6AM is too early to bite the big one

OK - it's a terrible title, but what it should really say is anytime before lets say 9AM is too early.

It seemed there was a new phenomenon this morning while out running with Brooke.  People swerving towards us rather than away from us.  They would just be cruising along then all of a sudden they were coming right at us.  Then there was the guy pulling a boat making a right turn onto the road we were running on.  He never even looked right (shouldn't you look right - just in case??) and came right on out.  Brooke tucked in behind so he wouldn't hit us, but didn't notice I had come to a halt to keep his boat and trailer from taking us out.  It was another near miss, but she looked up just in time.  Maybe it shouldn't have, but it induced giggles from us on our early morning 6 miler.
So, back to the swervers - what causes this?  It's still dark - they still have lights on.  Are they just seeing us, looking our way and naturally going that direction?  Do we just notice it more because of their lights?  Not really sure, but it's something to keep an eye on anyway.  Think about it when you're driving.  Does your gawking cause you to veer towards the object of your gawk?

One more little rant.  Do people not understand that cyclists have the same rights as operators of automobiles?  Well, I know the answer to that is no in a lot of cases.  It happens more and more that I come to a stop sign and people on the through street will come to a stop and wave me on.  I understand in most cases it is to be polite, but it is more than that.  It is unsafe, illegal (I assume), and frustrating.  Unsafe because they are stopping on a road where traffic doesn't expect them too unless they are turning (and then they should have on a signal) and they may not be able to see what else is coming and direct you into harms way.  Illegal because they have the right of way, but it's not theirs to give away.  Frustrating because I have already taken the time to stop.  Once you stop it takes time to get going.  You don't go at the simple wave of a hand, so by the time you end up going (if you choose to do so) it's taken much more time than if they would have kept going and let you go when it was safe and convenient for you.  The same applies to 4-way stops.  Then there's the whole other issue of just not seeing cyclists, but that can wait, I'm all out of venting for this afternoon.  ;-)