Al,
None of these comments have been meant as a personal attack on you. If I wanted to I could take your above comment,
"Maybe it's my fault for trying to discuss this at an adult level. Sorry." as a personal attack telling me that I am unable to communicate at an adult level, but I know it wasn't meant as that. The Tree Hugger comment has been used so often most of us don't even pay much attention to it. And most had stated that there are idiots driving vehicles just as there are riding bicycles, but fortunately neither of those groups make up the majority. It is like everything else. A few bad examples and everyone in whatever field or situation is lumped in with them and this is an unfortunate fact of life.
Ron