Around here, we have so many electric wheelchairs and hoveround type motorized chairs cruising the streets that the people on bikes hardly ever seem like a problem. In fact, I can't even remember the last time I had to dodge a cyclist or was held up in traffic because of one. Even if I encountered a dozen a day, it wouldn't compare to the number of retards in cars doing things like stopping in the middle of a 40mph road to turn right across two or three lanes of traffic, making illegal left turns to take a short-cut to McDonalds, doing u-turns on busy downtown streets to beat someone to a parking spot (knowing their suburban or crown vic can't make the turn without backing up a time or three).
I've always enjoyed riding a bike, but much less in the last few years - largely because it seems like drivers licenses and cars are easily obtainable by anyone with a pulse. Also, as I've said before and those of you here know, Texas cities and roads are not cyclist or pedestrian friendly. Judging by what seems like a few motorcyclist deaths here every day or so, it's not too good for them, either. There are many places where you just can't safely get from one point to another without a full-sized, motorized vehicle. Public transportation is mediocre to non-existent.
An interesting trend I've noticed recently are the growing numbers of middle-aged men, mostly Mexican, who are traveling the roads by bicycle. I had been assuming much of it was due to the recent passing of Draconian DWI penalties, but now the gas prices have to be factoring in (especially for people making $5.85 an hour).
With what seems like 90% of the road occupied by SUVs and super-extra-crew-club-maxi-hemi trucks driven by the desperately-in-need-of-exercise, something that encourages and aids in safer bicycle commuting needs to be done.
I'll agree that putting on your Lance jersey and getting out on 360 is stupid, as is riding on the shoulder of most of the state highways and the narrow, shoulderless FMs, but bicyclists ought to be able to at least make it through the neighborhoods and low-to-medium traffic 30mph city streets without being harassed or run over.