And yes, if there are more cyclists streets can be made safer, and often times are, due to increased public demand. My point was simply the “nOOb” biker dumping it at a light, novice fixie rider going ass over tea kettle and other similar accidents that result in hospital or doctor visits may contribute to a perceived increase of cycling injuries.

I like that European study BTW – nice to know young males drive like shit in places other than LA!

Also, with more people riding, there isn’t necessarily an increase in injuries – in fact injuries can decrease. There’s a documented “safety in numbers” effect. See for example:
http://la.streetsblog.org/2009/06/05/in-new-york-more-proof-of-safety-in-numbers-for-cyclists/

I personally – entirely anecdotally – Joe’s uneducated guess – think that in LA, cycling in increasing, and that injuries aren’t increasing. I think that is especially likely to be true if compare what a similar injury rate would have been had these new cyclists been driving. There’s a European study that says that, especially for younger males (under age 50,) the risk of injury is less on a bike than it is in a car. See http://www.networks.nhs.uk/uploads/07/11/cycling_and_health.pdf

I do wonder what he bases his comment on though….