
Le's get a group of busnuts to buy that overland Super-C and hit the road! Touring in a bus on tarmac is pretty boring! lol