Originally Posted by
Vital_Signs
Think of another scenario, you as an American have the right to freedom of expression, however if you walk around Harlem wearing a T-shirt that says "I hate black people" you're going to get your ass kicked and nobody is going to be very sympathetic even though you "were the victim of an unprovoked case of assault and battery when you were just exercising your rights as an American."
Yes, riding your bike in the lane is exactly like wearing a racist T-shirt in an African-American neighborhood.
Vital_Signs has captured something profound here. In his (and many drivers' minds), the existence of a cyclist in a position that requires them to slow down, stop, exercise caution, change lanes, etc. is tantamount to an aggressive insult that justifies violence. It's the drivers' territory first and foremost, so anything that happens to you as a result of pissing them off is
your fault.