I don't understand what triggered this. What is their evidence that the relationship between drivers and cyclists has reached a "fever pitch"?

Regardless, this statement is a problem, because it fails to acknowlege situations where the lane is not wide enough for a car and a cyclist to be side-by-side without endangering the cyclist:

"And try to give the car enough space to pass, which means staying to the right as far as is practical for you."