Originally Posted by Wildwood

Not sure if this is exactly P&I,
and usually don't talk about mental fears,
but …...here goes.

Also, not a story of crashing or anything bad.

So house sitting 2 dogs and empty home in Portland suburb. Daughter & family out of town - on my own 200mi from home. No sweat really, done it several times.

But 2 days ago, out on the occasionally busy back roads, I had at least 3 situations where cars/trucks came uncomfortably close or fast&close to my left side (less than 2 feet with a 25+mph speed differential). Red flashing rear light on bike, good visibility and sightlines for traffic, etc.

The point is - it got to me this time. I mean inwardly (mentally?) I couldn't face going out on the bike on the local roads, yesterday. Yes, it's a dangerous sport. That is stuck in my head.
I ran through all the What Ifs in my mind. What if it had been a curve? What if the pavement had 'take you down' cracks in my limited forward path? What if the third-in-line-car-behind-two-trucks didn't see me?
Share the Road is the local slogan, but i'll pass. And I've never been a Take the Lane guy on 45+mph two lane roads with a fair number of cars/trucks, many driving 50+mph.
Hope it does not persist when I get home.
Paranoia or Reasonable Caution are the 2 extremes, want to balance the scale again - the body needs the miles.
Known roads are best for me these days.