I spent 7 years in the Tampa area, and it's no sweet treat there, either. I would bike on campus, but once outside the central area, it was terrifying. My parents live in the most densely populated county in the state of FL - driving a car was dangerous, I couldn't even bring myself to get on a bike.

It's no wonder they are in a constant state of panic at the thought of me biking on roads that cars drive on... As much as I try to explain that both NC and OR are totally different, I don't think they are buying it! How can they when what they see daily is nightmare-ish?