The age old rant.
I drive around a big city (Nottingham) which has the worst, most aggressive drivers around. In a car, unless you know, it can be painful. On a bike, since there are lots of other bikes, its no problem.
In my town there are not many bikes at all. So drivers fall into some categories. Good (see you, appreciate you are vulnerable and give a friendly wave), Hopeless (I didn't see you, know bikes existed, using phone, 14 kids in back etc) and bad. The bad ones come within 1ft of your back wheel, expect to take control of the highway at lights or throw a door open in front of you. The 1ft guys are hard to deal with. Pulling over makes them slow down and wonder what you are doing, going faster makes no difference and slowing or waving them on seems to aggravate them. Tricky. Keeping in the usual position at the normal speed normally with this dick right up behind you takes guts and unfortunately is the only safe way.
The door throwers are usually easy to spot and I'm out over the white lines or slowed ready.
The taking control guy was out tonight. I wasn't racing, revving or doing anything unusual, just zipped away as the light changed. Quickly doing about 32MPH (the limit is 30) in town and pootling along happily. Next second, 2 tonnes of black Mercedes comes howling past (still accelerating) albeit at a safe distance from me at a great speed. Why? I guess he has now knowledge of bikes, even really old ones nip off quickly and no I'm not looking for a fight.
God help any peds, OAPs or just normal drivers in front of him. It's more than likely a him.
Here endeth the rant.