What an irony that the pioneers who promote cycling include those who ride in the many cities where it is still extremely dangerous to do so. In the course of making things better for everyone else, they risk their own life. I involuntarily risk my life crossing the street every day; I'm not willing to do the same for cycling. But by not cycling in weekday traffic, I fail to understand fully the possibilities and problems. "Must be willing to die for the cause" seems an outrageous requirement in a job description for transport planning, but such are the absurdities to which our misplaced priorities lead us. I don't think my friend ever signed a clause stating he was willing to risk his leg to cross the street...but if nothing worse, we must at least risk frustration, aggravation, and repeated defeat in order to arrive at a saner, healthier place. Kudos to those willing to risk it all; their bravery and dedication make it all the more essential that the rest of us do our part to hasten the change towards genuinely people-friendly cities.