Yeah, kinda gotta let the fluff be what it is... fluff.
I live in Atlanta. 1 word. Traffic.
Don't be cruel, or condescending even if they are that way with you. Do like I do, tell them you do it because you want to take care of your body. And believe it or not, millions of people around the world actually have fun doing it.
The benefits outweigh the risks. I'm lucky. People where I work think it's cool, they just worry about my safety.