Why though do non aviation people fail to understand that it can be done with little or no risk ?
There are many "showboating" things that can be done safely in an aircraft (ie "with little of no risk") given the right equipment and a competent, trained pilot.
There are many "routine" things that cannot be done safely in an aircraft (like landing, taking off or flying in cloud) given the wrong equipment, a poor, or poorly trained, pilot or any combination thereof.
Through the judicious and commonsense use and application of rules and regulations (like "though shalt not fly under bridges") you lessen the opportunity for the latter to go "showboating" and that way less people die.
Anybody who does not get this simple flight safety truism has no business referring to themselves as a professional aviator.