Originally Posted by
ericm979
Finally I would like to point out that we hear of people getting killed in car accidents all the time and we don't even think about not driving.
This. Approximately 100 people are killed on American roads every single day. That would be about five people per day in NorCal. Anyone seeing these deaths? Add in the fact that in spite of the padding built into today's cages, over 6000 Americans are injured enough to require treatment per day by those same motorists, which would be something like 250 per day in NorCal. We, and our press, tend to gloss over these dog-bites-man stories in favor of the man-bites-dog rarities of cyclists being killed. This is especially true if the cyclist isn't a drunk salmon ninja (unlighted wrong-way rider at night). I suspect most of the 800 cyclist deaths per year fall into that category of rider.
After a ridiculous number of miles in the saddle over the decades, I get it that motorists present a hazard. However, they are more annoying than dangerous. Let's not let these folks drive us away from a beautiful activity. Self-interest disclosure: If there's safety in numbers, I need every cyclist I can get out there.