Do you guys in the UK have a lot of trail-user conflict between bikes, hikers, horseback riders, etc?
Here in NM/USA, it seems to start getting most contentious this time of year as the temperature comes down and the trail use increases.
This morning, on a ride, I was going down a rocky singletrack, about 2 feet wide and encountered, coming up the trail, a couple pushing (or trying to) a baby stroller, w/infant and a couple of small children (5-6 yrs) with them. I stopped and had to lift my bike up the upper-side of the trail as far as I could so they could get by. The guy was a royal a##, making a comment about bikes going too fast and pushing others off the trails. I held my tongue on that, but did comment on the fact that the particular arroyo they were crossing/climbing out of had a heavy population of diamondback rattlesnakes due to the terrain, so they might want to keep a close eye on the kids, keep them on the trail and not climbing all over the rocks & brush.
I got a "it's not your concern" reply, so let it go and went on.

As you probably do in the UK, there are defined trail etiquette/right-of-way rules and I always yield to horses and hikers, but really irritates me to get a load of crap when I'm being polite.
The trail conflict issue will be intense until about mid-November when winter sets in and the "fair-weather" trail users all settle in to watch television all weekend.

Sometimes – the thing is though most people are fine and friendly but you tend to remember the annoying ones more. Some people just seem to be having a crap time and want other people to as well.

Best just rise above it like you did.

It happens here too, if you ride a lot you are always going to meet ar** holes. Mostly the people I've met have been very polite and usually quite enthusiastic, I often get "ohh I wish I was that fit/brave/having that much fun". Only blow ups I've had weren't even mine really and they have been related to dogs not being on leads and heading for bike wheels. My other half nearly had a full on punch up with some T88t on top of a hill because his dogs were not on leads and ran at the bike nearly causing a collision. I give way to people on horses/in cars/walking. Actually, I always give way to everyone, I'm a very considerate rider but as with anything, you get bikers who can be complete ar** holes too. That's life I'm afraid.

Its different in different parts of the UK.

Conflict is rare in Scotland for a variety of reasons – the main one being that all who use the trails see bikes as legitimate users and there is a "right to roam" trhat includes bikes

You are right about there being a fair share of bikers who are complete a##es as well who won't give an inch to anyone. In the dead of winter, as long as there isn't a lot of snow on the trails here near Albuquerque, you don't have much in the way of traffic—of course that's when one has to watch for the downhill crowd practicing due to the lack of traffic—gets your adrenalin way up to come around a corned and meet a guy on a 45 lb downhill sled at full throttle.