Good advice. I have been riding for 45 years and I agree it's always a good idea to pretend you are invisible. Even if you see a car driver look at you that doesn't mean a damn thing. Day glow yellow riding gear helps but that is only if the normal car driver actually gives a s#@t. Most don't. Hell, think about how they drive around you when you are in your car! Being exposed and vulnerable on a bike only exacerbates the situation. It's a combat zone out there.
An older rider years ago gave me one of the best pieces of riding advice I have ever heard.
Look at their front wheels. A car can't do anything that its front wheels don't dictate. Are they turned, are they completely stopped, are they starting to roll... Forget the driver, forget if they are looking at you, forget if they are texting or on the cell phone. The driver is persona non grata, they mean nothing. The car does what it tells you it wants to do... like pulling in front of you. The front wheels tell all.
I have even adopted that technique when I am driving my car. Why not? Same thing right?
I personally think every car driver should have to spend six months minimum riding a bike in traffic before they ever have an automobile permit. I guarantee it would make the roads safer and all the car drivers better.
As a long time cyclist and a motorcyclist of 3+ years and about 12,000 miles I've noticed this as well and given this advice to everyone possible. Watch the front wheels because you will be able to anticipate what the driver is going to do based on that. If you are riding along in your lane and see the wheels of a car up ahead in the lane next to you start to turn you know that he's going to be coming over and armed with this knowledge you can begin slowing or plan an escape route in case he isn't aware that you are there. Otherwise you are left to react when you see the car moving into your path...by then it's an oh sh!t moment.
