The points you mention against biking to work in my opinion as someone that bikes to work don’t hold. The only problems are too big distances and cultural acceptance which would also lead to more infrastructure like showers at work.
The city has bike lanes, which suddenly disappear, or require crossing moving traffic, just to go straight ahead, because the bike lane has now moved one car lane to the right.
Along with a lack of training of drivers with regards to sharing the road with bikes, I wouldn't ever recommend that someone cycles in this city, even though many do.
It would need the concerted effort from the entire population, similar to the Dutch population in the 70's or whenever they changed their bike road rules.
See: https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/safety-and-road-rules/cyclis...
It mentions 771 "doorings" over a 5 year period. The number is probably much higher, since many wouldn't get reported.
I live in a bike happy area. As in rows of bike stalls and people complain there still aren't enough.
Three of my coworkers ended up in the ER, two of which were knocked unconscious. Many others have had spills and chills.
It changed my behavior. Way more risk adverse. Only choose routes with lots of other cyclists (only thing which increases safety, from my reading). Totally avoid intersections with trucks. And so forth.