[n.s.]

I'm about at the same level as you, although I haven't ridden mine in months.

The safety thing bugs me too, and sometimes I think to myself that I've had a good run and I should quit when I'm ahead. I purposely limited myself to a bike that can't handle highway speeds for this reason as well.

But then you see the video of that guy that got hit starting at a green light (car behind him decided to pull around him and caught his mirror), thrown under a dump truck, barely survived and now has no legs.

But life is risk, so it's worth it if you love it. I say if you don't rely on it for a primary means of transportation, only ride under good conditions, and do the easy stuff like get good safety equipment, then it's not a stupid form of recreation.