How bike friendly is the houston galleria area?

Houston Galleria area is not bike friendly at all. Heavy traffic and heavy congestion most of the day. I don’t live there, but have been there many times. If you can bike in traffic…..as in NYC traffic, maybe you could. However, Houston drivers are not terribly bike friendly either.

If a local says differently, I stand corrected.

I looked the route up on Mapquest, and it looks like I could take backroads entirely and avoid main roads. And it would get me there a little faster. Any opinions? Going to the Art Institute of Houston

@plethora Duly noted. I am also very fond of the word plethora. =]

Not familiar with the Art Institute, but if you could take back roads, it should be fine. I was thinking Westheimer, which is the main thoroughfare through galleria area.

Yeah….I like plethora too…one of my favorite words, for some reason..:)

Best wishes on your move. Get ready for a very hot and humid summer.

It’s extremely unfriendly. The museum district, Montrose, West University, or pretty much any of the other neighborhoods around there would be a lot easier to bike in.

Oh, but I just googled your school, and it’s right there. Okay, well, I would say if you can get to your school and home without actually riding down San Felipe, Post Oak, or Westheimer, or Chimney Rock (Sage would be okay) then it would be manageable, but only if you’re an extremely aggressive cyclist. Personally I wouldn’t do it, and I ride my bike for transportation almost every day here in Houston.

Feel free to PM with with any more questions about Houston etc!

@La_chica_gomela Thanks! I’ve ridden a few of the neighborhood streets I would be riding in a car. The area around the school and the neighborhood appears to be pretty light on traffic, and I would only have a 2 mile ride from the housing. UNFORTUNATELY, after a bit of rerouting, it appears that I would have to cross Fountain View and Chimney Rock. Can I do this safely?

It depends on what kind of cyclist you are, pretty aggressive or more timid. If you try it, I would suggest a strategy of sometimes riding in the street, sometimes on the sidewalk, keeping to the sidewalks mostly in heavy traffic areas. This may or may not be legal, but it’s extremely common here, and sometimes it’s the only way to get through without ending up on someone’s windshield. And DEFINITELY wear a helmet!

I just bought a really cool helmet, so you bet i’m going to wear it! I definitely noticed that.Riding on the sidewalk is highly illegal but it seems to be necessary in Houston. For the sake of living, I shall break the law. As for my cycling style, i’m very confident in my skills, so I suppose you could say more aggressive?