If we understood it, maybe we could stop it. But for some reason, any inconvenience to some drivers causes road rage, and we cyclists just happen to be that inconvenience.

Ok, I can get that, but what exactly is the inconvenience?

For example, do you take up the entire lane, thereby making it impossible or unsafe for a car to pass?

Even so, I don't see how it justifies mowing some cyclist over, but trying to get some context as to why a driver would get pissed at someone on a bike.

I like swerving aside when motorcyclists are coming to pass me....I like giving them space to pass me within the lane. The cool ones extend their hand out as they pass and give you the "thanks" sign. If they don't give me the wave, I get annoyed. But I dont run them over.

It's unexplainable DDD. All I can say is sometimes they are immature kids that try to pull a top gun and buzz the tower, thinking this is funny and then there is the stereotypical redneck that hates you because he is a racist, homophobic asshole who wants to destroy everything he doesn't understand. I don't know how else to explain it. but it is universal everywhere I have ridden.

By law in most states, you may only pass a cyclist after providing five to ten feet clearance, otherwise you might be cited for reckless driving and endangerment.

If you're a dumb redneck, and you must actually slow down while drinking your beer, it annoys you to not be able to run down some pencil neck, French loving cyclist. And if for some reason, one might not be able to exceed the speed limit by thirty miles per hour, it is a horrible inconvenience to come upon some cyclists.

It really is mindless hate. Cyclists usually do nothing but exist, and that is offensive to some drivers. Of course Tex believes cyclists should just take it, even if they are mowed down by a cop.

I'm lucky that I live in an area where there are miles and miles of empty roads and for the most part people are very friendly and curious to cyclist but about once a year I will have a truck full of teenage boys buzz me or throw something at me. I will always be riding alone and their will be nobody else around. Three kids in a 5000lb truck up against one person in lycra on a 17lb bike is not very brave. I don't worry about myself getting hit but I do worry about my son serving a mission getting hit. If their is an even bigger target then cyclist I would guess that two young men riding in suits would fit that bill.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend, Arch. I wish him a speedy recovery.

These kinds of stories are why I don't run on streets anymore, except for races. Only Parkways and trails. It's too bad cyclists don't have that same option.

It's kids, it's rednecks and its people that might kick the dog or scream at other drivers and so forth, It is too bad, but I think in some areas it is getting better although in others it isn't

If the dude purposely swerved and hit the cyclists, won't that be considered attempted murder / manslaughter / whatever?

This line cracked me up.

Is there some kind of stereotype out there that cyclists are gay? I have never heard that before.

I think it was Archaea who posted an online petition for increased cycling awareness several months ago. I posted it on my local moms board, which is fairly large. I was mildly surprised by the responses I got. They said, sure, they are all for cycling safety, but the cyclists better make sure to do their part. They recounted incidents where the cyclists broke some kind of traffic rule. They surmised that some of the examples of cyclist bad behavior was due to the new influx of people riding to save on gas money. Of course, none of the women who responded were likely to mow down someone, but there was a little undercurrent of annoyance there that might escalate in someone else.

Archaea, I'm glad to hear your friend will recover, even if it is a slow one. My thoughts are with him and his family.