Quote Originally Posted by Gypsy View Post
I'm still nervous and worried about being in rush hour traffic in the mornings. I'm really scared of getting hit.
These statistics might help with your fear:
83% of wrecks don't involve a car.
Half of car-bike wrecks are the cyclist's fault.
If you eliminate those, you've eliminated 90% of the wrecks!
1) Ride an arm's length of the edge of the road. Most potholes, debris, etc accumulate at the edge. Riding an arm's length means they're not in your path*.
2) Respect the "door zone"--give parked cars plenty of space, even if you think the car is unoccupied.
3) Learn to scan and signal proficiently (by practicing). Swerving out into traffic without looking, such as from a driveway, or across lanes, is a common mistake bicyclists make.
4) Ride on the right side of the road, not on sidewalks. Drivers backing or pulling out of driveways, parking lots, alleys, etc.
5) ABC Quick Check (Air, Brakes, Chain, Quick release levers)--keep your bike in good working order so mechanical failure doesn't cause a wreck.

The best thing you can do is take the League's bike class, Traffic Skills 101.

All of those are more important than wearing a helmet. Wear a helmet for the 1% or so of wrecks that can happen anyway.

*I know that riding further out in the lane feels like you are trading one risk--hitting a pothole--for another risk--getting hit by a car. But it actually decreases BOTH risks. The most common thing a driver says after hitting a cyclist is "I never saw him/her". Riding more assertively makes you more visible. Watch this video to see why.