" You are unlikely to have a problem with a bear feeding at the side of the road. But I wouldnt stop and take pics."

True, but as in most situations, there are exceptions.
In my 62 years prowling about in the back country, mostly in BC Canada where there are healthy populations of
both black bears and grizzlies, I've seen approx 200-250. I've only been really concerned for my safety a couple
of times...one when I was cycling uphill to Summit Lake on the Alaskan Hwy. As I made my way slowly up the
long grade I noticed a scruffy black bear on a avalanche scar a little ahead of and across the road from me. It wasn't
really close to the road so I wasn't worried and kept going. As soon as it saw me it came toward me at a fast walk,
and as it got closer, into a trot. As I got off my bike to quickly turn it around I was fortunate that a fellow came onto
the scene driving a truck which he used to cut the bear off long enough for me to escape. That driver then accompanied
me past the spot to make sure the bear didn't try again. That bear was acting in predatory fashion, and I don't know
if I would have been able to hit a high enough speed to get away from him before he reached me had it not been for that
fellow with the truck. When I reached the village at Summit lake I learned that the Game Warden was already on his way
to dispose of that bear as my incident wasn't the first reported to him within 24 hours.