Cycling

1) I love cycling - it's physical, it's fun and I'm relatively good at it.
2) Everyone hates cyclists
- pedestrians thing we shouldn't be on cycle paths where they are shared. Obviously there are bad cyclists who ride on the footpath, but it also seems most pedestrians didn't do those green-cross-code lessons at primary school!
- motorists think we don't exist and hence cut us up and overtake with no space. Cyclists are not standing still and do require half a lane on a normal road, you do need to cross the central line if you're overtaking. Around town, we're doing about the same speed, so you do have to check that you're safely past before pulling back in - otherwise you will at best come very close to hitting the cyclist. And beeping a cyclist to, "get out of your way", is not what a horn is for! I could go on..
- taxis own the road, so I have no idea what I was thinking trying to use it with a bike of all things! Actually, taxis haven't been too bad for me, at least they come very close to following the rules of the road - they should given their familiarity with it. It's just the occasional blazee bad-judgement.
- busses are onto a loser from the off - they're big, clunky take up most of the road and are asked to share their lanes with small, nippy cyclists. Even the good ones probably can't help feeling annoyed.
- motorcyclists, you guys are not cyclists! One chap on a CB500 (but not a courier) cut me up in a cycle lane last week!
3) The fumes! Busses are the worst (gag, yak), closely followed by white-vans, but also cars and motorbikes: 2-stroke scooters, etc are absolutely awful, but even a spanking GSX-R1000 spits out some noxious pongs - I had to sit behind one at a red light the other day!
4) I'm going to die if I keep cycling in london! I'm not perfect (close, but not quite!), and all it will take is one serious accident and I'll be wishing I already had life assurance.

So, that's it. Something I love and enjoy has been completely nobbled by incompetent drivers, pedestrians and road-layout engineers. Something that is good for the environment and good for my fitness. Something that should be the default mode of transport for all young(ish), fit people on journeys of 8miles or less (more if you're properly fit). Kinda sad.