I wouldn't take others' experience with apathetic PDs as an indicator of what you should do. However, I think your question was really more about what you do to settle yourself down from a scary encounter. I'd say if you're feeling shaky, you might want to try to commute at slightly different times or on different routes when the traffic is lower, just a few times while you're still feeling shaky -- it'll help you get your confidence back. And, with a little time, you'll lose that "they're out to get me" feeling. They really aren't, not most of them -- like I said in another thread, there are a few sociopaths behind the wheel who really don't care who they kill, and there are somewhat more people who are just too stupid to really understand the consequences of their actions (and who might conceivably deliberately hit a cyclist and only then think, "Uh oh, bad move, now I'm in trouble!")...but most drivers really do not want to hit anyone, even if only for the purely selfish reason of wanting to avoid hassles.