Quote: "About 900 cyclists a year get killed in the U.S." I bet there are more than that. And a whole lot more maimed and crippled for life. If you want to get out there and mix it up with cars I'm all for you as long as you don't hold up traffic.
I suspect the number killed is pretty good. I know for a fact the accident data beyond that is bad. It's the same with our boating statistics. I'd rather be killed than relegated to a wheelchair for life. I take an extremely cooperative approach to sharing the road. I don't like holding anyone up. My wife thinks I am weird for sprinting across crosswalks to minimize the time I delay waiting motorists. So while I advocate strongly for cyclists rights and for motorists to be patient and respectful, I also treat fellow road users with respect until otherwise indicated.
