Originally Posted by Cornbread
Well, congratulations on having balls of steel. Fact remains, riding a bike in traffic is VERY intimidating for a vast majority of the general public. I like what my bike does for me, I don't like what a 2 ton SUV does for me (or for that matter a 1-ton Civic). If you want to "advocate" cycling then you need to be prepared to confront this issue, not dismiss it as an invalid excuse.
And, yes, all of your other reasons are perfectly valid, but even with all of those issues resolved, the danger of being hit by a car remains.
You are right that fear of traffic is the # 1 reason most Americvans con't ride bikes. Your point is well taken that this fear needs to be addressed by cycling advocates.
However, you are wrong if you believe this is a legitimate fear. There is no valid reason to believe that cycling is riskier than walking or driving a car. This fear of traffic is a phobia, or
irrational fear.