Originally Posted by
alloo
If you're scared or coming from an automobile like most people you shouldn't bicycle. If you have hope in humanity and believe in yourself you will do well bicycling. It's all a matter of perspective...
I have previously posted on a few threads including
“riding with rush hour commuter traffic”:
Originally Posted by
noglider
Everyone knows that cycling is dangerous. Except that everyone who knows this is wrong. Traveling by bike is one of the safest ways to commute, safer than driving a car.
Cycle, walk, drive or train? Weighing up the healthiest (and safest) ways to get around the city [link]
Originally Posted by
EnjoyinTheRide
I personally don’t road cycle not in the sense of what really goes on.
But I would say that I could understand families and friends having concern because even I as a driver get nervous passing cyclists, particularly in the larger groups.
And let’s be honest there is a lot out of your control. I mean you have traffic coming behind you, passing you within feet, sometimes going beyond speed limits (vehicles).
And let me throw the worse thing out here in that let’s add texting while driving, cell phoning while driving and with all the new gadgets (cameras, tv's etc) they put in these vehicles there's more distraction for drivers.
I get the sense that the majority of cyclists do ride on the roads they feel comfortable on and do it as responsible as one can. But families and friends might not get that part of it as easy as the "drivers" side most understand.....
Originally Posted by
Jim from Boston
… I contend with their fears using many of those talking points as mentioned above ["Once again: Health VS Cycling Accidents" (link)]. One soft argument I read on Bikeforums is that cycling in traffic really does look dangerous to car drivers ensconced in their vehicles.
Personally I feel pretty safe, well-lit, with unlimited vision with mirrors, and pretty nimble on my bike. Nonetheless, I’m totally attentive to the cars around me, and I have a number of safety aphorisms (link) in my mind to keep me alert.
Once though, I was standing on a busy intersection (Massachusetts and Commonwealth Aves) one Saturday night watching some happy-go-lucky student-type cyclists on Hubway Bike Share bikes, no helmets, riding along and laughing in traffic, and I thought to myself that really does look dangerous. 
Originally Posted by
alloo
...How many bicycle/Car interactions are positive? How many are negative? Depending what you find out you should make your decision. If you're dead your problems are over.
I know that no one wakes up in the morning and believes today I will run over a cyclist or I will get into an accident with a car.
The only thing to fear is your thoughts. Your perception is your reality. Good luck.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 09-19-19 at 08:10 PM.