I would take the lane in this situation as an indication to motorists that I don't think it's safe for them to pass me there. My experience is that when I ride to the far right of the lane in a tight situation, motorists will try to squeeze past me with the bare minimum (in their mind, which is far short of what local law requires) clearance. If I take the lane, they may fume, honk, scream, etc., but they usually don't pass. which is what I was after.

You're right that this may provoke road rage, but you have to weigh that against the probability that even calm, well-intentioned drivers will put you in harm's way if you give them almost-enough room to pass. I figure maybe one in ten drivers will be provoked to anger, while eight in ten will make an unsafe pass if given almost enough room.