In all fairness, yes, usually US motorists are more polite, and are certainly more likely to let someone in to traffic. Cloverleafs -for me -defy logic and common sense for major highways (you get an exit ramp immediately after an entrance ramp, thus you get traffic streams entering and exiting a highway crossing over one another).
Anyway, it's interesting about the question of lycra/spandex. I happen to wear lycra cycling shorts as (to put no finer point on it) they prevent my rather too chubby thighs from rubbing together. I also have mtb clipless shoes -but I tend not to wear "proper" cycling tops as I find them very scratchy and uncomfortable. Even in hot weather, I prefer the feel of cotton, so mostly it's t-shirts for me.
FWIW, I deliberately tried to leave out the description of the cyclist in my original post -but yes, he was a pro-roadie lookalike. I think I posted before, but I find a big generalization to be commuter and touring cyclists to be the most sensible, and POBs and pro-roadie lookalikes to be the worst offenders. That's not to say you can't get good and bad examples of each, jus' sayin'.
And of course other motorized vehicles will also jump their turn at this junction as well, it's not just cyclists.
4 way stops & single bridge cloverleafs - tributes to the politeness of (most) American drivers. Asking for a fight anywhere else.
That sort of thing is so common on a recumbent it's all water off a duck's back now. Quite often there are 2 or 3 cameras pointed at the bike taking pictures, usually mobile phones out car windows.
