Shocked by online comments, reporter writes profile of hit-and-run victim
<i>Police said that Mr. Smith was following bicycle safety recommendations such as wearing light-colored clothing, using reflectors and riding in the bicycle lane.</i><p>This is a common misconception.  Reflectors are worthless.  Riding in the bike lane exposes you to great danger -- car doors flying open to the right, aggressive motorists passing too closely on the left.  If you take the lane, you're out of the "door zone", and motorists have no choice but to slow down and pass you like they would pass any other vehicle on the road.  You may feel like you are being an annoyance, but annoying people is what makes them pay attention and not kill you.<p>As for reflectors; they only work when there is a clear path from an illumination source to the reflector and back to your eye.  Sometimes that happens, but more often than not, it doesn't.  You don't need a $300 super-bright rechargeable light system -- get a $5 blinky and throw an extra AA battery in your seat bag.  It may save your life.<p>Also, read Effective Cycling: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Cycling-6th-John-Forester/dp/0262560704" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/Effective-Cycling-6th-John-Forester/dp...</a><p>Please don't get yourself killed because you don't want to inconvenience a motorist or buy an LED light.  Oh, and get a helmet; the $30 ones are just as safe as the $200, if not as comfortable.<p>I hate to be preachy, but it makes me sad when people die because they are using a safe and efficient form of transportation.  (And believe me, I am not blaming the cyclist for his own death here -- the motorist who murdered him is to blame, with a close second to poor city planning and the total lack of bicycle education in the US.)