I slip and fall on concrete about once a year, because my brain can never quite remember how "slippery" works after a nice dry summer.

It hurts and I'm stinging for the day, but most of the damage has been to my ego. I'd hardly say it "really, really sucks"

Not saying you're wrong, just wondering why our experiences would be so different. I did martial arts as a kid so I definitely know how to take a fall well, so perhaps it's just a skill?

Hmm... I'm usually a pretty graceful faller myself generally. Maybe it was just the last time I fell that really hurt. I was carrying a 24 pack of beer to a friends and tried to jump over a slick space and fell and slammed my hip into the ground pretty hard. Was sore for a couple weeks.

That was several several years ago, not sure I've slipped on the ice since then. Now I'm a graceful walker ;-).

And it was better 100 years ago?

Terrain can make a difference. If given the choice, I'd walk over ice that was on top of grass, gravel, or smaller stones (that is, most are in the 1-3" diameter range) over concrete or asphalt. That ice generally gives way under you and provides you a chance to get traction without specialty footgear. The ice that forms on pavement is often much slicker, and the pavement doesn't give so the ice doesn't break underfoot.

Concrete and asphalt also promote the development of ice in a way that other surfaces do not, because they retain heat from the sun hitting them. That's the principle issue here, even when it's 10-20F, the pavement is easily above freezing on a sunny day, and when the snow falls in the afternoon it quickly melts and refreeze creating hazardous conditions until the next day when it thaws (assuming it's not a deep snow) as the sun hits it again.

Or walk on the snow rather than the ice.

How common were perfectly manicured sidewalks back then?

Our snow is not very deep here, normally. At least not in the winters I’ve been in. But yes, prefer snow to icy patches if it’s an option.