It was a clear sunny day around noon time. Granted I admit partial blame because I do have lights and did not mount them that day. If I had a flashing headlight, probably would have made a difference.
Actually, in another thread on this site, the experts have determined that flashing front lights irritate drivers and make them want to hit cyclists.
Basic take-away---riding in traffic is dangerous and as @
b88 notes, no matter how many precautions you take, some day might just be your day. Lots of us have done decades of dangero9us urban commuting and survived---and most of us by using varied methods, so I won;'t say "This is the answer ... ."
Whenever you have hurried, harried, self-important humans in cars on roads with cyclists, the cyclists are vulnerable. No matter what infrastructure, if you and cars are on the same road surface, there is potential for disaster.
We had a poster here from (as far as I can recall) the Philippines, where traffic laws are more like traffic "suggestions' (which I guess is the case in a lot of places.) Can you imagine the sort of traffic environment where even big SUVs are not safe, where anybody might go anywhere at any time regardless of traffic signs or signals or marked lanes or even curbs (I was in a taxi in Beijing where the driver no joke went right up onto a wide sidewalk to get pass some cars blocking an intersection.)
I appreciate what I have.