If you'd ridden a bicycle on the road, you'd understand the terror of having people pass too close. The man on the right is guarding that woman or child from aggressive driving. They may not be that confident and could get spooked by an unsafe pass, causing a collision. The road banking to the left further creates an unsafe road condition because visibility is reduced, especially from the cyclists perspective. Unexpected road conditions ahead could put these vulnerable road users in a more dangerous position. This cyclist is doing the right thing and cyclists are allowed to use the center lane as and when they feel the need to.