It’s one thing to ride on a mostly empty road, even at speed. It’s another thing entirely to ride — even at low speed — in traffic. On the open road the main risk factor is you and your ability to spot road hazards and the occasional vehicle entering or exiting the flow.

In traffic the threats are everywhere, and frequently come at you simultaneously from different directions. Even sedate minivans take on a whole other aspect when they’re bearing down on you, driven by a stressed mom late getting her kids to their next appointment :).

I experienced all this today when I rode out to see how the other half lives, taking El Camino Real south to Atherton. I figured I needed the practice. You can’t always ride on lightly traveled roads, after all. In the end, it all worked out fine; not even any near misses.

Cruising Atherton was… interesting. I’m not used to seeing homes on acre-plus size lots. Nor seeing such a wide variety of architectural styles on the same (admittedly long) block. Aesthetic conflict is probably less of an issue when the homes are spaced that far apart.