Originally Posted by
alan s
Get a rack and fenders, bell, wide tires, wear something bright, good lights, pump, CO2, patch kit and spare tube. Forget the mirror. Ride as fast as you can and most importantly, assume you are invisible.
Ridiculous. I ride near center of the right lane on multi-lane roads and it's extremely helpful to be able to keep an eye on traffic behind me to make sure they're changing lanes. Equally so on 2-lane roads. Preparing for left turns is also a million times easier with a mirror. And if you're riding with others it's easier to keep on eye on those behind you, or for approaching cars so you can yell "car back" before anyone else.
