Originally Posted by
El Pelon
My guess is it comes out on the side of the cyclist, so long as (s)he is sensible, wears a helmet and obeys the law. For me, the cycling is only part of the equation. When I started riding again, I started eating better, which led to me getting stronger, which helped me ride more, which made me want to start training again, etc.
+1. And note that most of the perceived danger actually has nothing to do with cycling, but has everything to do with cars. A local newspaper did an article on my commuting and the response was overwhelmingly postive, but many expressed concerned about getting hit by a car. So the solution is... to drive one of those cars?? This selfish, "me first and only" line of thinking has clearly been corrosive to society. If we were all riding bikes instead of Dodge Durangos, I doubt we'd be seeing 40,000+ killed yearly as we do with cars.
With that being said, it is also important for cyclists to make proper preparations and ride responibility as you say.