Hey Tri Girl,

I've been commuting in the dark a lot this year, in the evening. I didn't know how I'd like it at first, but I took to it. I feel somewhat anxious going through the busiest traffic downtown areas, changing lanes, watching doors, etc. I feel safer just cruising down the roads with few or no intersections and no parked cars. But I feel safe and strangely peaceful in the woods part (mt. biking) of my commute, totally alone in the dark. I know that probably sounds insane, but then again, we're talking about someone who has been known to go backpacking alone. That's just me. I would try your commute once and see how you feel. And I do believe that ne'er-do-wells are unlikely to be out around dawn, as opposed to later hours, and also, the colder it is, the less likely they are to be out. Law enforcement types know that summer is the high season for punkish activity, and winter is the low season.

Good luck.