tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post6236594855391884194..comments2024-03-28T08:40:23.164-05:00Comments on Guitar Ted Productions: I Am A Road RiderGuitar Tedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-57430790675803981632017-07-26T15:39:26.653-05:002017-07-26T15:39:26.653-05:00Hey man! Thanks for linking my article and I do ap...Hey man! Thanks for linking my article and I do appreciate your point of view. All areas are different and while we don't have a lot of gravel roads...it is all two lane farm roads around my house. Gravel road riding really isn't my thing. I am not sure if I would do it even if we had them as I would rather be mountain biking at that point. That said...some of the gravel road drivers are even worse as the roads can be narrower, they are traveling at the same rate of speed and the vehicle control is much less. On some of the gravel roads we use as connecting roads for mountain biking in North GA...it is worse than being on a busy paved road if you run into the right drivers. <br /><br />The conversation is always a good one though. Hope you are doing well!Robb Suttonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05261905213289822275noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-2548121682699519772017-07-19T14:06:29.483-05:002017-07-19T14:06:29.483-05:00Wish I had more gravel roads to ride on. Lots of ...Wish I had more gravel roads to ride on. Lots of urban riders dont have much choice... I have access to lots of trail systems but use roads to get there. Someday I hopd to move out to the country. Until then... Stay safe on the roads and trails alike.Mr manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00548070536927990253noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-6910812210074957462017-07-18T16:11:29.877-05:002017-07-18T16:11:29.877-05:00The state of Michigan has a law that gravel roads ...The state of Michigan has a law that gravel roads have a 55 mph speed limit unless they have so many driveways per mile. So yes, the speeds are high on basically all of them. <br /><br />Anyways, I don't think we are in disagreement. Riders need to judge where they think is safe to ride. Not riding is a sad alternative. For me I feel safer on certain paved roads. I would feel safer on your roads for sure, but I don't have them. Noogehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714794964028136317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-48160888285854987532017-07-18T09:56:44.235-05:002017-07-18T09:56:44.235-05:00Nice post and I think there is a lot to debate abo...Nice post and I think there is a lot to debate about it. I must say that we have the right to ride on all roads that we are allowed to ride on. We shouldn't be bullied off roads. That is why we have laws and that is why we have the right to vote. Exercise those rights. Secondly I see a lot of riders out there riding 2-3 abreast when that is not right to do so. I see riders decked out in all black and wonder why they are not seen. No blinkers, no visibility and oh, also plugged into their phones and ipods listening to music. Why do RAAm riders, Trans Am riders and others not have mirrors to check on traffic from behind? <br />I live in Chicagoland. I am and have been enamoured with gravel for many years. But around Chicagoland we have concrete and tar roads. That's what I work with. I take precautions. I know what roads to be on and which ones not to. At 54 years old I am not letting anyone ground me. Arihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13083766829086663770noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-82761166982075384392017-07-18T07:53:07.019-05:002017-07-18T07:53:07.019-05:00@Nooge- Yes- Gravel roads are "only so safe&q...@Nooge- Yes- Gravel roads are "only so safe", but much safer than riding on higher traffic count roads. Nothing is guaranteed, but I'll take the odds of where I ride over anything paved and driven on by cars and trucks any day. If ALL of your unpaved gravel/dirt roads are driven on at the speeds you say, at traffic rates that scare you off them, then I am truly sorry for you. Move to Iowa. ;>) It's much better here. <br /><br />And by the way- Since you brought it up....If you honestly think that cars are only going 25mph in residential areas, I am afraid you are being naive. And,as you so rightly point out ,being hit at above that speed dramatically increases your chances for death. See this link: http://gizmodo.com/how-likely-you-are-to-get-killed-by-a-car-depending-on-1778993900<br /><br />So, add in whatever speed you are going to the likelihood that most cars are traveling in cities well above 25mph, (in my city, it is anywhere from 35mph to 60mph on city streets), and again I say to you- Does it really matter what the speed of the vehicle was if you are dead? (And even if you don't die- you are injured. No thank you.)<br /><br />This also does not take in to account at what angle you get hit at. <br /><br />So, we can argue back and forth all day- My point remains and I am unconvinced it is actually safer to ride on higher trafficked roads whether or not they are speed limited, in urban areas, or rural areas. Guitar Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-43460757640530406252017-07-18T07:39:31.595-05:002017-07-18T07:39:31.595-05:00Oops. Messed up my math. It's only 16 times wo...Oops. Messed up my math. It's only 16 times worse, not 1500. Makes more sense. It's still a big difference thoughNoogehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714794964028136317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-56120942695708426612017-07-18T06:59:27.084-05:002017-07-18T06:59:27.084-05:00We all pick our battles. I just wanted to point ou...We all pick our battles. I just wanted to point out that even gravel roads are only so safe and my local gravel roads aren't as safe as yours. <br /><br />I do want to point out that speed is mainly what kills. The energy involved in an accident is a function of speed squared. And it's relative speed that matters. If I'm riding my road bike at 15 mph and get hit by a car doing 55 vs a car going 25, the energy hitting me is (55-15)^2 / (25-15)^2 = 1500 times worse for the car going 55 mph. I would rather be hit 100 times by the 25 mph car than once by the 55 mph car. Noogehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714794964028136317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-19507082461800793532017-07-18T06:38:15.251-05:002017-07-18T06:38:15.251-05:00@Nooge- There are always exceptions to the "r...@Nooge- There are always exceptions to the "rule", but again- even you admit it- the rural roads are safer due to fewer cars. I'll take those odds over slower driving, (often distracted) urban drivers any day. Does it really matter if you get killed by a car going 35mph or 60mph? Either way, you are dead. Also- if I live in fear of the "one incident", then I am not free. I choose freedom.<br /><br />Rural paved roads here are not much better, so I stay away from those as much as possible, using only short bits to connect gravel with. And by the way, the highest percentage of automobile crashes happen at intersections where people, (often distracted), do not adhere to the commands of traffic signals or signs. <br /><br />Anyway, I'm not going to change my ways anytime soon. I'll ride roads, just not the ones most people think of when they hear about road cycling. Guitar Tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10960580677548417562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-91614599954908044432017-07-18T06:14:40.485-05:002017-07-18T06:14:40.485-05:00I agree that rural roads are safer due to fewer ca...I agree that rural roads are safer due to fewer cars, but even though the odds are better, it only takes one incident to take a life. Your incident could have been much worse. The drivers on gravel roads near me are traveling 60 mph over blind hills and turns. And they don't slow down for cyclists. <br /><br />I debate with myself all the time if it's worth the risk. When I ride alone I ride in parks, the local college campus or industrial parks so that the cars are traveling slower and I have better odds if I do get hit. <br /><br />Also, the blog you linked to did say "There was a rider killed on the street I live off of a couple of years ago from a car pulling through a stop sign for this very reason. I live on farm roads which used to be our safe place to ride." So he seems to be referring to rural roads, though they may still be paved. Some states pave even light traffic roads. <br /><br />No matter how you ride, stay safe. I really think having a GPS tracker sending your location to others should be used so that if you do get hit there's a better chance you get medical help in the event of a bad accident. Especially if you ride where not many cars pass and they might not notice you in the ditch. Noogehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02714794964028136317noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12831567.post-63574910382797823112017-07-18T04:33:57.012-05:002017-07-18T04:33:57.012-05:00I appreciate the thoughts you've shared today,...I appreciate the thoughts you've shared today, Mark. I'd like to add to what you've already so clearly stated. Having lived 99% of my life in rural Missouri, I have come to the conclusion that rural America is somewhat over-looked by the rest of the country (except during election years). What many non-rural folks don't seem to realize is that people live down those gravel roads and that much of the time the food on their tables was brought to them over those same gravel roads. Yes, they are roads and they are relevant.graveldochttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07735646900935591880noreply@blogger.com