This sense of self-righteousness helps nobody. It creates a phoney war between different types of road user, as opposed to looking for ways we can coexist peacefully.
It's not self-righteousness to want to ride safely.
If you ride in the gutter then drivers will squeeze pass without making a conscious overtaking decision. That is not safe. Most car drivers will take your distance from the curb as an indication of how far out they should pass you.
Not only that but the gutter is full of potholes and sunken drains, these are a major hazard to cyclists. You can't ride around them if you are being squeezed by cars.
It also gives you more room to manoeuvre in case someone in a car does make a mistake.
>It creates a phoney war between different types of road user, as opposed to looking for ways we can coexist peacefully.
Something tells me your idea of peacefully coexisting means me being subservient to you.
It's not a sense of self-righteousness, what they're describing is the recommendation of most cycling groups and association and is entirely about safety.
The sense of self-righteousness is entirely on your side of the network.
> as opposed to looking for ways we can coexist peacefully.
Being squeezed into the gutter with cars zooming by at twice your speed a hand's breadth away is not peaceful coexistence. What you're doing is tantamount to suicide suggestions.
The actual way for "peaceful coexistence" is well-known: grade-separated independent infrastructure (which, to nobody's surprise, is how the netherlands do it all over). Any interaction is a risk except in very low-speed areas (20mph and below). There's a reason why intersections are where most accidents happen.
Forcing a full lane pass is necessary when many drivers will not change their lane position when riding on the side. I wouldn’t do this on all streets, but when I’m on a problematic one I self righteously decide I’m not dying that day.
