You obviously haven't met my dog. Most men would cower before her, and she once separated an intruder from a size 14 shoe he was wearing. Cops caught the guy 5 min later, but that's another story...

While I'm not a fan of "FU" style defiance, it is OK to explore limits, and I think that acknowledging the parents' concerns and trying to find a way through this is the way to go. It's not what you do that's so important, but your motivation for doing it. My experience that if your motives are good, history will normally be kind to your decisions, even if they lead to short term trouble.

HickeyDog, you want to think twice before bucking your folks, but sometimes it is the right thing to do. If you go against your folks' wishes, be prepared to face the consequences and don't whine if your risk doesn't pay off. You will someday encounter similar situations in employment. Some people complain that they're trapped and can't do anything. Others realize that they have plenty of options and then choose the best course of action based on the costs/benefits of doing one thing or the other.

If you decide to ride, do it smart, and be as safe as you can. Be visible, use a mirror, communicate with motorists, and talk to your folks about how you manage the risks they are worried about.

A number of us ride on roads that most people consider suicidal. The fact of the matter is these roads can be really dangerous if you don't know what you're doing. However, if you know how to work with what's out there, it's quite safe.