My ER doctor friend says urban cycling is idiotic.
I do it all the time but you're kidding yourself if you don't realize it is extremely dangerous.
The more important issue in the US regarding bikes is the lack of density. It's simply not feasible to bike the kinds of distances most people need to go.
A friend of yours said something, so it must be true...
Most accidents are due to people driving their bicycles unsafely. If you drive safely, urban cycling is not dangerous. If you drive like a maniac and disregard traffic controls (running lights, riding on the sidewalk, going the wrong direction, etc.), then yeah... it's dangerous. Just like it would be as a pedestrian or motorist.
In aggregate, cycling is not significantly more dangerous than any other activity: http://bicycleuniverse.info/transpo/almanac-safety.html
(Despite this, I am in favor of laws and regulations that make the roads less dangerous. Cars should not go faster than bicycles in cities. If you need to get somewhere fast, use rapid transit.)
I have a hard time believing anyone in the US (except maybe New York) could say this with a straight face. Where do you live that rapid transit is so rapid?
Personally, living within a bike-able distance to the office is critical. One employer moved nearly 20 miles from house. I tried doing the commute three times a week, and that extra two hours was just not worth it. Fortunately, the tech sector here is pretty robust, and it didn't take much to find work closer to home.