Originally Posted by
spectastic
Thanks for all the input. I just want to make sure I'm not doing anything stupid riding on the highway. There's constantly the worry that some texting teenager or a handicapped grandma won't see me at all. Those cars are going mighty fast, and most of them are pickup trucks.
Actually, when it comes to those specific fears, you're probably safer on a highway than you are on, say, quieter city streets. The handicapped grandmas tend to avoid fast moving traffic situations like that, and the texting teen has more to worry about than a cyclists on a highway ... their motivation to refrain from texting are the semis roaring past. Of course this isn't 100% the case, and you do need to pay attention ... use the mirror, wear brighter colours, ride predictably, don't use earbuds ... listen to the traffic instead.
And remember if they honk at you, at least they've seen you and are acknowledging you.