rude drivers nope. rude TRUCKERS... 1960

i think what you're complaining about is the practice of "taking the lane" that many riders use (myself included when i feel it's the safest way to ride). but please note a very important distinction between what you say the law is and what the statute reads in most states: it's not that bicycles are required to ride as close the curb or side of the road as possible, it's that they are required to ride as close to the curb or side of the road as practicable.

believe me, from experience, there are MANY reasons why it's not practicable to hug the shoulder or curb while on a bike. unfortunately, that's where the broken glbutt, sand, rocks, and other dangerous debris ends up as it's swept out of the road by motor vehicles. also there are quite often undrivable drains, gutters, and other grates along the side. not to mention the very real danger of being winged by people opening car doors to exit vehicles parked on the side of the road.

probably the worst thing though is that, ironically, the less of the lane one takes, the more danger one seems to be in from being hit by pbutting cars or their mirrors. the reason is simple--many drivers feel emboldened to pbutt with very little clearance because they feel they can squeeze by in their lane without slowing down at all. this presents a problem when a big truck blows at top speed by with a gust of air (and little clearance) or when a car misjudges the clearance and wings you.

bikes move slower than motor vehicles but they are allowed on all roads except those with minimum speeds or outright prohibitions like freeways, i'll admit that they do sometimes prove to be an incovenience for drivers, but then 18-wheelers often prove to be inconveniences for 4-wheel drivers. there simply is an amount of grace one has to show to the different types of vehicles and usually with courteous driving on *everyone's* part everything works just fine.

brink