Tampa drivers suck...but the way i look at it, you're much faster and have much better handling capabilities than pretty much any car on the road. Also, when you're on a bike, you tend to be much more aware of your surroundings.
There is always a risk. I say go for it, but skip the Buell and get a Ducati.
Mandatory warnings:
Never ride a bike under the influence of anything (e.g. drugs, alcohol, tylenol, etc...). It slows your reaction times.
If you are ever in an accident, tuck and roll. Do NOT try to stop yourself. Gravity and friction will handle that for you, and it will help keep your limbs intact. I say this from personal experience (2 70+mph accidents on the track, 1 60+ accident on I-40 here in Memphis, worst injury 3 broken ribs and my knees are pretty bad)