You were 20+ years younger do you not think this impacts your view? I thought I was immortal in my late teens early twenties.
I honestly think we are having a debate now because cameras + internet forces the debate. Before cameras people just either put up with it or stopped riding and only the hardcore kept going (mainly young - middle aged men) no-one probably bothered going to the police because what are you going to say?
I imagine some people honestly thought that when action cameras became available that they would put one on, record a punishment pass take it to the cops and it would be problem solved. I'm sure that they tried this but it did nothing so youtube + registration plate was tried as an attempt to shame people, but guess what the public really hate cyclists and are completely ignorant of the road laws and the police can come up with as many excuses as they need to not do anything.
If the last 5-10 years has shown anything it's that people in an entrenched self protecting world view will buckle down and become more extreme in the face of evidence that their view is wrong or causing harm to others.