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A shoulder on some of the winding roads through the rural upcounty is all Tim Guilford and fellow cycling enthusiasts want.

Guilford, 52, of Gaithersburg, has biked county roads for more than 25 years and the dangers haven't changed.

"There are a lot of blind turns on some of the roads in the reserve," said Guilford, who recently led a ride through the Agricultural Reserve for the Potomac Pedalers Touring Club of Fairfax, Va. "If there's a car behind us, they don't want to wait, they go around us. If another car is coming in their direction, they hit the breaks and we stand a chance of slamming into them."

The Montgomery County 5th District Police station's Citizens Advisory Board took the first step in keeping the cyclists safe on Monday. The group met with County Department of Transportation engineer Gail Tait-Nouri about the possibility of adding shoulders or designated bike lanes to some of the county's narrow roads. Advisory board member Linda Panagoulis said the group wants to explore what modifications can be made to county roads.

Panagoulis, director of the Damascus Community Recreation Center, said board members have noticed increased cyclists traffic over the last year and wanted to find ways to protect them on their rides. She said the group is also trying to find money to fund adding bike lanes to roads.

The board will meet with county planners April 14, Panagoulis said.

Guilford said he draws more than a dozen cyclists on his weekend rides.

"Because there are no shoulders on several of the roads, we have to ride in traffic," Guilford said.

At a minimum, Nouri said the county would like street signs to remind drivers to watch for cyclists.

Capt. Thomas Didone, commander of the 5th District station in Germantown, said signs are a good start, but bike lanes and shoulders are a must.

"When you have bikers and cars share a road, without a designated bike lane, you have the potential for a bad accident," he said.