I don't think the Ride of Silence, Ghost Bikes, or helmet laws are nearly as big a signal that riding bikes is dangerous as having some ******-bag swerve into your lane because he's texting while he's driving. Anyone with any common sense knows that it's dangerous to be on or near any public street, whether you're riding your bike, walking, or in an SUV. By doing the ride, maybe a few people will realize that there are more than 10-12 people on the road on bicycles and maybe they should pay attention. Direct mail advertising only generates about 1-5% return. People still find it profitable to send it. If 1 driver is paying more attention on 1 day and sees 1 cyclist he would have killed, it's worth the 100s of hours I've spent organizing and promoting this ride and worth those few people who think riding might be too dangerous for them.