Think of the 'Share The Road' signs that exist. It is not unreasonable to say, that the majority of motorists(who are not also cyclists) think 'Share The Road' means that they don't need to follow BEHIND a cyclist, but that they can be even with a cyclist in the same lane.

How does that apply to the 'psychological shift' upon getting behind the wheel. Those same individuals that are nasty behind the wheel, may be a person that is very charitable when not behind the wheel.

The doctor out in LA who went to prison for intentionally backing into the two cyclists, may have been wonderful with his patients. But when it came to his being behind the wheel, he became another person.