But there is the rub. There are a lot of cyclists in my area, and they in a large majority expect you to share the road with them (which is fine) but at the same time have no regard for traffic laws. There is a four way stop at the corner by my house, and several times this spring/summer I have nearly run over a cyclist who made 0 attempt to stop for the sign. I also on a daily basis see them riding the shoulder on a busy road into town here and just blow through red lights like they don't exist. Once they start playing by the rules, I'll begin to respect their right to use the roads. Plain and simple, it works both ways.
99% of cyclists do not stop for stop signs or red lights.
Stop.
Before you go any further, if they don’t follow the rules, call the cops on them and get them cited. Don’t act like an idiot yourself.
I drive an SUV, and I ride a lot, but I ride for exercise and it pisses me off too when I see someone breaking the law (on bicycles) as well as in cars.
So, it makes little sense that people in cars act aggressively with people on bikes when it’s not necessary.
I call BS. How could you nearly run anybody over if you yourself came to a full stop, like any 4 way stop would require? Were you there first? Then you couldn't run over them. You would be moving very slowly in the intersection and they could possibly hit you from the side. Unlikely. Were they there first? Then no matter whether they stopped or not, they would be through the intersection before you could legally enter it. Are you sure what we're dealing with here is some sort of inadequacy issue on your part?
Under the law in NJ (I don’t know about your state) cyclists are deemed pedestrians - therefore the “rules of the road” do not apply.
As a cyclist, I can tell you that following the rules of the road to a tee would put you at a higher risk under many circumstances.
You knou could apply that exact same logic from how a semi driver views a car driver. I don’t know how you can ever expect a “Nationwide Bicle Consensis” to obey the rules, to arn your respect, but maybe after you hit one and spend 5-10 years as someones beeotch in jail for vehicular manslaughter, you might rethink your logic.