Running Mommy, this describes my area to a T. When I am by myself I ride the most heavily bicycled roads because the drivers are accustomed to us out there. I always take a cell phone and tell someone, but it is such a liberating experience to ride by yourself and venture out. I tend to stay away from the very few roads that are used by the backroad high speed commuters but flat farmland usually has roads on a 1-mile grid so its easy to go another route. And, you know, those farmworkers are the ones who recognize me and waive both from the fields and from their cars. They remember me. Someday, I may need them. The close encounters have come from the male Caucasian pick-up and van drivers.

Quote Originally Posted by Grog
Another cool trick I read - not sure whether it was here or elsewhere - was : when you get in a situation where a driver has to consider you in planning his/her manoeuver (intersections in particular), downshift and spin your legs faster. If you're moving your legs at a slow pace, you look like you're going slowlier, if you spin faster, you look faster in their head. So they're more likely to wait. I haven't tested that in a rigorously scientific procedure though, your mileage may vary!
This would scare the crap out of me to try this. Usually drivers underestimate my speed any way and pull out in front illegally. I downshift if there is a stoplight/sign, but not too far as I want to be able to apply power if necessary. If the light is green, I may be sprinting.