Let's race all the way to dead man's curve

Is it just me or have the roads become markedly more angry in the last two months? Maybe I've just become much angrier myself or have become much more protective after a few incidents which have shaken me a bit.

I've had the motorcycle two weeks ago, Brixton Road bus lane, which clipped right by me, way too close to my assertive position in the center of the lane. When I gave him my what the f**k gesture in his mirror, he pointed me to the gutter. I feel slightly bad that I was then kind of happy when a car almost knocked him over about 20 seconds later. Karma.

Then last week was the minicab which nearly knocked me over twice in about 30 seconds. I never scream at motorists, but twice I was cursing and yelling at him. In hindsight, I'm a bit ashamed of that, especially since I didn't think to get his license plate number and report him to the police and the Public Carriage Office.

Then today, Brixton Road again, starting off at a stop light, bus stopped in the lane ahead, I pull out into traffic to go around it, back into the bus lane, and then about 15 seconds later, some woman in a car pulls up beside me and lays on her horn and then drives off. Huh? No idea what that was about. Maybe I slowed her down when I was passing the bus, I have no idea.

So, some tips for motorists. If you are going to shout abuse at me, make sure you do it well before you go past me. If you scream as you are going past, I'm only going to hear a few syllables and I'm not going to be amazed by all the work and effort you put into coming up with the absolutely perfect thing to shout at me. And honking, you know, I put myself in that position in the lane very deliberately, especially so that you can't just zoom past me with inches to spare, where me having to swerve to miss a pothole or you being distracted by talking on your mobile isn't going to end up with me being crushed. So, unless you sound especially homicidal with your honking, I'm not going to change my position. I think my safety is more important than inconveniencing you. Maybe you should plan your journeys a little better so that a 3 second delay isn't a life and death trauma for you.

But what is with the last two months, why does it seem to have hit a new level? Have I become increasingly paranoid and protective of myself because of all the incidents? Are people driving more angry now? I know the price of petrol has been skyrocking lately, when it ends up at 2 pounds per litre, are they going to be furious all the time? Is there just an upward trend of anger in general?