Originally Posted by
coldfeet
There are a noticeable fraction of drivers that
1) Think we are going slower than we are.
2) Think we are capable of going faster than we can.
3) Have no idea how wide their vehicle is.
4) Have no clear idea of where on the lane they are.
5) Don't know the rights / responsibilities of bicycle riders.
6) Don't know their own rights / responsibilities.
7. Are morons.
Assume any possible permutation of the above.
That's a good summary. Also, being aware of what's going on in your immediate surroundings is hard work. You need to turn your head every which way and generally be active, instead of just sitting there with your eyes fixed straight ahead waiting for something to show up so you can maybe react to that. I sometimes think driver's ed should include riding a bike x hours in traffic. Your driving habits will change with that experience (or you're heavily into category #7 above).
--J