With each year, it seems Bike Week spreads out farther and farther from the event's home base of Daytona Beach, and that means traffic picks up in surrounding counties, including Flagler.

But Deputy Scott Vedder, with the Flagler County Sheriff's Office motorcycle unit, says they're prepared for the crowds.

"Flagler County gets pretty busy, normally during the day," said Vedder. "We're more busy during the afternoon, and things move their way back to Daytona for the evening."

You won't mistake the roads around the county for, say, Daytona Beach, but many of the popular rides enjoyed by bikers do wind through Flagler County, with stops at popular watering holes thrown in along the way.

While increased patrols and ad campaigns aim to keep the bikers safer here, motorcyclists say they can't let down their guard, no matter where they are.

Ed MacMillan, from the town of Callahan, north of Jacksonville, and his friends were waiting out a shower in Bunnell on Friday before continuing down to Daytona Beach. He said he's seen a difference over the years with drivers in other vehicles.

"I think a lot more of them look out for us, but you know, it's still dangerous out there," MacMillan said. "You can still have problems."

Vedder says in his experience, the motorcyclists are often the victims.

"Most of our accidents come from the vehicles violating the right-of-way of the motorcycle," the deputy said. "So, if you're proactive and you're paying attention to where you're riding, you can prevent most of those accidents."

That, of course, is a message for any county neighboring Volusia, but most bikers aren't relying on that message getting through.

When asked if he was more confident in his skills or the folks in the cars and trucks, MacMillian said that was an easy one to answer: "More in mine. I watch out for them more than I think they watch out for me."