And I also have to agree that people *will* lump cyclists into the fringe, making it just harder to convey cycling as normal behavior that others might consider trying.
And it certainly doesn't help cyclists to come in off the fringe in people's minds when they ride naked in the dark and snow -- which is not particularly safe -- to try to make the point that they value safety.

The main thing the cyclists had going for them was the safety issue. It is easy to petition on the side of safety; it's harder to petition successfully when standing naked on an illegal soapbox.

The legal channels are still there, waiting to be used. If people don't want to be considered on the fringe, they shouldn't act like people on the fringe.