Please inform me on the research I need to do about her response? Seems that she explained herself well enough. However, this is a distraction from the conversation.

"Perception" versus reality. It appears that perception is trumping reality everywhere I look (climate change denier; anti-vaxxers, evolution, etc). *

Example: in 2011 a main county road on my commute was up for resurfacing and the county wanted to convert the 4-lane road to a 3-lane with shoulders for bikes. However, local residence had a perception that the 3-lane road could not handle all the traffic. This in the face of all the facts the county presented showing that the 4-lane road was over-built for current traffic levels (which had been static for 10 years) and successful examples around the county of 4-3 conversions. Local residence perception based on feelings trumped reality based on facts.

That is my issue with helmets make bikes 'feel' dangerous and seat belts do not make cars 'feel' dangerous.

*PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE do not go down any of these rabbit-holes. PLEASE.