Originally Posted by
tdreyer1
Watch out for car doors when you are riding next to parked cars. Try to give them enough room so that you don't have to swerve if they get flung open.
Ride assertively and predictably.
Ride a consistent line in the middle of the right hand lane. Don't weave in and out around parked cars as you will find yourself boxed in and in a very unsafe situation when trying to move back left into traffic. Make eye contact with motorists but never trust that just because they see you they won't hit you. Wear a helmet and gloves in case you take a spill(helmet for brains, gloves for hand meat). A healthy fear of autos is good, but don't let it get out of hand. Try different routes until you find the one you feel most comfortable on. Don't let the rider behind you dictate what you do, they need to be aware of the surroundings for themselves, not just looking at your rear end and following. Try slick tires on your MTB instead of skinnies and keep them pumped up properly. Enjoy your commute and develop a thick skin for when you get heckled by the cagers. If you want music they sell several handlebar bags with built in speakers for IPods and such. I personally don't agree that headphones(at a reasonable volume) are any different that riding in a car with the windows up and radio on.