I'm a daily motorcycle commuter. I ride an average of 30 miles every single day in all types of weather. Yesterday, it was storming near the end of my evening church service. A couple fellow Church members asked me what I was going to do. I told them I'd just ride home. It shocked them. What about the lightning and the rain? I told them two things:

1) I have a rainsuit and even if I didn't, I would dry out.

2) I ride to work every day. The chance of me getting struck by lightning is miniscule compared to some woman on a cell phone crowding me into a bridge abutment or pulling out in front of me.

The fact is the general public is destination driven. The events between leaving and getting there don't matter to a very large percentage of the driving public. They drive like complete morons. They aren't morons, its just that they are thinking about getting there not about being where they are and moving along. The travel time is an annoyance they would just soon do without so they have their minds elsewhere.

I've been riding motorcycles since I was 7 years old. On the road since I was 21 (I'm over 40 now). I've been crowded up on curbs, pulled out in front of had my feet run over at stop lights, etc. The biggest safety tips I can give any rider, experienced or novice are these:

Slow down. This is the most important. Think about it. If you could only go 20 mph you'd never have to worry about anything. You could slam into a brick wall without a helmet and live the majority of the time. Double the speed = 4 times the (damage, stopping distance, reaction time, etc). The damage and skill go up exponentially not linearly. SLOW DOWN!

Wear a helmet. Your survival rate goes up at least 50% when you do. If you don't have a brain, don't worry about it, there is nothing up there to protect.

Figure every car is out out to get you. Alternatively, figure every car is being driven by a stressed out woman talking on her cell phone. Sorry ladies, you lose this round. I see the most moronic moves from WOMEN yapping on their cell phones. The common image is a pushy guy pulling rude and stupid moves. Not true. The worst and most populous bad drivers on the road are WOMEN on cell phones. Pull over and do your socialite conversations without killing someone, please. Our wives and husbands will appreciated it.

Turn your lights on and put your brights on during the day. Sometimes this will wake up the sleeping drivers that are headed your way. It helps a little.

Don't turn your brain off like the cagers do. Keep it running. They can survive longer without their brains (and with their cell phones) than us.

Over all, figure that every driver won't see you because they're thinking about their new hairdo, the tanning booth or the bar they are headed for. You'll be better off and maybe alive if you approach each ride this way.