Man, I don't know how many right hooks I have been subject to during my rides. Multiple right hooks on every rides. I think my slow speed helped save me from accident. It's not necessarily that the driver did not see the cyclist. Some drivers (in fact, many) saw the cyclist on their right but just wants to pass him during the turn because they are in such a hurry to drive to God-knows-where, and they don't like that the bike is slower than their cars.
P.S. Just because one is a highly skilled and experienced cyclist doesn't mean you are less likely to have an accident. Even a small impact can cause a fatal accident, because that small impact can cause the bike lose balance; once losing balance, the bike can fall in any direction, any way. You can fall under the wheel, in front of a coming car, or your head hit the ground, etc. etc. I knew this because I once fell behind a bus when the bus stopped in front of me. It was a very "mild" fall, but both my bike and me fell on the street, basket dented, handlebar twisted a little, and I got bad bruises on my leg. Thank God no car is running behind me.
Last edited by vol; 10-26-10 at 09:21 PM.