How I picture these drivers

In the past two days, two separate drivers have yelled at me, unprovoked, as I biked along minding my own business.The first instance was the other day, as I was biking home along a busy but comfortably-wide three-lane road. I was cruising at a good pace and the lanes were wide enough that I was not impeding the traffic flow at all. I emphasize this fact because, in spite of it, a driverwho I was not affecting in any way, screamed at me to "get on the fucking sidewalk!" It was jarring not just because of what he said (bikes areallowed on the road), but because of how genuinely angry he was at my mere presence among traffic. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident, and cyclists frequently report verbal abuse from angry drivers.The second instance happened just an hour ago, again as I was riding home. This time I was in a left-turn lane, venturing out into the intersection and waiting for the oncoming cars to pass so I could turn. Again, I was biking in a completely legal, reasonable manner, following the rules of the road, and not impeding traffic in any way, shape, or form. In spite of this, a woman in the oncoming lane felt the need to yell out as she passed, "You're not a car!"First off,. As most two-year-olds could point out, no, I am not a car. Neither is my bike, for that matter. But guess what? I'm still allowed on the same roads, subject to the same laws, and entitled to the same rights as a person operating a motor vehicle. (Click to Tweet) Yes, I am slower than most vehicles. I realize that and genuinely try to be considerate and to not impede traffic, as long as it doesn't jeopardize my safety. To be honest, the majority of drivers I share the road with are fairly courteous in return - waiting to pass until it is safe for everyone. When both drivers and cyclists work to share the road in this manner, it goes quite well: no one dies or gets in a wreck, and there are only minimal delays for drivers.So why is it so hard for some people to accept that bikes are a part of traffic? More importantly, why does the sight of a cyclist make them angry enough to yell obscenities at a complete stranger? I honestly don't know - maybe it's a sense of entitlement that has come from the predominance of car culture, or maybe it's the same anonymity that contributes to road rage. Maybe some people are just angry in general. Either way, it's something that we need to address, because cyclists aren't going anywhere. Maybe drivers-ed classes need to include a section on cycling and sharing the road? (Click to Tweet) Why do you think cyclists make some drivers so angry? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comment section!