Figurative Vs. Actual Deer in Headlights...
 

A couple of nights ago on the ride home some pick-up driver in the oncoming left-turn lane almost T-boned me as I crossed a well-lighted intersection. Missed me by two feet even though, as you can see from my avatar, I am lit up like a Christmas Tree ( ).

Anyway, there was that horrible moment when I momentarily froze before the surge of adrenaline shot me across the rest of the intersection.

One block later I'm in the bike lane when there's the large growl of another pickup truck coming up behind me in my mirror. Up ahead is a deer, frozen in its headlights. The truck, now past me, slams on his brakes and the deer runs across to the side street on my side of the street.

Both of us now stopped and breathing heavily under the streetlamp, the deer seemed to glare at me with incrimination as if to say, "what the heck is wrong with your species?"

"I know, right!?" I replied...possibly out loud.

Then the deer trotted off his way, and I swung around and rode off on mine.

I have been extending my evening commute more and more lately. The longer route gives me almost no cars (getting from one side of Route One to the other, not to mention I-95) and if i don't have to deal with cars, I'm okay with that.
Instead, i interact with the deer. They're pretty... and really dumb. I like them.

Good one, really.

BTW the only comment I have on your "mothership lighting scheme" is your rear blinkers need an irregular pattern. Not a steady beat. I have used a PB super flash for years, but recently I noticed a new "irregular pattern" light on the market... something that seems to detect the approach of a car and then shifts the pattern. I honestly have no idea what it is... perhaps someone here will know it.

And as far as T-boning you... yeah, no light seems to get the attention of some folks. SIGH!

The variable tail like is likely one of these:
https://buy.garmin.com/en-US/US/p/518151

That technology is amazing. However, I'd still want to have a rear-view mirror so I could see if the approaching vehicle was actually a threat. I doubt the Garmin device can differentiate between a following vehicle with a 3-foot separation and one that's on a collision course. I'd be nervous relying on the flashing rear light to change the path of the approaching vehicle.
The video accurately cites the prevalence of "struck-from-behind" fatalities (from a study a few years ago by the League of American Bicyclists, I believe). The rider doesn't have a mirror... the cynic in me thinks this would weaken the sales pitch for the electronics. :innocent:

Apropos of I have little kids and have barely ridden my bike since early autumn... there is now a preschooler show called Deer Squad. I've tolerated a lot of stupid TV lately from my four year olds but I drew the line at this one, I won't put it on.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ee01220912.jpg