Totally get where both of you are coming from as I have a "spooky dog" (we are his second possibly third home). Apart from the fact that he can be easily stressed and worried (does have some bounce-back ability though), I am fortunate in that his worries are pretty specific; he is reserved and nervous around tall men. I have done lots of work with him and will continue to do so and am at the point where he will approach on his own terms and then calm needs reassurance and reinforcement. Once he knows them he will trust them and approach them for attention and fuss. He will now frequently offer unknown men we meet on walks etc, his toy to throw ( ) too. The main thing that he is still not comfortable with is being stroked by them immediately. So on walks etc, I am proactive about calling him to me and doing some loose lead walking whilst we pass unknown men. It is difficult when you meet the odd person who says "oh don't worry all dogs like me. Just let me stroke him". I don't like to be impolite but I DO NOT want to set my dog back! I've experienced a situation where a unknown man has insisted on stroking the dog, who just about copes and backs away looking scared, said unknown man, not meaning any harm I don't doubt, will then look directly at the dog in the eyes, lean forward and say "oh you're a nervous one etc..." and then is surprised when spooky dog barks at them?!
It is tricky but as tripod said "you have to prepare the dog for the world" and for us that means the whole stroking situation (hand raised, eye contact, leaning forwards, approach etc) which is something I am working on desensitizing/CC-ing to. That said I don't doubt that people are definately responsible for their actions and should respect dog owner's requests about handling their dogs.
I've found that explaining to people straight away and being sure you don't let them stroke the dog helps as many will just walk on whilst others may decide to talk to you for a little while which gives you and excellent opportunity to ask them to raise their hand (for example) and then immediately drop a load of yummy food rewards on the ground. Alot of people are kind and happy to help and if they aren't then that's fine too.

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No problem with you saying so, but fact is people are being very stupid and seem willing to risk accidents. Every bike moving even slowly and carefully ridden has hard projections and significant kinetic energy, it cannot stop instantly, they know they risk real injury by not allowing pasing room, and then moving unpredictably at the last second.

So when most dogs have no problem with people passing, you have no hope of these people being cautious, just in case it is the 1 dog in 1000 that reacts in a way they never dream possible.

There's no hope of that sort of person taking the blindest bit of notice.