+1

When I first started commuting, I fell victim to a couple of factors:

• Drivers along my route were not used to seeing a cyclist during their morning commute... so they were a tad aggressive towards me.
• I was new to rush hour commuting, so the least little run-in with a motorist made me nervous and angry.

I now find that my fellow commuters (the cager kind) give me a lot more room... I'm more confident when I take the lane... I know WHEN to take the lane... and most importantly, most of the small insults or honks roll off my back.

I've been finding that there are some really nice motorists out there if you give them a chance. One of my favorite things is to freak people out by striking up conversations at long stop lights!