Rules for Being Safe

Here are my personal rules for accident avoidance. Road cycling is not "safe," but risks can be mitigated.

• Ride on roads that permit cars and bicycles to travel the same direction without undue burden on either (this excludes narrow roads, roads with broken shoulders, and roads with many intersections)
• Run a rear blinker (I've tried with and without during the day -- something about the blinking light gets people's attention in some way that helps give me more room)
• Ride in a straight line.
• Be predictable. If you are going to turn, let drivers know. If you are going straight through an intersection, go through the intersection large and in charge.
• Use your ears. Headphones while riding are the dumbest evidence of stupid imaginable. You are riding a bicycle in the great outdoors -- enjoy it! If you get bored, you have insufficient imagination to be a cyclist. Dismount, list the bike on ebay, walk home, and immediately join Gold's Gym.
• Dump the mirror (which is a worthless excuse for a safety device). Unless you are wearing a neck brace, turn your head. If you can't ride straight while turning your head, practice until you can.
• Be noticeable. Hugging the right curb is asking for a sideswipe. Instead, ride far enough left that cars MUST drive AROUND you. People are lazy -- if they don't have to move the wheel they won't. If you feel/see someone coming to close you will have room to dive to the right. Of course if you are riding on a rare wide-shouldered secondary road, stay out of the car traffic lane. Most state laws require cyclists to "stay as far right as practicable" or some such language. The problem is: Who decides what's "practicable?" I assume since I am the cyclists I make the determination. If questioned I can answer that I am avoiding debris and maintaining visibility.
• Stop at red lights. Yeah, you might lose your Strava KOM, but, who cares? Let the drivers know cyclists understand the law and abide by it. IF the red doesn't trip because the sensor doesn't recognize your lycra-clad self, wait until it's safe then shove off (some state laws have this provision. Pennsylvania does not but the state-provided "Bicyclists Rules of the Road" suggests safely riding through after a long wait).
• Wear distinctive clothing. It doesn't have to be a bedazzled abomination, but it should at least be visible. Black is the current cool race kit, but it's not so great at dawn and dusk. If you're going to ride when folks are driving to and from work then it really pays to wear high-vis jerseys. It's dark out, so who is gonna see your Team Sky kit anyway?

Oh -- and wear a helmet.