Its particularly tricky riding on rainy days, not just for safety reasons but also because of wetness. You end up in a bit of a conundrum. Do I layer up with warm clothes and a rain jacket and rain pants, thus arriving soaked from sweat? Or do I leave off the rain clothes and arrive soaked from rain? One solution is, of course, to spend a bundle on the perfect blend of rain protection and breathability, but I am a "heavy sweater" and not of the "dense pull-over knit" variety. I'm not sure said "perfect blend" exists. Goretex seems to be the best option but even it can be overcome by sweat.
I have found the most success by successive layering of clothes that have zippers. Venting is key to sweat management, and zippers are the key to venting. A layer of street clothes plus a zippered fleece plus a zippered rain jacket allows for all sorts of adjustments and can deliver you to your destination comfortably and only slightly damp. As for rain pants, I have no idea. Venting seems to be an insurmountable problem and I often just choose to get damp from the rain. A heavy downpour might require protection, but otherwise I just give in to the elements. Of course it has not yet been 35F and raining. Additionally it helps to just give yourself a bit more time and lower your exertion level. Take your time and you'll sweat less.
Last bit - arriving wet is better than not arriving. When pedaling in the rain, light yourself up just like you would at night. Drivers will hit what they can not see. Be seen, and enjoy the knowledge that those reports of a UFO flying close to the ground are evidence of your success.
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