(I hope you see the need for a separate thread where the focus is
strictly bikes. Well, you may occasionally launch your tirades against
bad drivers like these...)

This is my original post...

I know, you only dare ride a stationary bike, or perhaps you are breve
enough to bike to work, but do you still feel intimidated by traffic?
Well, it's like asking the bullfighter if he feels intimidated by the
beast, only that you are not looking for trouble and that the beast we
are facing can absolutely be tamed --if only the government cared.

So is the cyclist out there a bit of a bullfighter? Do you feel that
black SUV charging at you like a raging bull? Ole!

http://webspawner.com/users/bikeforpeace

***

And this is the first response it drew...

Funny, I was thinking about posting today about an encounter I had this
morning with a motorist. I have nothing against motorists and in fact
on the weekend when going out with the family, I am one myself. What I
do have a problem with is ignorance.

This morning I am on a four lane, one-way street, taking up a good
portion of the right lane when a car comes behind me and honks. I don't
yell, don't curse, don't flash any vulgar signs, but I do wave in a "go
around me" sort of manner. Car decides to do that, but while passing me
decides to slow down and tell me that I should move to the side. Keep
in mind that this guy has 3 other perfectly good lanes to use, but he
*really* needs to use the one that I am in.

Two seconds later the guy is stuck at a red light so I pull up next to
him and our little conversation went something like this.

ACE: Hey buddy, by law I am allowed to use the entire lane.
Motorist: You don't have a mirror though do you?
A: No, I am not required to have one.
M: Just b/c you are on a ten-speed does not make you as fast as a car.
A: It is not a ten-speed, it is a single-speed. (I was on my fixed gear
Schwinn)
M: Whatever, you need to move to the side.
A: I have a right to the lane by law.
M: The law does not mean $H**. Get out of here, just go to your job.
A: I don't have a job.
M: Get the F**K OUT OF HERE.

At that point, I just took off b/c the driver was getting hostile and I
was starting to get a bit sarcastic which happens when the conversation
turns a bit circular and facts are being ignored. For my safety and all
those involved I felt moving on at that point was the right move.

***

And finally my comment on the bad driver...

Not to be rude, but that guy deserved to eat banana, I mean a good
middle finger, even if written on the back of a t-shirt. Something like
this...

http:/cafepress.com/peacebanana

(I do wear it all the time. Call it PREEMPTIVE STRIKE)