Are we really that provocative?

[Tuckervill]

It's a good point...if bikes are vehicles (and in Arkansas, they are), then it's unsafe to pass anything without going into the next lane. That means drivers have to wait until the the other lane is clear of oncoming vehicles and they can see far enough ahead to determine that. It doesn't always make sense for cars to wait for there to be a single yellow line, but technically, they're supposed to. (I pass tractors all the time on double yellow, if I can see ahead and it's moving slow enough.)

Karen

[OakLeaf]

In most states, it's only forbidden to cross the double yellow to pass another "motor vehicle" (which excludes farm equipment and horse-drawn buggies as well as bicycles). Vehicles in the road that are not defined as "motor vehicles" by state law are considered "obstructions" (more equivalent to a fallen tree, a piece of truck tire or an enormous pothole ), and it's perfectly legal to cross the double yellow (when safe) to pass us.

(This is a general rule - I haven't researched the law of every state.)

ETA: one point nobody's mentioned is that when there's a long line of vehicles behind you, whether you're riding a bicycle or driving a car below the speed limit, it's common courtesy to pull over and let them pass when you have a safe opportunity to do so. Yes, it's inconvenient, and a long paceline makes it very difficult to do, but it's still common courtesy. Sometimes there just isn't a safe place or time to pull over (e.g. in rush hour traffic, once you pulled over, you'd never get back in line), and in those cases the cars do just have to deal with it IMO.

Several years ago I was looking at the California vehicle code (which is much more detailed than most states'), and IIRC, even when you're in a car, if you're holding up five or more vehicles, you are required to pull over. Something to think about.

Additional edit: here's the California statute:

Turning Out of Slow-Moving Vehicles

21656. On a two-lane highway where passing is unsafe because of traffic in the opposite direction or other conditions, a slow-moving vehicle, including a passenger vehicle, behind which five or more vehicles are formed in line, shall turn off the roadway at the nearest place designated as a turnout by signs erected by the authority having jurisdiction over the highway, or wherever sufficient area for a safe turnout exists, in order to permit the vehicles following it to proceed. As used in this section a slow-moving vehicle is one which is proceeding at a rate of speed less than the normal flow of traffic at the particular time and place.

Amended Ch. 448, Stats. 1965. Effective September 17, 1965.

[Trigress]

I haven't heard anything like that here, but out of courtesy one might as well take it up. I'll keep it in mind in fact, although I have rarely had the problem of holding up more than one or two cars. In the incident I mentioned there were three, but the reason why the two last cars were held up was the first one that stopped. But it's sensible to do as you mention, in those cases where it would be relevant.

[Fujichants]

Nobody abides by that California statute. I've seen some slow cars on the road that hold up more than 5 cars, and the driver is completely oblivious. Or just doesn't care. They are real dangers, because they piss everbody else off, and those people in turn take out their road rage on us bike riders.

[OakLeaf]

I know The only reason I looked it up was after our annual trip to the Monterey area, I started going off on "there oughta be a law," and then I found out there is one

[rhyme]

Well... I think I know where the anger comes from..... A few rotten apples.

I used to get frustrated with bike messengers. Here in Chicago, they routinely do stupid things like run red lights (badly, really badly), swerve and in out of cars or lanes completely disregarding any common sense. Worse, they frequently cut people off forcing people to slam on their breaks. I've seen many of them make right hand turns in front of cars from left hand lanes - or even left hand turns from right hand lanes (without signaling) forcing traffic moving straight to somehow anticipate and react to someone doing something completely unexpected. People get mad when their heart skips a beat.

Bout a year ago, a bike messenger ran a red light and I had to slam on my brakes to avoid him. I honked at him, he pulled up next to me and gave me the finger than pulled in front of my car and slammed on his brakes forcing me to stop. I sighed. He than ran the red light in front of me and went away. Or so I thought anyway. A minute later I find him at my passenger window yelling at me holding up his keys threatening to key my car. I ask him not to and when the light turns green I try to pull away. He keys the car. I put it in park and get out and he runs away.

Like I said, a few rotten apples.....

[mimitabby]

no, Rhyme, I don't agree. The anger and aggression comes from within the angry aggressive person. While he's cussing you out, he's not thinking of bike messengers in Chicago, he's thinking about the fact that you're slowing him down.

I don't think very many people are driving down the street thinking about the idiot on the bike they saw a month ago. They're thinking about the fact that they are late to a job they hate, their girlfriend just left them, some personal stuff, and there's a bike. I HATE BIKES!!! instant anger. that bike's in my way. how dare they get off the sidewalk!

And then there's that thing about being in a car that somehow dehumanizes people. They are protected by this glass and metal box from having to see your eyes, your skin, your human-ness and all they see is something that is impeding them.

[rhyme]

Wow, people in your area must have some crappy lives! Jobs they hate, girlfriends that left them??

I'm sure your right though - a lot of people are probably just pissed off that they are momentarily slowed down.... although I don't think its just some kind of ingrained hate for bikes - I think they'd be just as irritated with someone in a car who was slowing them down or someone blocking the road or double parked or whatever.

Then again, some people are just born mean.

[Fujichants]

I just think we need to get rid of the assholes on the road. Bikes, cars, trucks, even pedestrians. Now if only there was a way to do this...

I've had pedestrians give me dirty looks while on my bike and while in the car. Doing nothing wrong. I don't know what their problem is.

Today I almost got hit (I was driving my car) by a pick-up truck who decided to disobey the stop sign...there was no sign for me, but yet he honked at me and gave me the finger!

And then the countless times that snobbish, arrogant cyclists have almost made me have to ride off the road while on my bike because they are racing each other and going into uncoming traffic. I can't stand them!

But then again...we all have our days where we act like jerks as well.