I wonder if our familiarity with those roads close to home isn't part of the problem? I've been hit once by a car - only once in all the miles I've cycled through a whole lot of countries - and it was four miles from my home. I attribute it to the very fact that I knew that particular corner very well.

That day I was on my way home from work. This particular corner is one of those older roads that was built for two lanes, but they squeezed a third turn lane in there. That left ZERO space on the right side of the road - no shoulder whatsoever. The cars get right up next to the edge of the road and not even a cyclist can get through.

That day the interstate had closed down (turned out a bank robber ran out into the interstate and ended up shooting himself) so traffic was backed up. Had I been touring and not known the layout of the corner, I would have simply stayed behind the cars in the flow of traffic once I figured out I couldn't get by on the right. But - I knew this intersection well and knew there was no way I was going to get through on the right, so I pulled out into the turn lane to go around the cars. Just then a woman decided she would pull out into the turn lane too - and hit me.

So - in my case anyway - my familiarity with the local roads was what led to my accident. In other places I am much more cautious and don't take shortcuts. They always say that the vast majority of accidents happen within a few miles of your own home. I always thought that made sense seeing as how the vast majority of our miles will be within those few miles. But maybe the whole familiarity thing has something to do with it??