American road rage against cyclists

In August 2007, an enraged motorist attempted to run two bicyclists off Newcastle Golf Club Road. One of the cyclists, a 33-year-old Seattle man, was pedaling along the shoulder of the road heading east when he heard a vehicle horn honking behind him. He looked in time to see a white utility truck swerve toward him and a woman bicycling with him. The side mirror of the truck struck the helmet of the male bicyclist, but he was not injured.

The motorist cursed at the cyclists, then stopped, put the truck in reverse and came at them, yelling “I’m going to kill you,” followed by another expletive. The bicyclists went into the ditch to try to avoid being struck. Police were unable to locate the suspect, and there have been no arrests in the incident.

More bad feeling towards cyclists in Portland, Oregon.

And in Washington D.C.

It is entirely legal for cyclists to ride in the regular travel lane, especially if conditions like snow and ice make the bicycle lane unsafe. Cyclists can do it for any reason, though. Unfortunately, some drivers don't know this, and try to drive extra close to cyclists to "teach them a lesson".