Bicycling Myths

"A very pernicious myth is that if you ride in traffic, the motorist will run into you from behind. There are a number of collisions of this type, but they happen mainly at night with cyclists who have no lights on their bikes. To avoid being struck from behind, some cyclists ride the wrong way or on sidewalks, dangerous behaviors because the motorist doesn't see them when turning. Cyclist who ride in the roadway and obey the traffic laws are more visible and much safer.
At the other extreme, some are maintaining that all one has to do is to obey the traffic laws and maintain the proper lane position to be safe. While this is usually true, it is much more logical to watch nearby vehicles as well. Careful motorists and motorcyclists die every day, so a little extra caution, especially during times of poor visibility, at intersections, or when the motorist is acting strangely, makes a lot of sense."

(For more info check out http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/lifestyle/myths.htm)