Warning: this is long.
Ok ladies, I've packed my bike up many times the night before work only to wake up and chicken out on my commute. My reason? The darkness frightens me. My commute from home is 25 miles. It will take me 2 hours with all the traffic lights and such. I'd have to leave at 5:30 am to be at work by 7:30. Daylight doesn't break until almost 7, so it would be an hour and a half in the dark. I'm just afraid (I hope that doesn't sound weak). There is one sketchy part of town that I have to ride through (no real other way around except to add 10 miles and another 30+ minutes to my already long commute). It's not for very long of a stretch: about 3-4 miles on a fairly heavily traveled road.
Here's what it boils down to. I'm afraid of not being seen by cars (even tho I look like a police car with all my lights on). I have one long, bright blinking light attached to my rear stays, one bright blinking light on my rear pannier, and one small solid light on the back of my helmet. I have a helmet mounted headlight and a bar mounted one. I also have a reflective vest with a blinking light and ankle bands that are bright orange with a reflective stripe. My DH watched me ride up and down the street the other night and said I might be a distraction to cars because I'm so bright and blinky. I want to be seen, tho.
I guess I'm also a little afraid of that "rough" part of town. I'm pretty sure all the "thugs" are sleeping at 6:30 (when I'd arrive there). I carry mace in my Bento Box and keep it handy to grab in an instant.

I don't know- I think I'm just afraid of being vulnerable at night. I'm pretty sure you addressed this before (I remember some advice: think of the worst possible scenario and then think how you'd handle it). I feel confident that I could defend myself if I had to, but I don't want to, you know? I think most of it is fear of the unknown. I should probably bike it during the day on the weekend a few times to get used to the terrain.

I guess I'm asking if any of you had these same fears/worries and how you overcame them.

Thanks for you help!!! I really want to commute the whole way (I've commuted part way before, but it's far more of a hassle to pack up the car and my things, then unload and unpack everything to head off). I'd rather just leave from home.