conspiratemus1

You only think they do. They do make you think they work pretty well for ordinary planned "service" stops because of their higher mechanical advantage. But when you need to throw on the binders for an emergency stop, you just can't squeeze 'em hard enough from on top. It's also harder to resist the pitch-over effect when you're perched up on the tops of the hoods.

Ride on the drops when there is cross traffic.

On another point, the OP says he thinks the driver didn't see him because his lights point only to the front and rear. No excuse: a driver looking both ways for cross traffic before he enters an intersection will still see the forward-facing headlights of an approaching cyclist. (Now if the cyclist has only reflectors facing forward, then no, the driver cannot possibly see the cyclist. But the OP says he had "good lights".)

I think a helmet-mounted light is a good idea, though. I deliberately turn my head to look at vehicles (motorized and not) approaching intersections and in so doing the helmet light gives them a little light flick right at their eyes. I also use two headlights mounted as far apart on the handlebars as I can, in the hope that two lights at least for an instant says "Car!...something that can kill me!" in the brain stem of the motorist. It's also nice to have an instant backup in case one dies just before a T-boning motorist looks down the street at you.

I know, I know, some will still look right at you and not "see" you, but most fortunately do see us. We'd all be dead otherwise.