Please note that although we report different experiences, I'm not saying that you're doing anything wrong to result in it. Different routes and riding styles result different experiences. I consider myself lucky that my home and work locations offer a variety of possible routes, and that I've been able to tweak those routes and how I ride them over the last several years to minimize negative experiences.

My least favorite routes are busy, high speed two-lane roads with 10'-11' lanes, minimal shoulder and oncoming traffic. If I ride the right edge of the road, drivers will pass at closer distance than I feel comfortable - more distance in the case of the Civic, and very close in the case of the landscaping trailer. If I ride in the center of the lane the close passing is practically eliminated - but I don't like holding people up since they can't pass due to oncoming traffic. I try to find alternative routes to these when I can, just to improve my own enjoyment of the ride.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of trips in NC where these routes are unavoidable. I've spent a lot of my advocacy time trying to improve design standards for such roads and to get alternative routes built.

FYI I did get passed a little less than three feet today while riding southbound on Kildaire Farm Road over the US1 bridge toward Wake Med. I was riding near the center of the lane to avoid getting too close to the bridge guardrail, which is well below my center of gravity. There was no other traffic in sight, but the driver of a white pickup passed me at high speed at about 3' straddling the lane line before merging right and turning into Wake Med. He had bumper sticker that says "FIGHT CRIME - SHOOT BACK!" I saw him park at the hospital as I rode by. I wasn't interested in talking to him.