Often (about half the time) the left side of the road was better quality than my side so I rode against the traffic. Interestingly it caused less honking than when I biked in the right side. The Kyrgyz bicyclists fear having their back to the traffic (for good reason), so they always ride against the traffic - maybe the Kyrgyz drivers think this is normal and that's why they all international bicyclists riding in the right side...?