Well I'll just tell you up front I find bikers that pick out narrow curves hilly rural roads incredibly rude self centered jerks. Its not that I don't like bikes and I think programs to provide appropriate places to ride such as rails to trails etc fine ideas. I just don't think they belong in the road/street anymore than golf carts, go carts, jazzes kick scooters , riding lawn mowers , skateboards and other means of conveyance. Let me ask you, why don't you just ride on the sidewalk?
The best research I can do shows accidents are more likely to occur on a sidewalk than on the open road. You won't find a single person who has studied sidewalk bicycling who doesn't strongly recommend against it. I love rura backroads and have managed to ride many thousands of miles on them without an accidental close call. I have had people purposefully brush pass me. I doubt anyone has ever had to back off the gas for more than 30 seconds or so for me. Most of the time it's seconds if at all. Every single day of my life I have to back off the gas for longer than that for a slow driver in the left lane. What's the longest you have ever been held up by a bicyclist?
