Interesting. I admit I don't ride on the road much, but I've never been been abused. I guess Portland is one of the better cities in the nation for bicycle friendliness (although the way people drive around here is frightening).
I'm always careful to take responsibility for my safety. I never assume that drivers are going to respect the bike lane when turning until I've made eye contact and I don't ride the car lane unless there is no bike lane and I don't think I will be obstructing traffic. Plus, I always give a friendly wave when someone shows respect by giving me a wide berth or yielding to me.
Unfortunately, bikes aren't common enough in the US to earn the same respect as in other places. Plus, driving schools hardly discuss the rights of cyclists and how to respond around them, so people are left with bad assumptions.