I drive a small car (miata) and ride a road bike. I usually try to keep off heavily used roads because of the increased danger of being hit. I wipe out enough as it is to have to worry about being hit by a car too . As far as SUVs and choice; they pollute more and take up more space (our parking spaces are much bigger here in the US than in other places). I think people are overconfident and therefore are not as alert to their surroundings because they are in a large vehicle (vans and big sedans included). This makes them more a hazard to other drivers. I know that I am a bit more alert when driving the miata as opposed to my mom's villager or mark VIII because I know I weigh about 1500 lbs less than most vehicles and I am low to the ground, with no roof to protect me. It also helps that I can brake and turn MUCH better than just about any other vehicle (a modified miata holds the all-time slalom record for a road car, I believe). I also think that some of the things said about the safety of SUVs are true in some cases. SUVs use a ladder-type frame-on-body design that has been around since the model T. It does not afford the same energy-absorbing capabilites as a monocoque (unit-body) car does in a crash. It is also heavier, with brakes and tire contact patch comparable to those found on a normal car. Coupled with their high center of gravity, these attributes mean that SUVs handle and brake poorly when compared to a passenger car or even a minivan. Soooo...accident avoidance is diminished, and given their large size, the danger to drivers of smaller cars (like me!) is increased. So it's not just about personal choice; like many decisions you make, this one affects other people as well, probably more than it affects you. I think this is the point that many people are trying to make. It is selfish to think that your lifestyle and driving preferences are more important than the lives of the other people around you.

Bibliography:
My own personal experience:
Senior, Mechanical Engineering, NC State University
Personally helped in the design and construction of 2 FSAE race cars
Driven in several major US cities (DC, Houston, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Tucson etc.) as well as mainland Japan
Driven following cars at some length: Ford explorer, suzuki sidekick, mazda miata, lincoln mark VIII, mercury villager, chevy
silverado 1500 Z71, chrysler LHS
Carrol Smith's Tune to Win
Alan Staniforth's Race and Rallye Car Source Book