Chris L, no need whatsoever to aplogize (!!!). It seems we can agree that your experiences differ from mine in that you've evidently experienced abhorrent behaviour from our roadmates.
Now you have me wondering ... why is this so? Can drivers in our two countries be so different? Somehow I just don't think so. Although California is more tolerant than other areas I've lived (Baltimore, mid-state Pennsylvania, Atlanta), the areas I bike-commute through are anything but tolerant in their approach to bicyclists.
But, again, I honestly can't think of a nasty situation where a mototrist purposefully got nasty.
I think this is an interesting question.
Andy