Originally Posted by digibud

the problem is they don't expect to see YOU there, and of course if you are riding at 18mph and they are going 40, if you impact it's your speed PLUS their speed, 58mhp. If you are NOT a salmon the relative speed is 22mph. Obviously most impacts are not at full speed for each but it illustrates an important point. Salmon riders ADD to the impact speed. non-salmon riders decrease the speed of impact by virtual of the direction of their travel. Cars coming out of a driveway look left for oncoming traffic. They are looking at the road...not at a salmon rider coming from their right. And that's the most basic problem, salmon riders are in a position that people do NOT expect to see them. you may see oncoming traffic better which is why salmon riding is intuitively better, but it's all the other cumulative factors that make it much less safe than cycling within the normal rules of traffic where you are seen better. It's much more important for the car to see you early than for you to see the car early.