R Squared

As in road rider, road rules, road rights, and road rage.
A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend's father who was visiting from Austrailia. He mentioned that the cycling community is growing on that continent, and riders are being given greater rights on the road. Rights that we riders in the U.S. have had for years. But rights do not equate to protection. Ignorance, stubborness and downright animosity still make riding a risky business.
Mercer Island, a community not far from my home, recently entertained an "anti-peloton" ordinance. It addressed large groups of riders that ride more than 2 abreast. Mercer Island is a mecca for local cyclists, both racers and the weekend riders, as it offers wonderful views, a smooth road with lots of nice turns and rollers. It is a two lane road and has a great deal of vehicular traffic, most of which are friendly and considerate towards riders. I have ridden the island for the last 7 years, and have only encountered two bad drivers. One was on a nice Sunday morning as I road with a buddy. A car approached from behind and began honking about 1 /4 mile back. We went single file and the car continued to honk as it passed. It was a convertible Mercedes with its top down, occupied by an overweight older man smoking a cigar. I was upset and my friend even more so. It was his first ride after breaking a collar bone. Our beautiful mellow ride was interrupted by this person. We both exchanged "fingers" with the man as he passed. The man continued to honk and flick us off as he blew up the road. We saw him turn off and my friend was livid, all for following him to his home and "having a few words." I realized that it was not worth it and told my friend so, that we could not let this episode ruin our wonderful day. Drivers like that have existed as long as cars have existed, and they will always exist. The ordinance did not pass but is still under consideration.
Yesterday I was riding to the market after commuting home from work. I was on an easy 3 mile ride to and from the market, but was in a lot of traffic with little shoulder. I was going the speed of traffic and was as far over to the right as was safe as per the city code (which treats bicycles as vehicles and subject to all road rules). However, a man was behind me who honked and gave me no room. We exchanged verbal abuses and gestures, and I experienced perverse pleasure and satisfaction in chasing him down at two lights. I even slapped his car as he drove away from the second light. Even though I had the same right to the road as him, his ignorance and our volatile responses created a tense experience for both. A 19 pound bike plus 155 pound rider are no match for a thousand plus pound metal vehicle.
I have ridden for just over 30.5 years and have never been really struck by a car, though I have had numerous close calls and one or two brushes. I have had a few incidents of severe road rage, both solo and as part of a small group. I am a "live and let live" sort of person, but when it comes to my rights as a cyclist I will not back down. But I also will do my best to portray cyclists in a positive light. This is not what I did last night.
Be safe out there. And ride responsibly.
Ty