Quote Originally Posted by witeowl View Post

(Oh, and when I come up on a slower car in the "fast lane", I do flash my lights. If they do the courteous thing and move to the right, they've saved me (and countless others) from doing a more dangerous thing by passing on the right. I'm never in the leftmost lane unless I'm passing someone. That's a holdover from my parents (who learned on the Autobahn), and I can only wish it were a more common driving attitude.)
Yeah, don't do this. It is, in fact illegal (in Texas and in most states)...you must have your lights on dim within 300 feet when approaching from the rear and 500 feet when approaching head on. It is far safer to pass on the left, but, trust me, flashing lights confuse people.

And bicycles are not supposed to impede traffic. I regard that as impeding all traffic...other bicycle traffic included. If riding two abreast is impeding traffic, it is illegal. It is permitted if it does not cause a problem, which apparently it did for you. However, unless you have the luxury of a badge and a ticket book, there is not much you can do except follow, mutter under your breath, and wait until you can pass safely and legally.

BTW, you CAN (and technically are supposed to) use your horn (or bell or voice) and give a light BEEP BEEP as a signal that you are passing. Of course, no one does this, but it is a permitted use of the horn (one of the most satisfying tickets I wrote in a long time is to a jerk who decided to HONK at a cop friend of mine who was directing traffic off-duty...he was in uniform at a busy church intersection and the jerk didn't like the way he was doing it...I strolled along in my car and at the right time and was able to pull the guy over, and wrote him for improper use of the horn).