Most cyclists know the secret to safe travel is being able to see the trail or road ahead of you and to be seen by others sharing both. If you can’t see the road and trail hazards ahead of you, you are “riding blind.” If others can’t see you, you’re an invisible element in the landscape, not worthy of consideration or notice. No wonder, drivers in vehicle/bicycle crashes often say, “I didn’t see that cyclist.”
High rates of speed and driver distraction all spell trouble for cyclists riding on public roads. Like knights of old, they have to “armor” themselves for a vehicular onslaught.
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