I have so many different prospectives on that subject and I have to tell you there is a lot of far worst places for the pedestrians than the streets of Sofia or Plovdiv.
Don't get me wrong, I totally agree growing up in Bulgaria we learned ho to avoid the traffic and protect our selves with a skill of young tiger at his first hunting trip, and I feel your pain  since my wife is an American and after so many visits in Bulgaria, she still have a tons of "funny" questions and things to laugh about.
Recently I spent some time in Costa Rica and let me tell you Bulgaria seemed to me like quiet suburb of North NY state to me and I thought to my self "I wish I can bring all the Bulgarians here, maybe that will change their mind and help them love their country more".
So, Bulgaria have many issues, but nothing that even an American girl can not handle, agreed?