A comment that follows on from Matthew Parris's apology this week in The Times sums things up very well:
Strange isn't it. When I drive my car, I'm seen as Mister Normal. When I drive my van I'm seen as Mister White Van Man with all that implies. When I ride my bike I'm seen as lawless bunny hugging hooligan with no respect for the law. But all the time I'm the same person using a different vehicle on the public highway. I'm not some crazed outsider on the fringe of society just because I choose to use my bike for some of my journeys, am I? What's wrong with everyone? Just because it's illegal to verbally bully ethnic or religious minorities nowadays are you are so desperate that you pick on someone just because of their travel choices? In spite of all the nastiness some people the bike remains for me the most enjoyable form of travel there is. And as a free bonus it keeps my fitness up and my waistline down. Some of you folk should try it sometime. It's fun.
Howard Cain, Bath, UK
Nice work, Howard. I don't think I can add much more to that.