austiida, sucks to hear you lost your dad to both a drunk driver and on a bike, but as far as people "letting" you on one, i bet if you could talk to your dad he would say something along the lines of, its a risk you take on a bike, and i wouldnt stop riding for nothing.
i belong to a moped gang.... everyone laugh, its ok.
last year while riding, a friend of mine was crossing an intersection on his moped, to be killed by a drunk driver blowing an intersection in a suburban. killing him instantly.
weeks later i was talking to his best friend, who was hit by same car, only suffering a broken leg, jaw, collarbone and pelvis, at a rally we were hosting. he said basically that he (freind who died) would want us to keep riding and enjoying the machine we all love and the freedom of being on the bike.
kinda a rambling post, ride, its the best thing ever, just be safe about it, and keep the shiny side up