In Florida there is an "impede the flow of traffic" law on the books, but it's pretty vague. Also the cycling laws are pretty well defined.
Persons riding bicycles upon a roadway may not ride more than two abreast except on paths or parts of roadways set aside for the exclusive use of bicycles. Persons riding two abreast may not impede traffic when traveling at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing and shall ride within a single lane.
pulled from
http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/ind...16/Sec2065.HTM
So basically you can't impede traffic on a bike in Florida. You can ride 2 abreast as long as you don't impede traffic. There's nothing about having
X amount of cars behind you or anything like that, etc. You have to ride on the very most right of the street, none of this "I can't ride in the designated bike path of the rode cause it's dirty". Now if you can ride the speed limit, then there is no problem, you can ride in the middle of the lane if you want, and there is nothing that can be done to you legally.
Anyways, the point is that to talk about double standards with motorists is fine but to make the rash generalization that motor vehicle culture is a culture of lawlessness is going WAY over the top. Because I see lots of cyclists that break every law they can find as well, rolling through stop signs/red lights, not following the rules of the road, not signaling, etc, etc.
And I don't care what you call it, critical mass or a bike club or whatever you want, to make such a total BS generalization is incredibly unfair to a lot of people, especially considering we all have to fight to beat the stereotypes of ignorant/idiot cyclists we should know better than to be part of the double standard.
Andrew