The Thrills and the Spills of Motorcycling in London

So after having completed the cush bearing replacement, ole Hank has been running well and everyone seems happy.  I am finding the ride to and from work is quickly regaining its previous position of being the highlight of my day.  After my first spill, I was nervous and it showed - my riding was not smooth at all.  With some adjustments to the bike, and with more miles under my helmet, I am getting better and better - and faster.  Not that I'm fast, by any stretch!  Here's a short video of how fast I ride post-spill:

It had rained, and there was a real chill in the air.  It was about 5 degrees Celsius, so I was worried about frost.  Plus, this particular corner is almost a complete 360, and its a steep hill down - this is in Crystal Palace.  Keen observers will note that the Mini passes me, and then get stuck behind a queue of other cars.  His pass gained him absolutely nothing.  He did get to swear at me, though, so that's a win for him.  I guess.
The thing is, I was doing the speed limit when he passed me.  Sure, I took the corner slow, but you would think that if you saw a guy on a motorbike going slowly around a corner, he might be trying to be careful and not take risks - therefore maybe keep well back?  And maybe he also realises now that passing like this does nothing for him except make him more upset.
I have had this a few times, where I will obey the speed limit (or maybe go 5mph over), and I will be overtaken - sometimes undertaken! - by someone, and within sixty seconds, I sail right past them as they get stuck behind someone else in a car.  What's the motivation for this?  Why do cagers behave like this?
Well, as an ex-cager (and still a part-time cager), I think I can understand it.  If you're driving a car, and there is a bike in front of you that is making you nervous (driving erratically, weaving all over, going way under the speed limit), I get that you want to have the bike behind you rather than having the option of him going under you.  Fair enough!
What if the bike is going the speed limit, or only just a little bit over?  Is it worth getting past them?  Maybe, if they are clearly not in full, confident control of their bike.
So sure, there are situations where it is safest to pass the motorbike.  I get that.  If you do decide, in your car, that you want to be in front of a bike, can I humbly ask that you refrain from using your horn, or revving the engine so hard it sounds like its going to jump its motor mounts?  And maybe refrain from swearing and getting angry?

A few days ago, I had a similar experience to the one above.  I was making a right turn onto a road where the speed limit changes right away to 40mph.  I negotiate the corner successfully, and I start to gather speed, when a lad in a VW Polo decides he's annoyed with me.  Horn blasting, engine revving, he passes me at 50-60mph.  And he was bloody close when he pulled back in.  Sure enough, less than 400 metres along, he is stopped at a red light....
I knocked on his window, and he rolled it down.  I asked him why he had to pass me like that, and his claim was that because I was on L plates, I have no right to be in the middle of the road, I should stay next to the kerb!  I was a bit taken aback by this, and told him that I am a fellow road user, and I have every right to use the whole lane, and please don't use the horn like that as all it serves is to frighten me and increases my chance of nervously losing control of my bike.  When I lose control on a bike, the repercussions are a bit more painful than when a VW Polo goes into a skid!  He rolled his window up, still swearing at me, and took off - through the red light, no less.  I think he was feeling a bit sheepish and stupid.  At least I hope he was.  Maybe the next day he went and complained to his mates about how I was using the road, and his mates told him he was wrong and stupid.
Dare to dream, I guess.

Anyway, a spill story for you.
Last friday night I met a friend at South Bank, had a lovely time.  I left the area at about 10:30pm, heading home on my bike.  I approached the roundabout that is Charlie Chaplin Walk - the BFI iMax cinema.  I gained the first position at the roundabout, and waited for traffic to allow me a join when I feel a push and a jerk and my bike is falling out from underneath me!
I turn around, and sure enough, one of those Prius Uber taxis is there - he just rear-ended my on my bike.  I pick up my bike and drag it to the side of the road to check for damage.  The taxi driver looks stunned and shocked - he kept saying 'Are you okay?  I didn't see you!  I thought you went through!'
I was fuming - I was not happy.  I look at the bike, and it would appear the only damage was the L plate was broken on the back, and the right footpeg was bent up a bit due to hitting the floor.
I think I was intimidating him by not saying anything to him whilst I checked out my bike.  He was getting more and more agitated, running around me, saying 'its all my fault! I'm sorry!'
I finally look at him and say 'you scared the shit out of me!'  He apologises and apologises, until he says that we can settle this like gentlemen and he will give me £100 for the trouble.
The bike isn't hurt.  I'm not hurt.  I'm just a bit shaken.
I took the £100.

I guess the point is, things like this happen all the time.  It was a minor prang, nobody got their fists out, and we shook hands at the end of it.  Sometimes shit happens and we can be grateful we walk away with all our facilities.  I mean, what if he hit me harder, and he pushed me into traffic and I got run over or worse the bike gets run over?
I'm just glad I get to ride - a few minor inconveniences and some rude or dangerous drivers make it less fun, but at least I still get to ride.