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@Wildgoose
I think its sheer weight of numbers. The embankment at rush hour is a classic example. You can see the nearside lane is often completely given up to cyclists. A car venturing there would get swamped by bikes at the next red light and could only escape by getting back into the outside lane. Thus leaving the nearside lane a safe haven for the cyclists. We are so obvious it impossible to ignore us. Now this might be hard to believe, but I've even had courteous reactions from cabbies.
I used to ride in to the Old Polytechnic of Central London from Herne Hill in the 80's. Nary was the day when I wasn't clipped by a wing mirror, or slammed into the kerb, and to arrive without having had a half dozen encounters with vehicles driven by people who either weren't bothered about you or just plain didn't see you was a rare day indeed. Today, well it's bike heaven compared to those bad ol' days.