A problem I haven't heard addressed yet: Your commute is in a low crime area but local drivers have a hard time tolerating cyclists. You are commuting home and just had an altercation with a motorist who drove like a jerk. You successfully deterred him or protected yourself using your chosen method. Now it would be easy for him to track you on future commute days and exacting significant revenge on you.

The only good solution I see is to not provoke one of them, and be ready to pedal an escape if that didn't work.