"I don't trust drivers to see me or do the right thing. I ride safer by assuming I'm invisible, then stacking visibility, motion, lighting, positioning, and awareness so drivers can't ignore me - without giving up riding. I've never trusted drivers. Not when I was younger. Not now. Not on quiet back roads or busy city streets. And I've never bought into the idea that being "in the right" is the same thing as being safe."
"A lot of cycling advice starts with the same assumption: drivers will behave the way they're supposed to. Stop signs. Right-of-way. Eye contact. That assumption gets people hurt. Drivers are distracted. Windows are tinted. Speeds are higher than ever. And when a two-ton vehicle meets a human body on a bicycle, it doesn't matter who had the right-of-way. I ride as if I'm invisible - and then I do everything I can to make that invisibility impossible."
Drivers are distracted, often unable to register cyclists, and legal right-of-way does not guarantee safety. Ride under the assumption of invisibility and then actively eliminate that invisibility. Use layered visibility: bright, high-contrast color, motion, multiple lights, and deliberate positioning on the road. Don't trust a single light or a bike lane to protect you; combine steady and flashing lights and wear fluorescent helmets and jerseys. Prioritize being noticed over style. Stack measures including lighting, color, movement, and heightened situational awareness to reduce collision risk while continuing to ride.
Read at Theoldguybicycleblog
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