I've found that most people are trying to talk me out of bike commuting because it makes them feel better about the fact that they're not riding too.

Just don't spend your time on the interstate, and you should be good.

There's something to be said for visibility and route selection, and it sounds like you're doing those things sensibly.

It makes me think of people who are terrified of flying and yet will happily drive their car on the highway. We all know how those figures statistically stack up. Plane crashes are just more "spectacular".