thanks for the speedy responses. i appreciate the reassurance.

thankfully, i do pay attention to parked cars up ahead when i'm riding next to parked cars. i'm sure i've managed to avoid accidents a couple times simply because i was more aware. moreover, since i make eye contact with pedestrians about to get into their cars, most of them stand behind their car and wait for me to pass before opening their car door. very considerate of them! so i thank them as i pass (i like to reward good traffic behaviour).

backstory (and some ranting): i got a little flustered when the afore-mentioned driver stopped me and told me where i should be riding. so i posted on my local cycling forum, and got even more flustered when the first reply was NOT what i considerd to be safe advice (especially because i never suggested i might be riding to far out in the lane.)

okay, if any of you are interested, here's what the poster said (in part):

Just because having more space "feels" safer, it doesn't mean it *is* safer.
*You* can't ride in the middle of a lane because it makes you feel safer.
*They* can't squeeze their cars into 3/4ths of a lane *with* a cyclist and honestly and reasonably expect that they can pass you *safely*. If they hit you while doing this maneuver, get the license plate number, record the time and location, and report the incident to the police. He'll get a warning, and at most charged, and probably never pull that stunt again.

So don't ride in the middle of the lane, even if it's just 3/4ths of a lane.
Personally, I'd rather hit a door at 30km/h and sue, than get run over by a frustrated driver of a 3000lb cab from behind and be the one sued and charged.

So the right thing to do is to bike as far off to the right as you can, and pray to whatever god you believe in that a door doesn't open up in front of you.
If a door opens and you can't stop in time, grip your handlebars and hold on tight.

um, what? was that a cycling forum? really?

i replied to this alleged cyclist that i found his advice to be of no help, and that he was condescending.

the person who replied next said what you have all been saying. i have to ride as far to the right as it reasonable, and safe. so i thanked her for her advice. however now i'm in a bit of a flame war with the alleged cyclist. i just can't believe i got that kind of response!

...i may have sounded like a newbie when i posted, hence the condescending tone i got in the other forum. and i am really getting sick of sexist attitudes regarding cycling and traffic. the poster sounded like a stereotypical do-no-wrong-and-know-everything male ego. (no offense to men. some men i love. some men are so arrogant it makes me wanna scream!) the main thing i notice is that i have NEVER been told where to ride, asked 'what are you doing' etc., by a female motorist. only men (some men) are arrogant enough to beleive that not only may i need their 'advice' but i would actualy appreciate a stranger telling me what to do. and i assume they would not be so stupid as to do the same thing to another man, as they damn well know it's inappropriate and would likely be starting a fight. *sigh* ...someday, cyclists will be accepted on the roads, and someday, men and women be treated the same. i just hope i'm still around when it happens!!

sorry, i needed to rant. that one's been bugging for a while.

... i really appreciate your advice/support. in the linked article, someone said the safe distance from parked cars has been shown to be 5 feet! now i feel better about my 3-foot safety zone.