I live in San Jose and the roads here are terrible!! There is glass, and debris on the road everywhere. I think when they cut the budget to try to climb out of the monster debt that we are in, street cleaning was one of the first things to go. After all who cares about the minorities right? Two thumbs down! (Sorry about the rant, it is just frustrating) That being said, there are a few things that you can do minimize your chances of having an accident.

1.) check the weather - There is an application available that will show you what days of the week are safer to ride by looking at weather conditions and providing a rating for the next five days. It is called Cycle Weather and it is available for iphone and Android phones.

2.) Wear the bright clothing that everyone here has mentioned - Amazon and REI should be your economical options.

3.) Blinking red and solid white - Even if you are riding in the daytime, having a blinking red on the back and a solid/blinking white light on the front is a must have.

4.) Dork it up- If you live in an area where there is debris on the shoulder/bike lane buy a mirror, it might save your life!