In spite of the fact that a plurality of people won't ride bikes or walk because of their fear of the way motorists operate their vehicles, the odds of getting maimed by a motorist in an average lifetime are about 50%. Where's the hyperbole? Check out your local paper's web site for a week and count the number of road deaths and drunks-in-ditch stories.

Walking, cycling, driving and otherwise using the public roads should not be an activity that entails any risk. The fact that motorists kill and maim people on a regular basis rightfully has reasonable people alarmed and angry. But you go ahead and put your head back into that hole; I'm sure that's comforting for you.