Just because it has been happening for a long time doesn’t make it less a concern now.

That’s not the argument here though. The argument is that it’s getting out of control, implying that it’s getting worse. I’m not convinced it is.

I don’t think the riders should have to put up with smoke flares, people waving their fists right in their faces, patting them on the back, etc…

That stuff is part of the culture of the sport and most riders actually indicate they enjoy it when they talk about their experiences on famous climbs or start/finish lines. Occasionally some idiots will take it too far but incidents are still very rare considering how many people attend races and how much road is left completely unprotected. I actually think most of the panic about fan behaviour is just coming from other fans, notably those who don’t attend themselves and/or only tune in once a year for the Tour and think every race is like that.