Author Topic: Would you bike this route with a kid?  (Read 2651 times)

MrWednesday

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Would you bike this route with a kid?
« on: July 24, 2013, 06:38:07 AM »
Hi all, new to the stash and new to biking. I wonder if you would bike this road with a bike trailer and child in tow. Am I crazy for considering it? The speed limit is 45 here and the road fairly busy. I'd only be on the highway part for a few minutes though and the shoulder is fairly decent (though it does taper off further down). I'd also have to make a left hand turn at the light. Your thoughts on the safety of this?

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Maxway,+Maxway,+672+N+Churton+St,+Hillsborough,+NC+27278&daddr=Orange+High+School+Rd&hl=en&ll=36.087439,-79.094975&spn=0.005393,0.009474&sll=36.087309,-79.094975&sspn=0.005653,0.009474&geocode=FeqgJgIdVANJ-ykbah4gN9-siTFngpmsvkwg-w%3BFWCjJgIdiCRJ-w&t=h&mra=dme&mrsp=1&sz=17&z=17

matchewed

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Re: Would you bike this route with a kid?
« Reply #1 on: July 24, 2013, 06:45:44 AM »
Could you just adjust the route?

*Edit* Trying to fix my link.

*Edit2* Screw it, can't you just go north on 86 to 57 and suburbs to the school?
« Last Edit: July 24, 2013, 07:02:48 AM by matchewed »

MrWednesday

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Re: Would you bike this route with a kid?
« Reply #2 on: July 24, 2013, 07:04:39 AM »
There isn't a good alternate, either I travel that section of 70 or I take 86 which is worse since there is no shoulder, or I add about 4 miles (some big hills and curves) and no shoulder along St Marys Rd (a 35 mph zone). I think what I may do is just walk the bike along the grassy part till I make my left off the highway.

anastrophe

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Re: Would you bike this route with a kid?
« Reply #3 on: July 24, 2013, 07:32:43 AM »
By "with a kid" do you mean trailer, trail-a-bike, or kid on their own bike?

I think it looks not ideal but do-able, the shoulder seems to run the whole way and you can pull off in the grassy area if necessary. You'd want bright colors, flashy lights, and a flag.

I would not do it in the winter if there is any significant snowbank. But since you live in NC I'm guessing that's probably not an issue.

MrWednesday

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Re: Would you bike this route with a kid?
« Reply #4 on: July 24, 2013, 07:43:58 AM »
I'd be riding it with a 2 kid sized trailer. Thanks for the tips and comments.

jpo

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Re: Would you bike this route with a kid?
« Reply #5 on: July 24, 2013, 07:47:28 AM »
Use 86 to Holman, then cut through the high school. It's a much shorter distance on a busy road that way.

Just make sure you take the lane when there's oncoming traffic as 86 looks like a two lane road.

mpbaker22

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Re: Would you bike this route with a kid?
« Reply #6 on: July 24, 2013, 08:35:32 AM »
Use 86 to Holman, then cut through the high school. It's a much shorter distance on a busy road that way.

Just make sure you take the lane when there's oncoming traffic as 86 looks like a two lane road.

By this he means to occupy the full lane.  Not sure if anyone else was confused, but I initially thought it meant to ride against traffic ...

 

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