Being a rider once myself I thought it was safer to give up the bike because a few of my mates have had serious injuries. In the end a few of us would just go for Sunday morning ride in the hills. And we still managed to find a tourist driving on the opposite side of the road. Came around the corner on wrong side. I think if everyone got there bike licence they would have a better understanding of what its like to ride on the road.
I always check for bikes even reversing out of driveways. I have a good sense when there around but sometimes they still come from nowhere.
I think the younger riders are learning to many bad maners from the older ones like dashing between lanes, hitting my mirrors at the lights when they squeeze past to get to the front and monos.