Road conditions can vary greatly on a winter's day ride. When possible, avoid roadway snow, ice, leaves, sand and puddles. They are all slippery and can hide debris. When you must ride over a potential hazard, ride as upright as possible as if your were crossing railway tracks. To reduce the frequency of collisions, cyclists must become more visible and conspicuous to motorists by using lights, reflectors and a road position that permits good sight lines.
Lights have two uses, to see and be seen.
Point the light up to motorists and use the ambient light of streetlights to navigate. In areas without streetlights, a 10-watt lamp will allow you to see the black asphalt roads on dark rainy days. White reflectors at the front of the bike are only effective when a motorist is heading straight for the cyclist. Use a light, it's the law. At the back of your bike, a three-inch amber reflector is very effective used in conjunction with a solid or blinking red light.