In a bicycle-motor vehicle confrontation...the motor vehicle is going to win. And the operator of the bicycle is also at the mercy of the motor vehicle, and its operator. The chance of having a bicycle-sympathetic operator behind the steering wheel of the motor vehicle is a bet, likely with bad odds, for the bicycle operator. It’s probably worse (i.e. pi$$e$ the driver off even more) when there is a shoulder that the bicycle COULD be using but apparently refuses to. Although bicycles may be permitted to use the extreme side of the lane (left of the white line)...personally I would be well onto the shoulder (right of the white line)...or seek a completely different route altogether. Also, if you feel you need to carry a sidearm on this route, in this situation...that also may be an indicator that this isn’t a good bicycling route.
Dan
Last edited by _ForceD_; 03-28-21 at 09:11 AM.