Solo Drivers should be appreciative of buses, bicyclists, pedestrians and carpoolers -not resentful

[GiaGiovanni]

35. A pedestrian or cyclist death does not automatically mean the car was at fault

In fact, if the car had right of way and it was clear that the driver was following the traffic laws and the pedestrian or cyclist did not, then the pedestrian or cyclist was at fault, even if that pedestrian or cyclist dies. Death does not exonerate you from blame. If you drive drunk, go through a red light, hit a bus and you die, you're still at fault. Being dead doesn't make you innocent of all blame in the matter.

That being said, as long as bikes are following the traffic laws--stopping at red lights and stop signs, signaling turns with proper hand signals, and riding in either marked bike lanes or on the sides of the road--then they deserve both respect and extra caution on the part of drivers. However, if they are disregarding the rules, weaving in and out of traffic, turning without signaling (especially left turns), riding without lights at night, etc., they don't deserve respect at all. The defensive driver will still look out for them-- not as fellow users of the road, but as obstructions.