Where I live:
Burbank, CA, just east of downtown. It is an older area, with a street grid (no subdivisions). 25mph around, the major street right [named Glenoaks] downhill from here is 30mph and up to 45 mph further northwest of here.
Where I work:
Burbank, CA, northeastern corner, right on that major street. No shower. Can take the bike ot the office.
How I ride:
1. Beach. GO Santa Monica, unload and ride. Attach a trailer, load wife and daughter there, nice workout for me, fun for them. Screw the weight limit :-).
2. Commute: I take the quiter streets parrallel to the major street, VC-style. That is I take the lane, and let cars pass me when it is convinient to me (which is usually once per block). Usually there are no more than like five cars that pass me on my way to work. I take Glenoaks sometimes (alco VC-style) since it is much faster (no stop signs, and light is usually green at intersections, and it is flatter), but 40mph speed limit and huge intersections are a big deal. I stopped using Glenoaks often after some idiot passed me on the right (!). It wasn't a BMW.
3. I'm working on my physical shape to be able to better handle > 10% pitch fire roads in the area. Then I would use Chandler Fire Road for commute:-)
4. Errands. Groceries go on the handlebar.
Fuji Tahoe 2005 20.5" with disk brakes, given to me by my friends for my birthday 4 years ago. I rode every now and then (commuted like once a week), and only recently started doing it really often. Got hooked up, started reading the forums.