The difference may be the routes and the way we ride. I ride in the center of the right hand lane on multi-lane roads with narrow lanes; drivers change lanes to pass and I rarely get passed at less than 5 feet doing this. I ride on the right edge of lanes that are 14' and wider and am rarely passed at less than 4' doing this. On back streets with 25 mph speed limits, I'm rarely passed at all, and drivers generally cross the center of the road to pass me at over 8 feet.

I try to avoid narrow two-lane roads with lots of oncoming traffic, where riding on the right edge to allow drivers to pass will result in lots of 3' passes. I also dislike riding the right edge of 12' lanes where drivers will pass at 3'; I take the lane or choose a different route.

I used to get lots of close passes before I started taking control of the lane depending on width and traffic behavior, and changing my routes to avoid roads that present marginal situations. These days, if I find that a car passes me uncomfortably close while I'm riding the right edge of the lane under a marginal situation, I take that as an indication that I should merge to the center of the lane, and the close passing stops. I'd rather not have to do that, which is why I avoid routes where it is more likely, but I am in control of the situation.

FYI my typical route includes Evans Road (14' lanes, where I ride near the gutter), Harrison Ave (11' lanes, where I ride the center of the lane), the northern part of Kildaire Farm Road (14' three lane section, where I ride over the sharrows near the right side of the lane), the middle section of Kildaire Farm Road (fluctuating between 11-13' lanes, where I ride the center of the lane to the left of the sharrows) and Regency Parkway (12' lanes where I ride the center of the lane).