Nonsense! In the 70s I was constantly getting cut off by motorists making right turns without looking for cyclists. That's precisely because there were relatively few of us. Things are better now that motorists are getting better at looking for us.

As for your golden age where everybody respected the law and children called you ma'am or sir as they passed, what a load of baloney! Your La La Land was a place where, for example, drunk driving wasn't taken nearly as seriously as today. Bullying among kids was just "boys will be boys". Women and minorities were supposed to know their place. 

Things are improving. But a 2 ton car is still a 2 ton car. They're every bit as dangerous when driven carelessly.