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@matt_r_p
I had this exact debate with a non-cycling motorist friend yesterday. I think there's two levels on which drivers hate cyclists, the conscious level and the unconscious:
Conscious eg they slow drivers down when there isn't enough space for a car and a bike to pass; cyclists weave in and out of traffic unpredictably; it's irritating to see cyclists flout laws that motorists can't for fear of being nicked / losing their licence.
Unconscious eg driving behind a cyclist is much more stressful than driving behind a car because you could kill them (which leads to the mindset of 'it's so dangerous you shouldn't be on the roads'); anything that slows down a driver on his journey is regarded as breaking some fundamental rule of motor transport (which leads to the mindset of 'roads are for cars'); knowing that a cyclist is faster and fitter and less polluting that you in your gaz-guzzling metal box is guilt-inducing.