Yes, what the terminally cautious forget is the fun factor. When one is 23 (and some of us don't grow up) the risk is balanced by the challenge and fun of doing it.
Lets face it if any risk is "bad" one should ban motorbikes, surf boards, swimming, boats, pretty girls, skateboards, coca-cola, horses, fast cars.......
Some enjoy the intellectual challenge of minimising the risk, but for me the marginal chance of death involved flying SEP across the Atlantic is far outweighed by the amazing sight of Greenland coming over the horizon on a clear day.
I'm not saying one should endanger 3rd parties of course.