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Old 05-22-20, 08:06 AM
  #41  
Jim from Boston
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Actually, IMO in these discussions about rearward traffic, I consider my main defense the use of a rearview mirror. Recently I participated (link) in a thread, to answer this complaint:
Originally Posted by Daniel4
It's not a matter of how much more carefully you are riding. It's a matter of bad drivers being just as careless as before. Some drivers are even driving worse since there are so much fewer cars and people on the road.

Will there be another white bike memorial soon?
Besides avoiding the careless driver, I think wearing a rearview mirror would be unexpected to the antagonistic one, and if your spidey sense recognizes danger, you could pull off and thwart (his) intentions.
Originally Posted by downtube42
...Note that when people yell, honk, blow smoke, and spin tires at you, that means they saw you, which is a good thing. They are not trying to kill you, so they probably won't kill you, which is also good. Even the intimidation-passers are actually trying quite hard to *nearly* hit you, which means they are more or less trying to not hit you, which is a good thing.

So that's all good.

People texting, posting on FB or BF, watching videos, or chatting up with their friends and family will not honk, yell, blow smoke, or spin tires at you. They might not see you, which is bad, and they might kill you, which is bad.

On narrow twisty hilly roads, drivers actually need to spend most of their time looking out the windshield, which is very good for you. As opposed to straight flat wide roads, where they can and do spend a considerable amount of time not looking out their windshields.

In conclusion, don't fear unsocial angry people, and don't fear social people on twisty hilly roads. Fear (and avoid) social people on flat, straight, wide roads. That's where you're gonna die.

Last edited by Jim from Boston; 05-22-20 at 04:02 PM. Reason: added quote by downtube42
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