Feeling safer doesn't mean actual safety. For example, some cyclists feel safer riding facing traffic, but statistically, that's much more dangerous compared to riding in the same direction as traffic.
It matters when creating infrastructure for bikes though. If you put down a bike lane and nobody uses it, it's likely that the cyclist feel safer riding in the street.
Feeling safer doesn't mean actual safety. For example, some cyclists feel safer riding facing traffic, but statistically, that's much more dangerous compared to riding in the same direction as traffic.