[katana]

I grew up riding country roads here in the Midwest (Ohio) and at that time there were no bike lanes, just loose gravel, and we all learned to be really paranoid of and careful about cars passing. Then there's the Midwest politeness with which those of us brought up outside the cities still to some extent are inculcated.

This is not to say we don't have some share of a**hole riders but it sounds like that species is much more common out in your neck of the woods. Unfortunately, a Darwinian cull may be the only way for your bicycle herd to learn its manners.

[ebersole]

I’m very familiar with the back roads in Ohio as I grew up in a small farming community in Ohio! Let’s just say the “back roads” in El Paso county are similar to what you’d find on a nicely paved state highway in Ohio with even more asphalt to the right of the white line. And for the most part, Midwestern manners are non existent amongst riders:)