Originally Posted by
enigmaT120
I don't get the fixation on double yellow no-passing zones. If a tree or other stationary object were in my path I would go around it even if the line was a double yellow. That's one extreme. When I'm climbing a steep hill I'm depressingly close to that tree in speed. It's not that hard to judge if you can see far enough ahead to know if it's safe to pass. The faster the cyclist, the more room you'll need.
The issue is that often motorists don't pass cyclists with the same care they might pass another car or your aforementioned tree... motorists have a tendency to try to look through cyclists to see if the road is clear and not see all the approaching traffic, or they take the idiotic mode of suggesting they are being forced to drive into oncoming traffic. In that latter situation, motorists must understand it is ALWAYS their decision as to whether it is safe to pass... no one in front of you is "making" you do anything.
Also since cyclists are moving... if there is approaching traffic from the other direction, a passing motorist may not judge the speed of the cyclists well and put themselves (and others) into a bad situation... in the rush to "get past those 'damn' cyclists."