I would go further and suggest that driving, especially on Britain's crowded roads, is actually far more competitive than any of us realise. The brand and "face" of your car, your assertiveness, speed, positioning, all contribute to your place in the pecking order. Think about the bullying BMW driver who races up and brakes hard behind you, the minicab driver in a beaten up saloon who shoots up to that junction hoping to intimidate you into waving him out, the elderly drivers in economy hatches who bumble out after commuting time, the nervous driver who seems to have no spatial awareness, they are all types and we assess how much every driver threatens our road space by their car and driving style. Cyclists are low down in the pecking order and thanks to the minority who jump lights and ride on pavements we are sometimes even reviled. But cyclists who assert their right in a polite, non-aggressive manner are more likely to be tolerated for a few moments.