Biking in North Western English Winter

It's got progressively colder here over the past three months and now in January I am completely covered up. Some days it hardly gets above zero. I have fallen over once when riding, having hit ice in the dark. Never saw it coming as I went around a corner. 

I can't believe that the government encourages people to ride in this country. Although motorists seem very considerate of cyclists in the morning I have had a few near misses as they just seem oblivious to the fact I am there. They come from a side street and cross in front stopping when they see me at the last minute. Five times so far and it has made me rather paranoid. I have improved my visibility with two lights on the front and a reflective jacket. Doesn't seem to have made much difference. 

I have found a longer bike path now well away from the traffic which is considerably longer but obviously safer. Road rage was becoming an issue as half apologised but a couple didn't. There was one driver with his daughter who went to cross the road in front of me driving into a small shopping area. He hit the breaks and stopped a meter from me. I was some what incensed and stopped in his way. I gestured for him to put his window down but he ignored me. After a stand off lasting a minute or so he gave up on the shops and drove down the road.

Some people seem to have little empathy for those they don't know and apologising seems to be beyond them.

Now it is snowing and I have had to upgrade my bike. It wasn't bad biking in the snow but the snow does get into your eyes. I had to wear sunglasses making it harder to see. The main issue was the blizzard like wind I biked into which caused me to take an hour to ride 13km. School became optional at lunch time yesterday and 80% of the kids left. The snow had been building all day and by lunchtime people were getting concerned about getting home. James (another math teacher into gaming) and I entertained the Removes (year 7 kids) with various gaming cards including killer Bunnies and Munhkins.