Why car drivers get mad

[RolliePollie]

I do not know your area at all, but I can imagine many, many situations where the cyclist and everyone else will be much safer, going down a hill, if the cyclist takes the lane instead of staying on the shoulder. Why exactly do you describe this situation as dangerous? For whom?

I take the lane a lot, and I totally agree with you that many times it is much safer to do so. But in this particular case, the speed limit is 45 and I know the cyclist was probably going 25-30 mph max (cuz that's about how fast I roll down that hill). Just the sight of this cyclist framed by a huge semi truck grill scared me. Maybe it wasn't actually that dangerous, but I know I wouldn't want to make a logging truck driver mad. Plus I worry about big trucks and their ability to brake, especially when they've just come down the mountain. I generally take the lane if I am going close to the speed limit and it is safer for me, but if I'm going a lot slower than the cars and I'm blocking traffic, then I move over. Even if I am going close to or above the speed limit, many times I need to move over to accommodate drivers who are speeding. Most drivers around here seem to despise cyclists as it is, so I don't want to do anything extra to make them mad.