like everything, this too shall pass.
gundy, if you are a lady, make sure you have a woman’s seat.
Gundy, after years and years of cycling - most of them training miles for competition… some observations of mine regarding safety are as follows…
(1) Bright light movement is easily seen. I strongly recommend reflector strips which you can strap on around your ankles. They use the bright white reflector matierial that firemen use on their jackets. Because you wear them on your ankles, they move up and down like crazy and vehicle drivers can see you with incredible ease - compared to merely bike lights alone. And best of all, they’re visible from 360 degrees in relation to your bike. For $7.50, no other investment in safety compares.
(2) Learn to be able to look over your shoulder while holding a straight line. This is pretty important in racing, and it’s helped me no end in general road use. I can’t stress how valueable it is to be able to “meet eye contact” with another vehicle driver.
(3) Don’t be afraid to direct car drivers with hand signals. Over the years, time and time again, I’ve found that close calls are most often caused by misunderstandings. Most car drivers are quite happy to obey a hand signal by a cyclist to temporarily slow down, and or to go wide, and or, just to wait up for a moment. The trick is to be forceful, and obvious.
(4) Always acknowledge good manners by a car driver by waving a show of thanks. This, above all, has kept me in the good graces of car drivers all these years. It costs nothing and the good will it engenders is worth a million bucks.
Hot tub?
Massage from a volunteer? Not sure it will help, but it can’t hurt! I will step forth to be counted among the “Coalition of the Willing” to massage your butt! 
I have owned several types of recumbent bikes, and ride one every day in heavy Tokyo city traffic as well as in fast suburban traffic. Visibility is not a problem for two reasons. The first is that most recumbents are fairly tall. Unless you buy one of those sexy European racing recumbents (like this), you are about the same height as a compact car. The other reason is that it’s very rare for car drivers to see you beyond a low obstacle. Car drivers naturally focus on the road ahead and are unlikely to miss obstacles lying on the road. I have one low recumbent trike but I have no trouble riding it in Tokyo. (It does come with a small flag and I usually use it.)
As for jumping onto a curb, that should never be necessary. If you find yourself forced to jump the curb regularly, either you are riding unpredictably or you are not paying attention to the traffic around you. I guess potholes can be hard to spot from a distance, but once you get used to the handling of recumbent bikes, quick evasive maneuvers are no more difficult than on a road bike. And if you do hit a deep pothole and go down, a recumbent is more likely to dump you on your butt than your head.
I think there is some cultural bias that says anything unusual has to be dangerous. However the modern recumbent bike was originally designed to be a safer alternative to conventional bicycles. A lower seat means you don’t fall from a great height. The longer wheelbase and lower center of mass means there is very little danger of lockign the front brake and being thrown over the handlebar. And since you don’t lean forward, your head is upright and you have a good view of the surroundings.
You are correct that recumbents are poor for off-road riding. And I understand that some people prefer the handling of upright bikes. But for everyday commuting, recumbents are a valid alternative and it doesn’t hurt to try one out.
I’ll include a quote from a magazine review of the Avatar 2000, the first modern recumbent to go into production:
I ride a lot in city conditions and second Boo Boo Foo’s safety suggestions. Ankle reflectors are a very sound investment and the hand signals are indeed important. Also, light coloured gloves or ones with reflective areas could help when indicating at night. Nice to hear I’m not the only one giving thank you waves to motorists, which is a practice I also advocate.
On your observation that drivers show little consideration for cyclists, Gundy, in addition to being visible and predictable while riding it helps a lot when bike riders firmly adhere to the road code. Unfortunately, I keep on seeing other cyclists use footpaths, ride against traffic and run red lights - not only dangerous practices but also earning less respect for all of us. Riding confidently and predictably in traffic goes a long way towards safe commuting alongside other road users. Good luck with riding to work when the weather improves!
I meant to say that it’s rarely necessary for car drivers to see you beyond an obstacle.
Popsicle, good point about adhering to the road code.
Going off the original topic, thanks for your comments on city riding on a recumbent in Tokyo, scr4. I’ve been very interested in getting such a bike here for quite a while but most Internet resources are geared towards US and European traffic conditions and roads, which are considerably different to ones here. Traffic in Hong Kong is heavy and has a lower proportion of private cars, country roads can be narrow and winding (and hilly), and cyclists are generally a marginal presence (plus I’ve never seen a recumbent outside a shop) so visibility remains my main concern.
Hey popsicle, your comments about adhering to the rules of the road are duly noted. I admit to being a little intimidated by the cars whizzing inches from me while edging into the bike path.