I feel like I have to piggy-back off of every Austin comment you make but I bike a lot in Austin and there is no way to bike on the highway unless you either like being honked at or like riding the shoulder. Even in the city it's uncomfortable in most places unless they separate the bike lane from the road (like on Guadelupe with the potted plants), but even then, cars take turns without considering bicyclists. Despite the discomfort, I make most of my trips on bike mostly due to a lack of motor vehicle. I do ride defensively to avoid any misunderstanding with cars, but problems still happen. Today even, I was riding in the rain and I had to slide a solid ten feet to my left with my leg out in order to take a right turn without being rear-ended by a car tail-gating. I wouldn't have been worried about this in my car but then again I don't own it anymore. I never wear a helmet either, but I'm also wearing a wrist brace because of an accident involving a a car and the driving and road conditions here.