Cyclists Down????

Seeing that I am new to cycling. I am more sensitive to stories about cyclists getting hit or killed by vehicles, out of their own fault or not. I read on the old Drunk Cyclist page everyday it seems about another person, mother, father, child, sibling etc;, dieing. I am not sure but it seems, in the last two years, to be gaining speed. Now is it because more people due to economical pressure are riding bikes, or that it has been deemed more environmental friendly? Is it due to the fact that cyclists are acting as if they own the road and breaking laws all the time? Is it because we as a society are becoming less patient of others and expect people to give us respect? Not sure.
I ride about 150 miles a week on a bicycle, sometimes more. I have been pushed off the road, yelled at, and had shit thrown at me. This got me wondering if my own friends are ones who do this to others? I have a bunch of friends that do not ride or understand the mentality of riding. I wonder if they remember that they have a friend (me) that rides everyday he can on the road, or trail, and try's to obey all laws. I have pondered if everone of my friends realizes that their vehicle could end a cyclists life in a second just by stopping in front of that person. That when they are making the quick right turn in front of a cyclist and cutting him off while he is moving along at 20 miles an hour that he could snap him neck by hitting the back of a car. When they won't pass in the left lane and try and squeeze around him in the lane with cars parked on the right he could eat a mirror or door, be out of work for awhile or dead. I would just like my friends that do not ride to try and remember that. Try and think about me or your other friends that may ride every time you think "damn biker/cyclist" and want to do something rash.
Also remember that by law we as cyclists are supposed to be in the road. I am only saying this because I really do not want to have to go to a funeral for one of my friends that do ride, or attend my own, or attend one of my friends court hearing for vehicular manslaughter.
As for you cyclists as I have always said braking the laws intentionally is not going to make motorists respect us anymore. Cutting people off, riding against traffic, going extremely slow so you can talk (which by the way I found I can do at higher speeds just as easily), running stop signs when there are cars waiting, or no lights. These things tend to anger others, just as if you were driving and had to avoid a car with no lights or coming at you. I am only saying this because I really do not want to have to go to a funeral for one of my friends that do ride, or attend my own, or attend one of my friends court hearing for vehicular manslaughter.