Bicycling is multiple times safer than motorcycling. It is not that different from being a pedestrian, as far as death rates go.
You have to ride defensively. After a while you learn to anticipate the things drivers do, because they do the same things all the time. Turning right, and cutting off a cyclist going the same direction, is called a right hook. As a rider, you know when a car is in front of you, you need to expect it to swerve into the intersection or driveway. Just like a motorcyclist knows to expect an oncoming car to turn left in front of him.
When a car blindsides you from behind - that's just bad luck. I watch my helmet mirror all the time, to have a chance of seeing that car coming. But at some point you have to rely on the probabilities.
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Are there safer routes that you guys could take? Routes that are mostly side-streets or bike paths? It would probably take longer, but it seems to be too risky taking these particular streets and arterials.
A public safety message from Momma's department of redundancy dept.
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