I'd have to say I agree with much of what has already been said. It depends on the person. I took up cycling again after having not ridden in about 25-30 years. Took a while trying to find a road bike that would work for me. I'm short 5' with a 25" inseam, and I'm disabled (can't lift my leg up over the top tube). I discovered Bike Friday and had them make me a bike with road components.

Well within 6 months I got into a cycling accident. I fractured my tibia and the doc said I would be wheelchair bound for six weeks. After six weeks, it took another 4-6 weeks before I could even get back on the bike. 1 and a half months later I took my bike out to Maryland to ride at Blackwater refuge where Terry's Wild Goose Chase was held. It is amazingly beautiful there. My leg is still healing, the bones are healed, but the tendons/ligaments are still not 100%. But I am still riding.

So it true, cycling can be dangerous, but it also has its rewards. In the end each person needs to weigh the pros and cons and decide for themselves if it is worth continuing.