Building bike lanes is great, but it's going to take a long time to change the culture of motorists and cyclists and pedestrians to make it safer for everyone. Licensing cyclists might help although everyone hates that idea except pedestrians who have been hit. (I know I've posted this comment before, but it bears repeating. )
Yes, it's tricky. Boston Bike is in favor of more and more not just bike lanes but permanent bus lanes, MASSIVE street improvements, and getting the mopeds off the streets and bike lanes WAY, WAY before demanding the cyclists add more gubamint red tape to their own lives. Good valid points you make no doubt. There are dangerous cycling behaviors and dangerous driving behaviors and the pedestrians can get better as well (this is from someone walking 20k steps/day btw).
