Why are I invisubal?

[blade023]

That's a rhetorical question because I already know the answer in this case. To explain..

I was riding home today, along the same route that I travel so many times and am very familiar with. Quite a lot of rain, wet roads, getting dark and reduced visibility for various reasons so I decide to chill out a bit more and not be so aggressive with my normal overtaking. Coming off a large roundabout with traffic lights there's a long stretch of 40mph road with a few junctions.

After filtering for about 2 minutes from the roundabout the traffic starts to move a bit faster (about 25-35 mph) so I slot in behind a large van. I'm slightly right of centre so I can get a better view of upcoming junctions; about in line (maybe slightly right of) the van's right lights.

Suddenly I notice this car undertaking me, in my lane (single lane each way on this road) so I get on the horn. Looking in his window, I notice the idiot inside is fiddling about with a mobile phone/pda device and headphones!

Now this bugs the crap out of me, I've seen so many cagers messing about with phones or whatnot, completely ignoring what's going on around them! I'm guessing he's using his peripheral vision to (very roughly) keep track of the large white metal object in front, as he seems to almost catch up to it then fall back from it about twice.

Thinking about it though, if I'd have been in the centre of my lane I'd have been rear ended by this guy for sure.

Just thought I'd share this and see what you guys think. Any pointers or tips would be appreciated, but I can't see what I could have done better (other than not ridden) to avoid something like this, as it was only by chance that I wasn't in the middle of the lane. My thought process around this time was something like "hmm, I'll not overtake this van quite yet, but I just want to see what's ahead a bit further up.."
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Current: VFR800 2008 13.7k and rising rapidly!
Sorn: 2003 FZS1000 30k(ish) looking to sell.

[G]

So in poor visibility you put yourself in line with another vehicle's lights, then weren't seen?

Do you have anything else on your bike to aid visibility bar the standard rear light.

Couldn't easily find it, but there's a good picture showing how easily a motorbike with it's light on can easily be missed in daylight when the car behind has it's lights on as well.

[blade023]

[G]

My top box has an integrated rear light.

Added extra indicators with LED strips too.