I must have 'target' written on my back or something (Maybe its because I'm a 6'2" 145lb twig in cycling gear), because out of all the cyclists I know in Toronto I am easily the most frequently harassed, abused and assaulted cyclist I know. I have been physically assualted a few times when drivers came out of their cars and attacked me. Half of this is my fault because I won't stand down and tend to escalate things by flipping them off or trying to tell them the rules of the road (you might as well just start swearing at them as its just as effective; they will NEVER believe you).

A typical encounter would be a rager coming up behind me honking, so I give him the finger behind my back and everything spirals out of control from there as the driver assumes I am taking the lane to be a public menace or something and makes it his responsibility to do a public deed by putting my life in danger and teaching me a lesson. I will sometimes try to catch these guys and yell at them once they buzz me and stop at the lights. This is generally where they want to fight me or try to swerve into/intimidate me. Me spitting or slapping their car is usually a turning point (I usually do this after they yell a death threat at me). I feel terrible and angry all day/night, thinking about what I could have said or done

Another typical encounter would be a rager coming up behind me honking, so I turn and smile and wave. So he keeps honking, so I keep waving. Then he starts to dangerously tailgate me, and buzz me, sometimes swearing at me as he buzzes by. They treat me basically the same way as if I had flipped them off. I take the high road and don't try to catch up to talk/yell at him though. I feel superior to the mentally impaired and hopelessly angry cager, although my vigilante machoism feels a little sore. I just laugh to myself about what a terrible life the guy must have.

Both work and both have different outcomes; I guess it depends on your current mood. I'd just really rather I didn't have to do either. I've been brushing up on self defense recently, and eventually I am going to give drivers an ultimatum: If they get out of their car in anger, I am going to tell them I take it as a direct physical threat that they intend to make good and will defend myself by any means possible, including beating the crap out them with my bike, their car, the ground, passersby etc. If they try to open the door kick it back in their face. You warned them after all. They are the ones trying to hurt you.