I felt the need to post, and this seems like reasonable place.

Last weekend, I rode a bit in Ulster County around Poughkeepsie, and was struck again by just how polite the drivers were. No one honked (well one did, but it was a friendly toot because I had drifted out into the middle of the road, so fair enough). Drivers pass with plenty of room, many crossing completely to the other side of the double yellow line. At one point, a car came up behind me as I was rounding a blind curve. He or she slowed, staying a good two car lengths behind me, waited until we rounded the curve, and then crossed to the other side of the street to pass.

These are simple things, but a complete revelation, since I do almost all my riding in the city; I was subjected to at least a half dozen boneheaded maneuvers this morning on my three mile commute to work. It was a reminder that not all drivers everywhere are narcissistic homicidal sociopaths.