Um, No

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bike-gb,0,3315740.graffitiboard?slice=24&limit=10
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233. Far too many cyclists arrogantly ignore basic traffic safety laws and rules of the road. Riding side-by-side on a narrow and winding road is the height of stupidity. A profane retort to a reasonable if not polite request just compounds the stupidity. Now, you have to guys whining about injuries that would have been avoided if they had simply done the right and safe thing, ride single file. Not that the guy in the car was right just that the cyclists in this case were more wrong.

Submitted by: T.G.Smith
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This comment is responding to a story where a driver pulls ahead of two cyclists, going down a mountain road, riding next to each other (presumably taking the lane while doing so). They were doing about 30. Apparently the road is windy, which makes sense, it's a mountain road.

The driver pulls ahead, and slams on his breaks. Road bikes don't stop well at 30mph. It's not as horrible as many make it out to be, but it's not as good as a car. Especially a car with ABS who has the reflex advantage (he doesn't have to wait for reflexes).

I fail to see how it's a bad idea to ride side by side on a narrow windy road, especially if you're keeping pace. This is the _best_ time to own the road in such an obnoxious and totalitarian manner. Because: No one has good control or good visibility, and the cyclists need margin for error around the curves.
Now, going up, then it'd be pretty stinkin' rude to ride side by side when there's traffic.

This is typical of comments on this kind of story. If you're not a cyclist everything is the cyclists fault. Even if it goes against the law, reason, and our best sensibilities. If you're a cyclist then "bikes have all the same rights." Few bother to point out that we (usually) have a couple extra responsibilities.

*sigh* I'm gonna be biased here. The cyclists are correct. The cyclists were probably being slightly rude by not riding single file, in the middle of the lane (where they belonged in this case), but who cares? It would mean the same issue for the driver.