My experience seems to be on the whole reasonable.
I don’t live in the smoke as you have guessed..most motorists give you space, and provided you are not riding in the gutter they give you the space you are entitled to.

The only incidents i’ve had tend to be from selfish mobile phone users.

Incidents i’ve witnessed at junctions seem to be related to the blind spots in cars.. i.e. your coming in at a 45 degree angle to the car and you dissappear into that pillar

I’ve commuted by bike for 15 years now, except for the 18 months I took off to cycle around Australia, NZ and California.
I know only ride a mile to work, across the small market town I live in, and I have more close calls than ever before!

8 months of NOT having to recharge my lights every night

If its good enough for Volvos and Saabs, its good enough for me. Dynamo hubs are brilliant! Busch & Muller lights on all the time, and hi-viz if its anything but bright sunshine, and usually then aswell. Goes a long way. Might have to get an air-zound too, but a loud voice can stop traffic, and attratc pedestrain witnesses if needed.