Some tips for a new rider:

Cager = Someone driving a car.

Ride like every cager is trying to kill you. Assume that every one of them, if given the opportunity, will:

* Pull out in front of you.
* Push you out of your lane.
* Rearend you.
* Back over you.

When you're riding, imagine that every cager will do one of the above in an attempt to end your life, and do your best not to give them the opportunity. This means when you see someone ready to pull out of a driveway, assume they do not see you and act accordingly. Slow down. Watch where they are looking. Prepare to take evasive actions. Do not ride in a cager's blind spot. Use other cagers when riding. When that guy I mentioned above is waiting to pull out into traffic, slow down or speed up so that you pass him with a cager beside you. If they don't see you they will probably see another car and wait for it to pass before pulling out.

Watch out for cagers turning left in intersections where they must yield on a left turn. Like I said before, assume they do not see you and slow down and prepare for them to pull in front of you.

Remember that you're small. This makes it harder to see you so it's a good idea to do things that increase your visibility. Ride with your brights on during the day. Wear bright clothing. Also, because of your small size, it makes it more difficult to guess your speed. Someone in a car may think you're travelling at a much lower speed and therefore believe they have time to pull out before you get there. That's why slowing down helps.