
If you had been looking in your mirror, you would have seen the guy coming 
before you heard the screeching tires.

When you're stopped at a light:

1)  Stop so that you're got space in front of you, and a quick easy escape
route (between lanes, into a crosswalk, up a driveway, somewhere) if someone
decides they want to plow into you.

2)  Keep the bike in first with the clutch in until at least a couple of cars
are stopped behind you, so you don't have to waste a second you don't have
trying to get it in gear if you need to move.

3)  Watch your mirrors.  In that situation, most of the hazards you are 
trying to avoid are coming from behind you.  SIPDE (<-- msf-geek-speak)
isn't just for when you're moving.  And you're less likely to panic and stall
the bike if you've got time to prepare before the guy's tires lock up behind
you.  (You still get the bejeezus scared out of you, but it's more a feeling
of quickly-rising dread than a sudden jolt.)




