I share similar frustrations over cars and cyclists' behavior. I tend to ride in parks on those roads because I don't feel very comfortable out on the open road, especially after our cycling coach was killed last year while on his bike and a few years ago this weekend, a member of our club was killed on his bike on the road.

(I am more of a mtn. biker, but I train on the road with plenty of my guardian angels to keep me safe I might add!).

I agree with those who are more annoyed by cyclists behaving badly. I think we have to almost follow the rules of the road religiously or exaggeratedly to show the motorists that we are polite and obey the law. I refuse to go on certain group rides in my area because 99 percent of the people don't follow the rules of the road...they go through stop signs and red lights, for instance. It is annoying and dangerous, so I just stay in the parks where the traffic is light and the speed limit is 35 mph.

I have similar frustrations over the male cyclists who think, "Oh, there's a woman, I think I will pass her." I never have this problem with the male Cat 1 or 2 or 3 riders in our state...they are courteous and professional for the most part...isn't that interesting ?

On the road, the passing issue isn't as annoying to me as it is on my mountain bike where it's much narrower for passage. Back when I raced my mountain bike, I would have these sport level guys grab my handle bars to try to take me down...it was all pretty ugly back then....they wouldn't even say, "passing on your left/right" (they'd say, "get the #$@$ off the trail!") Luckily, racing has lost popularity out here and people don't treat the trails as their personal race track any more.

One of my personal fantasies is to wear one of those floral sport skorts while riding with pigtails/ribbons and pass a group of guys and demurely, in a very girly voice, say, "passing on your right, gentlemen!" Hee hee hee!

I kinda have the attitude on the road and on my mtn. bike that if you are going to pass me, you better be faster than me, regardless of gender. In a tight and narrow spot on the road or mtn. bike, I also tend to think that if someone is going to pass, it's up to them to do the maneuvering and find a safe spot (so, they also better have good bike skills because I am not the one going down LOL).

Just my thoughts...