Don't engage with hecklers

TLDR; Don't engage with hecklers, you can only make things worse for yourself.

I live in the U.S.

Yesterday I was riding on the road in a residential area. I came up to a stop light with cars already waiting ahead of me. I decided to pull off the right side of the road and behind the car in front of me, mainly because the road was wide coming up to the intersection with space for cars to take a right at the intersection.

Well anyways, the driver behind me didn't like that I was now not on the side of the road, but in line with the cars. He honks. Tells me to get off the road, and insults me. I insulted him back pretty aggressively. Dude pulls over and I keep riding. Some minutes later he drives from behind and tries to throw something at me.

This whole situation has had me stressed about riding, and has made me feel vulnerable and exposed to the idiots on the road.

I'm angry at myself for even engaging with someone with a 2-ton machine that can easily overpower me. It's just not worth it.