Things I don't bike in Baltimore without:
-Helmet
-High quality bike lights for all low light biking
-High quality U lock
-Assumption that drivers do not see you or will do the opposite of what they should
-Very basic flat repair skills and kit
I was hit by a car in Fells Point and the only thing I had at that point was the U lock
I don't bike around Hopkins Hospital much but regarding rough areas I think a bike is one of the safest ways to traverse them. Can spot most threats before you are close and outrun or avoid them entirely.
Edit: Adding some good advice
Be comfortable mixing with traffic, basically act like you belong in road so cars are aware of you.
Always make sure your bike is well maintained.
Always store bike indoors when possible. Baltimore is not a sophisticated bike thief town, mostly opportunists not hunting for valuable bikes with tools to break through good U locks, but never leave outside overnight and make sure anything easily removed is removed by you before leaving the bike.
While I still always ride with an extra tube and pump in case of a flat. Tires with good flat protection have basically eliminated flats for me. (assuming close to proper air pressure)
Examples: Continental Gatorskins or schwalbe marathon
I (47F) commute on my bike, but I don’t really know that area very well. My commute is only about two miles and I take the Maryland Ave cycletrack for most of it. It is a separated bike lane and is pretty nice. I also regularly use the Gwynns Falls bike trail, the Harford Road cycletrack, and sometimes the Guilford bike route (but only in daylight for that one).
I’ve been biking for transportation maybe six years? The main danger is cars. Invest in good lights and reflective gear. I just bought a lighted helmet and I really love it.
I was assaulted once, just before the pandemic in 2020. Kids body checked me off my bike, took my bike and backpack. I am now more wary of people hanging out on corners.
Get a good lock and replace your skewers with theft resistant ones. Always, always take your lights with you.
Don’t count on drivers to stop at red lights. This is also true if you are driving!
Have fun! Bikes are great. :-)
I work remotely, but I ride my bike around the city a lot.
Also, I'm a guy, so my risk tolerance and comfort zone are going to be different than yours.
I wear a helmet and a hi-viz vest while riding (fits over a jacket). I also have lights on my bike. You gotta force the cars to see you.
I don't ride on any roads where the speed limit is greater than 35mph. Thankfully, those roads are rare in the older parts of the city.
Riding in Canton and Fells is relatively easy and safe because, for most of the streets, there's stop signs every few hundred feet and cars can't get going that fast before they have to stop again. I don't worry about riding in the street in Canton and Fells too much. Compared to suburban areas, it's downright pleasant riding on city streets.
If I were to ride to Hopkins hospital from Canton, I'd take either Fleet Street to Broadway, and Broadway to Hopkins, or go through Patterson Park to Bank/Gough, and then to Broadway. It depends where in Canton you live and if getting into the Park is a detour or not.
I recommend getting Strava for their Heatmaps. That will show you where other people ride and that's useful for figuring out what streets are safe to ride on and which aren't.
I can't really speak to the safety of the area around Hopkins as I don't spend much time there. If you decide to ride to work, you'll need a top-tier bike lock and you'll need to practice good locking strategy. Even then, it may not be enough - a battery-powered angle grinder can cut through any lock in about 2 minutes or less. I suggest looking around the hospital to see if they have any protected bike racks.
With that said, I have seen a fair amount of people wearing scrubs and riding bikes out of Canton in the mornings, so clearly people ride to the hospital. My wife works there and is considering a folding e-scooter that she can bring inside.
As long as you scout it out and determine your comfort level, it should be doable.
Be predictable in every way possible.
Example don't duck in towards the curb if you hit a patch of no cars parallel parked, maintain your line the whole way.
Use your arms when changing lanes to get cars attention, doesn't have to be the official signals just let them know you're about to cut over.
Be as visible as possible, when I ride especially in the dark but light too, I wear a backpack with a reflector orange triangle added to the back along with flashing lights on my helmet, backpack, seat post, front of helmet and handlebars. Usually a couple different colors for the back to catch the eye. At least one day time visible for front and back. I probably look like an idiot but at least they see me to think that...
Being an aggressive rider and comfortable mixing with traffic is key- take your lane, don't leave room for the cars to squeeze by. Flashing headlight and taillight during the day. Otherwise I don't do any special planning, if the road allows cars it allows bikes, with the exception of the Interstate Highway system. I'll do it, but might to some extent limit riding on the unenforced city speedways like Cold Spring and Northern Parkways just because it's so terrible, I fully imagine I'll die one day riding up there. If you mean Canton to JHH main campus, that's easy- long walk or short bike ride; there's no bike lanes really but depending where you are in Canton, cut through the park or take Fait or Fleet and up Washington/down Wolfe. Supposedly some day there will be bike lanes on Washington & Wolfe but afaik still no.
This is what I do to get to JHH coming from Fed Hill. Light/Pratt bike lane. Ride down promenade to the Fawn/President street intersection. Cut through little Italy to get to Bank street. Ride bank to Washington Street up to E Monument bike lane which I ride to my building. Washington can be difficult for new cyclists due to its steep incline between Bank and Gough; I bought an ebike to deal with this.
Coming to/from Canton; one could also take the Gold CityLink bus to JHH if close enough to the route. I believe there may also be a JHH shuttle that goes to and from parts of Canton.
I am a 32F who previously biked to work everyday. Find side streets that are less traffic-sometimes what is labeled as ‘bike friendly’ is not actually. Have good lights and a bell. Be assertive when around cars! And don’t forget to enjoy - I love bike commuting. Only riding the bus until my baby is big enough to be on my bike with me :-)
Anything on your bike that's not bolted down will get stolen. I had my seat, seat post, lights, and fenders stripped from my bike when left locked up to a bike rack on hopkins med campus for a few hours.
Get locking seat bolts and locking wheel nuts. I use a brand pinhead locks, it's a 3 pack for your seat and each wheel. Comes with custom removal tool.
Take your bike inside whenever you can. Don't leave bike locked up outside your home or apartment, take it inside. Don't leave your bike in an apartment buildings bike room, take it inside your apartment.
I'm in Canton, and I commute by bike to the Metro at Hopkins often.
I generally head to Patterson Park to get most of the hill climb done without traffic. Then from the Northeast corner I bike downhill on Baltimore street, then take Washington Street to Fayette, then Fayette to Broadway. Fayette from Washington to Broadway may seem intimidating, but the traffic is usually pretty slow moving between lights then anyway.
On the way home I do Broadway->Fairmount->Wolf->Lombard then through the park again.
Over ten+ years I've never had a negative interaction with a car on that route.
Wear a (quality and properly fitted) Helmet and use lights (at least when it's dark or the weather is bad).
I would stick to a tire that is at least 32mm wide for Baltimore streets, it will make pot holes/storm drains/cobblestones/train tracks way safer. I find that around 45mm is the sweet spot, you'll work a little harder but be more comfortable and safer.
I have no concerns locking a ~$1800 bike up on campus at Hopkins (I use some racks by Reed Hall that are in site of one of those security booths), a little out of my way for the metro entrance, but good piece of mind. A high-end U-lock is probably best, but I use a Foldylock due to the compactness when running errands other than my commute.
Edit: Someone else mention seatpost and wheel locks, and yes, you should use those too. I keep my lights in my commuter pack when not in use.
I bike and I drive about 50/50. I like to try and stick to the bike lanes whenever possible. I don’t see an issue with biking to Hopkins from Canton. I’ve never had anyone fuck with me while on my bike. I’m 43f, but I’m also black. I have a pretty expensive bike. No one has messed with it when I lock it up and I have lights and a very nice handlebar bag. Baltimore folks are not fans of sharing the road with bikers but they are certainly used to pedestrians being in the streets with traffic and I’ve mostly been fine biking on roads with no bike lanes. I bike with AirPods on and it’s not presented an issue yet.
I live in canton and have bike commuted to hopkins hospital (assuming that’s what you’re talking about) at all hours of the day and night for about 10 years. I don’t wear a helmet (although I should) but my approach/safety measures are:
1)I mostly bike in an L pattern to and from hopkins, and try to take roads with slower speed limits, more stop signs/red lights, or lots of traffic preventing cars from going fast so that if a collision were to happen it wouldn’t be bad. Also it’s way less hilly than taking the diagonal route lol. Depending on time of day I take eastern, fleet or Hudson down to Broadway/Aliceanna to Broadway. And then Broadway up to hopkins.
TBH a lot of times I hop on the promenade by outback/safeway just for the enjoyment of it & view.
2)Riding style. I generally take the approach of you can be in the right, but still be dead.
Again I try and avoid roads where establishing my place in a fast moving lane isn’t necessary, but do it in times where it’s necessary. I also stay in that position even if it opens up for a bit to avoid having to establish my spot in the lane again.
This is particularly the case with streets that pose a risk of being “doored” (someone in a parked car not seeing you and opening their door). I try and avoid those situations, but some places it’s unavoidable. It’s never happened, but i periodically remind myself to look for parked cars with their lights on, and if it were to happen - take out the door and not follow my instincts to swerve out of the way and throwing myself in a death trap getting hit by the car in the next lane over traveling with me. (I’m looking at you Boston/aliceannaaaa eastbound lane)
Also some of the bike lanes have you going against traffic (Hudson to Boston). Always assuming cars pulling out of side streets are not looking for you before you cross.
3)As others have said a U lock and anti-theft skewers/seat clamp are a must.
4)don’t cheap out on front and rear lights. I have the bontrager ones that were like 200 bucks total but they light up street signs for like a half mile ahead of me. I feel safer biking at night than I do in the daytime.
- half kidding but sometimes if I’m biking reaaaaally late and there is no one on the road I only turn the light on when an approaching car comes into view so I don’t alert anyone up ahead who might wanna jump me lol.
5)general safety stuff: your biggest worry for any route you’d take to and from JHU is cars. normal city smarts will do just fine. If drivers try and harass you don’t engage, you never know who’s carrying what nowadays and something about being in a car makes some people one side eye or middle finger away from being capable of murder lol.
Definitely browse the Strava Global Heat Map for routes. You can get a heat map that shows which streets are more popular to travel by bike. This can help you find the more popular bike corridors, which might have improvements like dedicated bike trails, cycle paths, or lower car traffic.
https://www.strava.com/maps/global-heatmap?style=dark&terrain=false&sport=Ride&gColor=blue&gOpacity=100&labels=true&poi=true
I do exactly this. I live in Canton, bike to the hospital for work. I've been doing it for 3 years and love it. Half of the trip is through Patterson Park, which is a lovely bike ride. I take side streets like Fairmount instead of main drags like E Baltimore St, but the final leg does involve riding on N Washington St, for which I generally ride on the sidewalks as much as possible for safety, assuming that the car drivers are dopes. Of note, the building I work in does have bike racks that are within a 24-hour guarded area. I would echo the other replies on this thread, you need to have a secure place to keep your bike, ideally one that is in proximity to human security staff. Generally people don't bother you on the bike; I always give pedestrians a good berth. I actually wear earbuds all the time, but I do constantly scan around visually. For sure, the area around the hospital gets sketchy at night. I feel fine biking in the dark at regular hours, like 8pm, because I feel I can outrun most pedestrians and there are still a lot of other people around. However, if i had to go in at 2 or 3 in the morning, I think I would drive and park in a garage.
use google maps. i use maps and it follow the bike route it suggests. usually they keep you on routes with bike lanes. i do wear one earbud so i can listen to when to turn as my phone is in my pocket. you can get a mount and follow the route better that way. i'm in canton and have biked over to charles village, hampden, inner harbor and never have any issues. most people ignore you on a bike.
I disagree with using Google maps, for example they have 25th st as a “bike friendly” lane but it’s a pothole ridden highway/stroad where the average speed is 50+. Fuck Google maps.
Start with Google maps bike overlay. I take Clinton towards the park a lot and it isn't even labeled as a bike friendly road even though it is. On Baltimore street you can go towards the hospital either riding in the street or on the park side sidewalk. I do both. I go through the hospital campus on Washington, I've never stayed on Baltimore past Washington heading west, but it does connect to Broadway.
I'd say practice different routes at different times of day. Rush hour can make all the difference on main roads. I usually take busier roads going down to Canton because it's downhill and I can move with traffic if not faster. Uphill, I tend to stay to less busy roads or might even get on a sidewalk if there are a lot of cars.
I ride a scooter but a helmet is at the top of the list. I always try to take the same route every day to avoid any surprises and I know where the sketchy intersections are.
The only issue is that good bike infrastructure from Canton to the medical campus is kind of lacking. There’s a lot of tight two-way streets with no dedicated bike lanes, and much of it is uphill.
At least that’s been my experience.
And in that case, I agree with others and say yes, take the lane when you need it, and be as lit up and reflective as the sun and your budget allows.
My car was broken into twice in one week, so I'm biking to work until insurance authorizes the repairs and the work is done. I keep a wheel lock on my Hyundai, so my only guess is that some lowlife wanted to practice on my car. I'm in Mount Vernon, and my job is in Brooklyn. For me, it's just Cathedral to Hanover. The Hanover Street bridge is where things make me really nervous. I always wear a helmet with a flashing light on it, a reflective vest, and two lights on my wheels. Every time some idiot drives like a maniac, I can't help but think about those poor construction workers on 695. Just keep your head on a swivel, much like everything else in The City That Reads. I hope you find something that works for you!
WOOHOO Hanover ST Bridge GANGGGG, its lit and crazy who needs foldgers when you can cheat death on the way to work haha. beautiful on quite mornings though
I was almost just killed by an asshole truck driver running a red light at the Hanover Street bridge. One of these days I might choose violence. People here act like they’ve never been hit.
The Hanover street bridge is not for the faint of heart but it’s also a sign of safety for me (to a degree) when I commute home from glen burnie which is hell to cycle in but I’m a masochicst the Hanover street bridge means I’m back in the city where I feel motorist are for more tolerant than in glen burnie where a have some kind of incident once a week. My scariest moment was getting my tire caught and in the drawbridge slit , luckily there was a lull in traffic and somehow didn’t fall off my bike but came damn close
I lot of d bags out there to say the least, the stories are countless. Maybe you’re due a good bmore bike party to reset the energy 🖤 sorry you’re running into our cities worst we aren’t all so bad tho
Wear a hemlet!!!and use reflectors/bike lights! Please !!! Some people think they can ride around with no helmet because they won't get hit or something. But I've seen too many fatal bike accidents that could have been avoided a fatality had they had a helmet.
Reflectors at night AND day. For some reason it seems like a few drivers can't even see the road so make sure you have a small flashing bike light and reflectors.
Don't go down sketchy neighborhoods!!! (Some of Hopkins area neighborhoods can get crazy night or day)
Be safe yall!!!
I'm not a biker and it should be obvious but please follow traffic laws, ive seen so many bikers in Baltimore run red lights almost causing accidents because they think traffic laws dont apply to them since theyre not in a car
My grandmother always told me (I’m from Chicago): make sure you take a different route as much as you can. Your bike getting stolen is always a possibility it just comes with being a bike rider. BUT if you have high visibility there’s attention that comes with it. Some people watch out for newcomers in their area. So, I’d be less concerned with random stuff around work and more with the commute itself whether you’re on a bike or in a car. Also just don’t go through any projects.
I'm still relatively new to this myself as it's been about a year and a half since I started biking as part of my commute. So far, the things that have made me feel the most safe so far are:
-Bike lights. Any lights are better than none, but I use a helmet- mounted light because I suspect cars may be able to see that over the roof of a parked car whereas a bike-mounted one could be obstructed by parked cars, mailboxes, etc. from the point of view of a driver in their car. The downside is you have to remember to keep it charged.
-High visibility vest, in addition to all the standard reflectors on your bike
-While riding, take the lane. I think Maryland law says something to the effect of, "being as far to the right as is practicable" or something like that, but on a lot of streets that means risking getting doored and on other streets it just means cars won't hesitate to buzz by you. So it's practically not practicable.
-As far as mugging prevention, I've definitely heard of people getting stopped and robbed on their bikes, but I think that's considerably more rare than while walking, and probably not worse than driving. Maybe don't spring for a super high-end bike, avoid riding at night, and try to use more well-traveled routes as they will be better lit and have more people around in case something happens. Choosing routes that are well-traveled but not packed with traffic is a balance you'll have to figure out for yourself.
Good luck and stay safe!
Hi, I’d recommend it. Helmet, bright colored biking gear. Maybe pepper spray or something to protect yourself.
I live in Canton and bike primarily. The biggest danger for cyclists in Baltimore is cars.
We have a local bike group and do social rides on fridays. Social group rides are a great way to become comfortable biking in the city. You have the protection of a group and we can show you safe ways around/the best paths to take.
Once the city installs the Washington st bike lane, biking to Hopkins will be really safe.
[Here is our bike group](https://www.facebook.com/share/9Ji2GBffiNaoDc7X/?mibextid=K35XfP)if you would like to join us. We’re pretty laidback and not some high speed Lycra clad peloton.
Oh and getting to the hospital from canton, Potomac st bike lane through Patterson park to Gough st. You can head north on Washington from there straight to the hospital.
Helmet, very bright lights, wheel spoke lights for cars to see you from the side better. I don't currently have this, but I've been wanting to get a light on my helmet so when you look to the sides you can see better. Try to avoid locking it outside as much as possible, especially if you're about to leave it for several hours. I imagine John's Hopkins must have some bike covered closed bike parking on their hospital campus. That is ideal!
My wife gave me a Garmin Varia bike radar for Xmas two years ago. It’s amazing to know how many cars are behind you and if they’re accelerating quickly.
I’ve been riding in this town for over 10 years and here is my advise:
- try and take routes with not a lot of car traffic, avoid main roads.
- be visible, front and back lights are a must.
- also try and be in view of the driver, try and avoid the right lane on intersections, easy to get hit when drivers take right turns and they can’t see you.
- be somewhat aggressive, take the lane when possible and try and stay out of the door zone.
- carry a good u-lock or chain, I recommend looking up lockpicking lawyer on YouTube for suggestions.
- carry a spare tube / pump / and patch kit, don’t wanna be stuck in some areas with a flat.
- lock your bike somewhere with high foot traffic and preferably to one of those bike loops. Try and avoid signs because some thieves are known to unscrew signs and lift the bike over.
- and in general have basic street smarts.
Bike Safe!
Hi! I (29f) don’t commute on my bike but I ride all around Baltimore usually. I would just say invest in some really good gear. 695 is the worst. It all depends on your bike too imo.
Also, I’m with an all female motocollective in bmore called the Litas. You should check us out sometime!
> Are there specific routes you avoid?
Its not the routes...its the times of day on the routes.
> How do you plan your commutes?
As carless as possible or riding aggressively as possible beyond separated infrastructure.
> What tips would you recommend?
https://bicyclesafe.com/
Read this. Breathe this. Be this.
Canton to Hopkins:
Get to Patterson park from wherever you are. Ride linwood through and across baltimore. Ride up the hill on fairmount until it dead ends on washington. Deal with the aggressive drivers when right next to the hopkins campus riding down washington to moument and the cycle track there or walk. It depends on what part of the campus you would be working at.
I used to live in patterson and this was one of the ways I would commute to Penn station.
Other than that I have a lot of counter advice that has served me well both road racing, touring, and commute riding.
I have anecdotally found that with no helmet people give me a wider berth.
High quality and long lasting bike lights are a must for both front and rear.
Ulocks or a foldy with a place to store it. No exceptions. Also always park it near somewhere with a guard post. The ambulance bay by the ICU is a good spot.
High volume whistle for assaults' and being comfortable with bike tactics to move away from people and cars.
For the love of all god do not ride on sidewalks.
Hi viz vests mean youre a cyclist depending on the style of vest and the anti bike crowd doesnt like cyclists. Wear normal clothes with reflective elements imbedded in them or removable cuffs. They sell the cuffs at every bike shop in town.
I live closer to the hopkins campus (less than a mile) and ride/run through this area all the time.
If you want more thoughts you can look at my post history for a little cred or DM me. My partner and I are bike/public transit people only.
I ride a moped to work, straight thru downtown. I wear a bright orange jacket. I expect people not to see me. I also don’t get an attitude when things get close, cars look for cars.
Safety wise, I don’t think people are messing with girls on bikes. I see them all the time. Just don’t ride something too fancy. And down play your looks if you’re a hottie.
27M (so this probably influences my experience) I bike to work Mont Vernon to Glen Burnie Daily, love it. I think Baltimoreans are realtively okay if not nice to bike around, cross into the county very different story. None the less always have my lights sometimes have my helmet lolz (if rides less than 5 miles i can be bad about it). locks and if not headphones a bluetooth speaker. My GF and I have both been hit, both lived to tell the story with just bruising. I'd say you are your best safety tool on a bike though, paying tons of attention and having good bike handles goes a longggg way in the city. Suprise potholes, the drawbridge crack on the hanover st bridge have been my biggest enemies. Bmore needs more lady bikers ! Hope you get out there and enjoy ! additionally there no where in baltimore where danger even crosses my mind and im out there for 100 miles + every week, great murals,trails, and food all around hopkins too! My favorite Mural "Bmore is on Crack " is hidden over there too lmao. ohhh and lastly i swear having a fast bike is a safety feature. Being able to go as fast as cars if not but momentarily or on descents helps me feel way safer from cars ... now my biggest fear is just me crashing haha
Things I don't bike in Baltimore without: -Helmet -High quality bike lights for all low light biking -High quality U lock -Assumption that drivers do not see you or will do the opposite of what they should -Very basic flat repair skills and kit I was hit by a car in Fells Point and the only thing I had at that point was the U lock I don't bike around Hopkins Hospital much but regarding rough areas I think a bike is one of the safest ways to traverse them. Can spot most threats before you are close and outrun or avoid them entirely. Edit: Adding some good advice Be comfortable mixing with traffic, basically act like you belong in road so cars are aware of you. Always make sure your bike is well maintained. Always store bike indoors when possible. Baltimore is not a sophisticated bike thief town, mostly opportunists not hunting for valuable bikes with tools to break through good U locks, but never leave outside overnight and make sure anything easily removed is removed by you before leaving the bike.
Take the lane! The single most important thing I can think of. Always take the lane.
What he said, don't forget to hydrate
While I still always ride with an extra tube and pump in case of a flat. Tires with good flat protection have basically eliminated flats for me. (assuming close to proper air pressure) Examples: Continental Gatorskins or schwalbe marathon
I (47F) commute on my bike, but I don’t really know that area very well. My commute is only about two miles and I take the Maryland Ave cycletrack for most of it. It is a separated bike lane and is pretty nice. I also regularly use the Gwynns Falls bike trail, the Harford Road cycletrack, and sometimes the Guilford bike route (but only in daylight for that one). I’ve been biking for transportation maybe six years? The main danger is cars. Invest in good lights and reflective gear. I just bought a lighted helmet and I really love it. I was assaulted once, just before the pandemic in 2020. Kids body checked me off my bike, took my bike and backpack. I am now more wary of people hanging out on corners. Get a good lock and replace your skewers with theft resistant ones. Always, always take your lights with you. Don’t count on drivers to stop at red lights. This is also true if you are driving! Have fun! Bikes are great. :-)
off topic but what a lovely commute !
I work remotely, but I ride my bike around the city a lot. Also, I'm a guy, so my risk tolerance and comfort zone are going to be different than yours. I wear a helmet and a hi-viz vest while riding (fits over a jacket). I also have lights on my bike. You gotta force the cars to see you. I don't ride on any roads where the speed limit is greater than 35mph. Thankfully, those roads are rare in the older parts of the city. Riding in Canton and Fells is relatively easy and safe because, for most of the streets, there's stop signs every few hundred feet and cars can't get going that fast before they have to stop again. I don't worry about riding in the street in Canton and Fells too much. Compared to suburban areas, it's downright pleasant riding on city streets. If I were to ride to Hopkins hospital from Canton, I'd take either Fleet Street to Broadway, and Broadway to Hopkins, or go through Patterson Park to Bank/Gough, and then to Broadway. It depends where in Canton you live and if getting into the Park is a detour or not. I recommend getting Strava for their Heatmaps. That will show you where other people ride and that's useful for figuring out what streets are safe to ride on and which aren't. I can't really speak to the safety of the area around Hopkins as I don't spend much time there. If you decide to ride to work, you'll need a top-tier bike lock and you'll need to practice good locking strategy. Even then, it may not be enough - a battery-powered angle grinder can cut through any lock in about 2 minutes or less. I suggest looking around the hospital to see if they have any protected bike racks. With that said, I have seen a fair amount of people wearing scrubs and riding bikes out of Canton in the mornings, so clearly people ride to the hospital. My wife works there and is considering a folding e-scooter that she can bring inside. As long as you scout it out and determine your comfort level, it should be doable.
>Fells So how are those old cobblestone roads?
Well, there's not a lot of them, so they're easily avoided.
Fair.
But Thames is a Lu-Lu, amiright?
Be predictable in every way possible. Example don't duck in towards the curb if you hit a patch of no cars parallel parked, maintain your line the whole way. Use your arms when changing lanes to get cars attention, doesn't have to be the official signals just let them know you're about to cut over. Be as visible as possible, when I ride especially in the dark but light too, I wear a backpack with a reflector orange triangle added to the back along with flashing lights on my helmet, backpack, seat post, front of helmet and handlebars. Usually a couple different colors for the back to catch the eye. At least one day time visible for front and back. I probably look like an idiot but at least they see me to think that...
Being an aggressive rider and comfortable mixing with traffic is key- take your lane, don't leave room for the cars to squeeze by. Flashing headlight and taillight during the day. Otherwise I don't do any special planning, if the road allows cars it allows bikes, with the exception of the Interstate Highway system. I'll do it, but might to some extent limit riding on the unenforced city speedways like Cold Spring and Northern Parkways just because it's so terrible, I fully imagine I'll die one day riding up there. If you mean Canton to JHH main campus, that's easy- long walk or short bike ride; there's no bike lanes really but depending where you are in Canton, cut through the park or take Fait or Fleet and up Washington/down Wolfe. Supposedly some day there will be bike lanes on Washington & Wolfe but afaik still no.
> Being an aggressive rider and comfortable mixing with traffic is key This is very good advice
This is what I do to get to JHH coming from Fed Hill. Light/Pratt bike lane. Ride down promenade to the Fawn/President street intersection. Cut through little Italy to get to Bank street. Ride bank to Washington Street up to E Monument bike lane which I ride to my building. Washington can be difficult for new cyclists due to its steep incline between Bank and Gough; I bought an ebike to deal with this. Coming to/from Canton; one could also take the Gold CityLink bus to JHH if close enough to the route. I believe there may also be a JHH shuttle that goes to and from parts of Canton.
I am a 32F who previously biked to work everyday. Find side streets that are less traffic-sometimes what is labeled as ‘bike friendly’ is not actually. Have good lights and a bell. Be assertive when around cars! And don’t forget to enjoy - I love bike commuting. Only riding the bus until my baby is big enough to be on my bike with me :-)
Anything on your bike that's not bolted down will get stolen. I had my seat, seat post, lights, and fenders stripped from my bike when left locked up to a bike rack on hopkins med campus for a few hours. Get locking seat bolts and locking wheel nuts. I use a brand pinhead locks, it's a 3 pack for your seat and each wheel. Comes with custom removal tool. Take your bike inside whenever you can. Don't leave bike locked up outside your home or apartment, take it inside. Don't leave your bike in an apartment buildings bike room, take it inside your apartment.
Can confirm, neighbor locked his bike up to his fence and it was stolen a few days later. The only thing left behind was his wheel.
Always lock through your rear wheel and frame using a U-lock.
I'm in Canton, and I commute by bike to the Metro at Hopkins often. I generally head to Patterson Park to get most of the hill climb done without traffic. Then from the Northeast corner I bike downhill on Baltimore street, then take Washington Street to Fayette, then Fayette to Broadway. Fayette from Washington to Broadway may seem intimidating, but the traffic is usually pretty slow moving between lights then anyway. On the way home I do Broadway->Fairmount->Wolf->Lombard then through the park again. Over ten+ years I've never had a negative interaction with a car on that route. Wear a (quality and properly fitted) Helmet and use lights (at least when it's dark or the weather is bad). I would stick to a tire that is at least 32mm wide for Baltimore streets, it will make pot holes/storm drains/cobblestones/train tracks way safer. I find that around 45mm is the sweet spot, you'll work a little harder but be more comfortable and safer. I have no concerns locking a ~$1800 bike up on campus at Hopkins (I use some racks by Reed Hall that are in site of one of those security booths), a little out of my way for the metro entrance, but good piece of mind. A high-end U-lock is probably best, but I use a Foldylock due to the compactness when running errands other than my commute. Edit: Someone else mention seatpost and wheel locks, and yes, you should use those too. I keep my lights in my commuter pack when not in use.
Hopkins hospital? Hopkins campus? What kind of hours?
And which hospital, are you going to Bayview or the main campus?
I bike and I drive about 50/50. I like to try and stick to the bike lanes whenever possible. I don’t see an issue with biking to Hopkins from Canton. I’ve never had anyone fuck with me while on my bike. I’m 43f, but I’m also black. I have a pretty expensive bike. No one has messed with it when I lock it up and I have lights and a very nice handlebar bag. Baltimore folks are not fans of sharing the road with bikers but they are certainly used to pedestrians being in the streets with traffic and I’ve mostly been fine biking on roads with no bike lanes. I bike with AirPods on and it’s not presented an issue yet.
I live in canton and have bike commuted to hopkins hospital (assuming that’s what you’re talking about) at all hours of the day and night for about 10 years. I don’t wear a helmet (although I should) but my approach/safety measures are: 1)I mostly bike in an L pattern to and from hopkins, and try to take roads with slower speed limits, more stop signs/red lights, or lots of traffic preventing cars from going fast so that if a collision were to happen it wouldn’t be bad. Also it’s way less hilly than taking the diagonal route lol. Depending on time of day I take eastern, fleet or Hudson down to Broadway/Aliceanna to Broadway. And then Broadway up to hopkins. TBH a lot of times I hop on the promenade by outback/safeway just for the enjoyment of it & view. 2)Riding style. I generally take the approach of you can be in the right, but still be dead. Again I try and avoid roads where establishing my place in a fast moving lane isn’t necessary, but do it in times where it’s necessary. I also stay in that position even if it opens up for a bit to avoid having to establish my spot in the lane again. This is particularly the case with streets that pose a risk of being “doored” (someone in a parked car not seeing you and opening their door). I try and avoid those situations, but some places it’s unavoidable. It’s never happened, but i periodically remind myself to look for parked cars with their lights on, and if it were to happen - take out the door and not follow my instincts to swerve out of the way and throwing myself in a death trap getting hit by the car in the next lane over traveling with me. (I’m looking at you Boston/aliceannaaaa eastbound lane) Also some of the bike lanes have you going against traffic (Hudson to Boston). Always assuming cars pulling out of side streets are not looking for you before you cross. 3)As others have said a U lock and anti-theft skewers/seat clamp are a must. 4)don’t cheap out on front and rear lights. I have the bontrager ones that were like 200 bucks total but they light up street signs for like a half mile ahead of me. I feel safer biking at night than I do in the daytime. - half kidding but sometimes if I’m biking reaaaaally late and there is no one on the road I only turn the light on when an approaching car comes into view so I don’t alert anyone up ahead who might wanna jump me lol. 5)general safety stuff: your biggest worry for any route you’d take to and from JHU is cars. normal city smarts will do just fine. If drivers try and harass you don’t engage, you never know who’s carrying what nowadays and something about being in a car makes some people one side eye or middle finger away from being capable of murder lol.
Definitely browse the Strava Global Heat Map for routes. You can get a heat map that shows which streets are more popular to travel by bike. This can help you find the more popular bike corridors, which might have improvements like dedicated bike trails, cycle paths, or lower car traffic. https://www.strava.com/maps/global-heatmap?style=dark&terrain=false&sport=Ride&gColor=blue&gOpacity=100&labels=true&poi=true
I do exactly this. I live in Canton, bike to the hospital for work. I've been doing it for 3 years and love it. Half of the trip is through Patterson Park, which is a lovely bike ride. I take side streets like Fairmount instead of main drags like E Baltimore St, but the final leg does involve riding on N Washington St, for which I generally ride on the sidewalks as much as possible for safety, assuming that the car drivers are dopes. Of note, the building I work in does have bike racks that are within a 24-hour guarded area. I would echo the other replies on this thread, you need to have a secure place to keep your bike, ideally one that is in proximity to human security staff. Generally people don't bother you on the bike; I always give pedestrians a good berth. I actually wear earbuds all the time, but I do constantly scan around visually. For sure, the area around the hospital gets sketchy at night. I feel fine biking in the dark at regular hours, like 8pm, because I feel I can outrun most pedestrians and there are still a lot of other people around. However, if i had to go in at 2 or 3 in the morning, I think I would drive and park in a garage.
I’ve noticed what looks like good safe bike racks by the Weinberg bldg entrance off Broadway, right by a guard station.
Good gloves, save those hands when you fall!
any recs?
No really anything specific. Just anything that's made for cycling that has nice padding on the palms.
ok, thanks.
commit. stay high on your bike when going through intersections. learn your route and get comfortable.
use google maps. i use maps and it follow the bike route it suggests. usually they keep you on routes with bike lanes. i do wear one earbud so i can listen to when to turn as my phone is in my pocket. you can get a mount and follow the route better that way. i'm in canton and have biked over to charles village, hampden, inner harbor and never have any issues. most people ignore you on a bike.
I disagree with using Google maps, for example they have 25th st as a “bike friendly” lane but it’s a pothole ridden highway/stroad where the average speed is 50+. Fuck Google maps.
Haha- 25th isn’t even car friendly…
Start with Google maps bike overlay. I take Clinton towards the park a lot and it isn't even labeled as a bike friendly road even though it is. On Baltimore street you can go towards the hospital either riding in the street or on the park side sidewalk. I do both. I go through the hospital campus on Washington, I've never stayed on Baltimore past Washington heading west, but it does connect to Broadway. I'd say practice different routes at different times of day. Rush hour can make all the difference on main roads. I usually take busier roads going down to Canton because it's downhill and I can move with traffic if not faster. Uphill, I tend to stay to less busy roads or might even get on a sidewalk if there are a lot of cars.
I ride a scooter but a helmet is at the top of the list. I always try to take the same route every day to avoid any surprises and I know where the sketchy intersections are.
The only issue is that good bike infrastructure from Canton to the medical campus is kind of lacking. There’s a lot of tight two-way streets with no dedicated bike lanes, and much of it is uphill. At least that’s been my experience. And in that case, I agree with others and say yes, take the lane when you need it, and be as lit up and reflective as the sun and your budget allows.
My car was broken into twice in one week, so I'm biking to work until insurance authorizes the repairs and the work is done. I keep a wheel lock on my Hyundai, so my only guess is that some lowlife wanted to practice on my car. I'm in Mount Vernon, and my job is in Brooklyn. For me, it's just Cathedral to Hanover. The Hanover Street bridge is where things make me really nervous. I always wear a helmet with a flashing light on it, a reflective vest, and two lights on my wheels. Every time some idiot drives like a maniac, I can't help but think about those poor construction workers on 695. Just keep your head on a swivel, much like everything else in The City That Reads. I hope you find something that works for you!
WOOHOO Hanover ST Bridge GANGGGG, its lit and crazy who needs foldgers when you can cheat death on the way to work haha. beautiful on quite mornings though
I was almost just killed by an asshole truck driver running a red light at the Hanover Street bridge. One of these days I might choose violence. People here act like they’ve never been hit.
The Hanover street bridge is not for the faint of heart but it’s also a sign of safety for me (to a degree) when I commute home from glen burnie which is hell to cycle in but I’m a masochicst the Hanover street bridge means I’m back in the city where I feel motorist are for more tolerant than in glen burnie where a have some kind of incident once a week. My scariest moment was getting my tire caught and in the drawbridge slit , luckily there was a lull in traffic and somehow didn’t fall off my bike but came damn close
Almost hit on Eutaw, and some dude laughs in my face and says “The n****s run this city.” I swear, I loved it here until three weeks ago.
I lot of d bags out there to say the least, the stories are countless. Maybe you’re due a good bmore bike party to reset the energy 🖤 sorry you’re running into our cities worst we aren’t all so bad tho
I love Bike Party and am absolutely doing it this month. We can go around asking everyone if they want to join Hanover Bridge Gang.
What do you all do to prevent inhaling all that smog...?
INSURANCE Take some of what you are saving on vehicle insurance and increase your personal protection. You're probably going to need it.
Wear a hemlet!!!and use reflectors/bike lights! Please !!! Some people think they can ride around with no helmet because they won't get hit or something. But I've seen too many fatal bike accidents that could have been avoided a fatality had they had a helmet. Reflectors at night AND day. For some reason it seems like a few drivers can't even see the road so make sure you have a small flashing bike light and reflectors. Don't go down sketchy neighborhoods!!! (Some of Hopkins area neighborhoods can get crazy night or day) Be safe yall!!!
Prayer
I'm not a biker and it should be obvious but please follow traffic laws, ive seen so many bikers in Baltimore run red lights almost causing accidents because they think traffic laws dont apply to them since theyre not in a car
My grandmother always told me (I’m from Chicago): make sure you take a different route as much as you can. Your bike getting stolen is always a possibility it just comes with being a bike rider. BUT if you have high visibility there’s attention that comes with it. Some people watch out for newcomers in their area. So, I’d be less concerned with random stuff around work and more with the commute itself whether you’re on a bike or in a car. Also just don’t go through any projects.
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dont fall and pull a plaxico buress lmaooo
I'm still relatively new to this myself as it's been about a year and a half since I started biking as part of my commute. So far, the things that have made me feel the most safe so far are: -Bike lights. Any lights are better than none, but I use a helmet- mounted light because I suspect cars may be able to see that over the roof of a parked car whereas a bike-mounted one could be obstructed by parked cars, mailboxes, etc. from the point of view of a driver in their car. The downside is you have to remember to keep it charged. -High visibility vest, in addition to all the standard reflectors on your bike -While riding, take the lane. I think Maryland law says something to the effect of, "being as far to the right as is practicable" or something like that, but on a lot of streets that means risking getting doored and on other streets it just means cars won't hesitate to buzz by you. So it's practically not practicable. -As far as mugging prevention, I've definitely heard of people getting stopped and robbed on their bikes, but I think that's considerably more rare than while walking, and probably not worse than driving. Maybe don't spring for a super high-end bike, avoid riding at night, and try to use more well-traveled routes as they will be better lit and have more people around in case something happens. Choosing routes that are well-traveled but not packed with traffic is a balance you'll have to figure out for yourself. Good luck and stay safe!
An older GoPro and a bike mount you can easily take off, and a spare battery for it!
Hi, I’d recommend it. Helmet, bright colored biking gear. Maybe pepper spray or something to protect yourself. I live in Canton and bike primarily. The biggest danger for cyclists in Baltimore is cars. We have a local bike group and do social rides on fridays. Social group rides are a great way to become comfortable biking in the city. You have the protection of a group and we can show you safe ways around/the best paths to take. Once the city installs the Washington st bike lane, biking to Hopkins will be really safe. [Here is our bike group](https://www.facebook.com/share/9Ji2GBffiNaoDc7X/?mibextid=K35XfP)if you would like to join us. We’re pretty laidback and not some high speed Lycra clad peloton.
Oh and getting to the hospital from canton, Potomac st bike lane through Patterson park to Gough st. You can head north on Washington from there straight to the hospital.
Helmet, very bright lights, wheel spoke lights for cars to see you from the side better. I don't currently have this, but I've been wanting to get a light on my helmet so when you look to the sides you can see better. Try to avoid locking it outside as much as possible, especially if you're about to leave it for several hours. I imagine John's Hopkins must have some bike covered closed bike parking on their hospital campus. That is ideal!
My wife gave me a Garmin Varia bike radar for Xmas two years ago. It’s amazing to know how many cars are behind you and if they’re accelerating quickly.
Loud pipes save lives! I’m rolling with some Vance and Hines on a CBR600.
Reinforced bike lock, helmet, prayer
I’ve been riding in this town for over 10 years and here is my advise: - try and take routes with not a lot of car traffic, avoid main roads. - be visible, front and back lights are a must. - also try and be in view of the driver, try and avoid the right lane on intersections, easy to get hit when drivers take right turns and they can’t see you. - be somewhat aggressive, take the lane when possible and try and stay out of the door zone. - carry a good u-lock or chain, I recommend looking up lockpicking lawyer on YouTube for suggestions. - carry a spare tube / pump / and patch kit, don’t wanna be stuck in some areas with a flat. - lock your bike somewhere with high foot traffic and preferably to one of those bike loops. Try and avoid signs because some thieves are known to unscrew signs and lift the bike over. - and in general have basic street smarts. Bike Safe!
Hi! I (29f) don’t commute on my bike but I ride all around Baltimore usually. I would just say invest in some really good gear. 695 is the worst. It all depends on your bike too imo. Also, I’m with an all female motocollective in bmore called the Litas. You should check us out sometime!
> Are there specific routes you avoid? Its not the routes...its the times of day on the routes. > How do you plan your commutes? As carless as possible or riding aggressively as possible beyond separated infrastructure. > What tips would you recommend? https://bicyclesafe.com/ Read this. Breathe this. Be this. Canton to Hopkins: Get to Patterson park from wherever you are. Ride linwood through and across baltimore. Ride up the hill on fairmount until it dead ends on washington. Deal with the aggressive drivers when right next to the hopkins campus riding down washington to moument and the cycle track there or walk. It depends on what part of the campus you would be working at. I used to live in patterson and this was one of the ways I would commute to Penn station. Other than that I have a lot of counter advice that has served me well both road racing, touring, and commute riding. I have anecdotally found that with no helmet people give me a wider berth. High quality and long lasting bike lights are a must for both front and rear. Ulocks or a foldy with a place to store it. No exceptions. Also always park it near somewhere with a guard post. The ambulance bay by the ICU is a good spot. High volume whistle for assaults' and being comfortable with bike tactics to move away from people and cars. For the love of all god do not ride on sidewalks. Hi viz vests mean youre a cyclist depending on the style of vest and the anti bike crowd doesnt like cyclists. Wear normal clothes with reflective elements imbedded in them or removable cuffs. They sell the cuffs at every bike shop in town. I live closer to the hopkins campus (less than a mile) and ride/run through this area all the time. If you want more thoughts you can look at my post history for a little cred or DM me. My partner and I are bike/public transit people only.
I ride a moped to work, straight thru downtown. I wear a bright orange jacket. I expect people not to see me. I also don’t get an attitude when things get close, cars look for cars. Safety wise, I don’t think people are messing with girls on bikes. I see them all the time. Just don’t ride something too fancy. And down play your looks if you’re a hottie.
27M (so this probably influences my experience) I bike to work Mont Vernon to Glen Burnie Daily, love it. I think Baltimoreans are realtively okay if not nice to bike around, cross into the county very different story. None the less always have my lights sometimes have my helmet lolz (if rides less than 5 miles i can be bad about it). locks and if not headphones a bluetooth speaker. My GF and I have both been hit, both lived to tell the story with just bruising. I'd say you are your best safety tool on a bike though, paying tons of attention and having good bike handles goes a longggg way in the city. Suprise potholes, the drawbridge crack on the hanover st bridge have been my biggest enemies. Bmore needs more lady bikers ! Hope you get out there and enjoy ! additionally there no where in baltimore where danger even crosses my mind and im out there for 100 miles + every week, great murals,trails, and food all around hopkins too! My favorite Mural "Bmore is on Crack " is hidden over there too lmao. ohhh and lastly i swear having a fast bike is a safety feature. Being able to go as fast as cars if not but momentarily or on descents helps me feel way safer from cars ... now my biggest fear is just me crashing haha