Nah, I'm not a tile bagger (sounds a bit like an obscure sexual practice), I practice an art known as randomeering, which I basically have no plan or destination, I just go. I'm fine with that. In pre-COVID times I was used to avoiding local roads by taking the train somewhere sensible, but there's still that baseline anxiety at the end. The south-east is a bit crowded so finding a lane that's guaranteed not to have a local hammering down like a bullet in their Corsa is never guaranteed and at some point you'll find yourself laid out like a sacrifice on the tarmac altar of some dreadful A road.
It's not like I'm terrified of traffic, I used to often commute home via the A23, but inner London traffic isn't quite as bad as local traffic, it's predictably unpredictable. But still not really a measure of fun. And it gets more Mad Max the further you head out towards the Croydon traffic dystopia.
There is a recent incident that sticks in mind, finishing my ride home, I had the usual van revving behind me on the narrow road, some shouted abuse, that kind of thing (and the worst thing is that it's not atypical, this is something that as a cyclist, you're habituated to entertain), and it was somehow worse because it was around the corner from where I lived. Then, as I turned into my street, a beer bottle sailed by my head. Terrible aim, so it more symbolic than an actual threat, but I'm conscious that really there is no other activity I undertake which comes with the regular threat of an actual physical assault. And the knowledge that if something does happen, then I'm powerless, I don't even have much expectation the police will do anything.
Even then though, it's the minor stuff, the litany of close passes and minor aggression and ignorance, coupled with the knowledge that a lot of people in those cars hates me for no reason than I'm a 'cyclist.' It annoys me that I have to rationalise this as something that happens and should be expected to happen and I just have to deal with it just to undertake an activity that I enjoy. Actually, that's a lot more than an annoyance.
Oh, I'm just musing on a feeling that's been growing for a while and I guess a lack of cycling during the last year has brought it to the fore, maybe I'll get a sunny weekend free and think fuck it, let's go.