The first time I got right hooked was the closest I've ever come to getting run over. This was back in the mid-sixties when cars had big chrome door handles, I'm glad to say. A woman cut me off and the only option I had was to grab the front passenger door handle and ride around the corner with her. Her young son was in the seat and had his face right up against the glass, inches from mine. His yell, "MOM!" saved my bacon. She slowed to a stop and I was able to stay upright. I just shook my head at her and rode off. I hope she thought of how close she came forever after when approaching a turn, maybe saved someone else's life.

The lesson I've learned in over 50 years of riding (I still commute 4,000 miles a year at age 61.) was to stay just to the left of the fog line if there is no wide shoulder. People just don't see you if you're not in their travel lane. When I do ride to the right of the fog line I get a lot of close passes at speed. When I ride a few inches to the left, I get a lot of people straddling the center line as they pass and some even slow down.