To think cyclists should allow cars to overtake them?

[Twitterqueen]

If you're cycling and you know a car is behind you and wants to overtake, should you let them / facilitate the overtake or deliberately refuse and shout 'wait' at the car? When the road ahead is straight and clear for well over half a mile, when the car has been patiently waiting for a safe, straight stretch, there is no other traffic but the road is just that little bit too narrow for the car to want to do it without some kind of affirmation from the cyclist, ie stop pedaling for a few seconds and move a bit closer into the side of the road?

I live in Japan. This country would grind to a halt if everyone used cars. The problem in the uk is the car drivers. There aren;t cycle lanes here either. Old people, young people, mums and salary men, all use bikes.

If I car wants to pass a cyclist then they have to give as much space as passing a car....ie on the other side of the road. So cyclists should be able to be in the middle of their lane if they wish!

yesterday, biking in London, some asshole's side view mirror nearly grazed my head. freaked me right out.

I immediately moved right into the middle of the lane.

I'm making the point that until cyclist are willing to okay the laws of the road in the same manner as other road users, they cannot justifiably expect to be taken seriously by the majority of society.

OK. can I be taken seriously now (what a ridiculous statement).

If anyone has ever had a cyclist scratch past their car in traffic, or clip their number with their peddle as they swerve around your car, it is fair game to side swipe the idiots with a little turbulence or a near miss with a wing mirror.

you are on a roll! another ridiculous statement. are you seriously saying it is ok to put someone's life in danger?

one thing you don't seem to recognize. For literally no money, cyclists help motorists by reducing traffic. Congestion is a huge problem for cities and almost by magic this new cycling craze is alleviating congestion. For every motorist that gets on a bike, traffic is reduced. we don't pay road tax (actually, a lot of vehicles don't), but that's because we take very little of the road.

As a recent convert to two wheels myself,
may I add a generic PEACE, LOVE AND THE HIGHWAY CODE all round.