@buzzman
I agree with you about perspective and history. And my helmet goes off to you for starting 20 years ago against the odds and the naysayers. And defending yourself with a swinging chain!
I was recently amazed by how many bike shops there are in the boroughs. We've got pretty good bike maps, expanding sets of bike lanes, more awareness of bikers, actual community meetings from time to time where bikers, peds, car people try to hash out problems. (I think that's what led to the redesign of the lanes in Prospect Park. I wasn't too happy about the few weeekends, back in Feb., where the cops set up traps and started issuing tickets for bikers who ran red lights, but by a stroke of luck, I saw them, came to a complete stop, and saved myself.)
So all told, on a more optimistic day, I can convince myself that things are indeed getting better, as you said. And since I haven't had any flats since I wrote my last post, I'm feeling better about things.
Someday, someday, maybe the Verrazano Bridge will get a bike lane. But the ferry is very accommodating for cyclists. I haven't done a ton of commuting on Staten Island, but recently I've explored some alternate routes and had an OK time of it.