Originally Posted by
rmfnla
Blinkies during the daytime.
Everyone knows lights are important at night, but those little guys can save your butt during the day...
These are now required by law during daytime in some states. In Virginia, you can do without on low-speed roadways, but on those posted at 35 MPH and above you must have them blinking. On a recent tour I was using both front and rear blinkies and felt safer doing so. You want to give yourself every advantage when trying to survive in traffic and the last thing I wanted was to be clobbered by someone who'd have told the police, "Nobody
ever rides a bicycle on this road."
Also, kickstands. I've used them for decades on nearly every bike in my fleet. Center mount on some bikes, rear mount on others, and I just recently tried the remarkably heavy but astonishingly useful ESGE Pletscher Twin. Worked on the touring bike fitted either with six bags (front and rear panniers, plus handlebar bag and rack pack) or with just the handlebar bag and B.O.B. trailer.