Hey Jenn, get a mirror! I have one on my helmet.
There simply isn't enough room in my head to worry about all this stuff. The idea of riding down a road where there is NO BODY is a little frightening, because if i crashed (not likely) no one would come to rescue me.. (especially if there's no cell signal)
Jenn, if your neighborhood is safe enough to live in and raise kids, it ought to be safe enough to ride your bike!
I live in a big crazy city. I don't have a problem walking the streets at night,
(the sidewalks

) or riding my bike in the daytime. I do even ride at night sometimes, it scares me because of visibility.
I am someone who fights fear all the time. You have to, or you'll end up locked in your house, afraid to go out.