(I remember my first trip to India (Mumbai) being 3 hours late to a meeting because I didn't account for the delays an basically unregulated road transport system can cause...)
It's a tradeoff for a wealthy Canadian traveling the world. It's a matter of necessity for most other people.
The level of privilege in these posts of yours is frustrating. People aren't stupid, they're aware of the risks, they choose not to dwell on them so they can live their lives - but that doesn't mean they won't choose lower risk if it was available to them.
Given that the locals like to
a) make fun of my western helmet and gloves
b) don't bother to wear even the cheap local helmets available
c) take needless risks like running reds, driving drunk, and driving on the wrong side of the street
I'd have to disagree with this assessment.