Risk assessment of assertive cycling

(This thread is fine scratchy)
your point

The greater the numbers of other road/vehicle users that understand the reasoning behind assertive cyclist positioning (or at the very least are told that this is a "normal" position to expect to see a cyclist riding in) the less of this aggression/ retribution taking cyclists are going to have to put up with.
is an extension of the "safety in numbers" concept and is about managing driver's expectations. In london cyclists are expected and accepted on the road, cyclists riding in the traffic stream are not common enough yet and will become more accepted and even understood as more riders do that.

So off to meet my trainee now to to coax/coach another rider into the traffic stream...