[kpennell]

Great question! Cyclists ride on the main roads because in many places, we have the right to. Literally the law states in many places that 'cyclists may use full lane'. We also do so because you're more likely to get hit by cars turning or pulling out or opening their door when you ride on the sidewalk. You're far more visible and predictable when you take the lane.

I'm not sure where you're from so this answer comes from more of a USA perspective. In places like Copenhagen/Amsterdam, it's almost always easier/safer to just ride in the bike lane because they are so amazingly well made. But in most other places, you sometimes need to take the lane. Car drivers should be more grateful. We're taking cars off the road and reducing auto traffic.

[tester756]

>we have the right to.

Well, people have rights to do many things, it itself doesn't make it safe and I've been just talking about safety.

>We also do so because you're more likely to get hit by cars turning or pulling out or opening their door when you ride on the sidewalk.

I meant something like bike roads where there are no cars on the road or around it. e.g roads sorrounded by meadows

[cmh89]

>I meant something like bike roads where there are no cars on the road or around it. e.g roads sorrounded by meadows

Well, have you considered that people on bikes are actually trying to, you know, access things that aren't meadows?

[tester756]

idk what do you mean

you go thru them, not to them.

[cmh89]

Yeah, that's my point. Cyclists are frequently going to something located on the road they are biking on.

[tester756]

Uh, there are "exit ways" every... some distance, so it's not big problem.

[Rumudiez]

In the US you do not have the right to walk or bicycle on an interstate freeway. Not even in the shoulder or outside of the lane. Even if you drive a motor vehicle you are not allowed to use the freeway if you are unable to meet and maintain the speed limit; I have a 50cc scooter with a 30mph top speed and it is for sure not okay to get on that going down a 60mph road.

At closed circuit tracks you may find they segment drivers or vehicles based on average and top speeds. But why would that matter when even the slow guys are going >100mph down the straight, and everyone there has opted into driving in such an environment? Because speed variance is the real danger.

A car driving down a country road with a 50mph speed limit is going 2-5x faster than a cyclist depending on the slope. And there's no shoulder or bike lane in the countryside so they have to block the lane. Coming over a blind hill even below the speed limit may not leave the driver enough time and distance to come to a full stop. If the oncoming lane has traffic in it there's not even an escape path.

I grew up biking and I love it, but I also grew up and recognize the dangers and how being a cyclist on a fast road is imposing your risk onto others. It's sociopathic to believe a driver who hit a cyclist feels no remorse, but some people seem to prefer martyrdom over adjusting their preferences a little, like picking up mountain biking or going to the velodrome. I liked riding around on 2 wheels so much and I didn't want to compromise on where I could go so I pulled my pants up and learned how to ride motorcycles. Now I can go anywhere I want on something that keeps me outside of the cage and gives me more power and agility than any car.

edit: perspective of a bike fanatic (I have 7 bicycles/scooters/motorcycles in my garage) living in the self-proclaimed "Bicycling Capital of the Northwest," where there's an astonishing 2 paved bike paths that are so swarmed with pedestrians as to be unrideable

[nmeagent]

> In the US you do not have the right to walk or bicycle on an interstate freeway. Not even in the shoulder or outside of the lane.

This depends on the state, e.g. in Montana you can legally ride on all interstates. See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-motorized_access_on_free...