Big city rider here. I've ridden just at just about every time of day in traffic all over Chicago in just about every type of weather condition over the last 3.5 yrs and I'd have to say rush hour traffic is the most fun ever!

I can't say I am familiar with what constitutes rush hour for you down there, but up here there is gridlock and slow moving cars (<25-30 mph most of the time) and the beauty of this is you can exploit gaps between cars and split lanes as well as being able to take the lane fully while keeping up with traffic without pissing people off, just as if you where on a motorcycle (watch that following distance).

Granted there is alot going on; people switching lanes, trying to make gaps, pedestrians, cabs dipping to the curb to get fares and car doors opening. So as with all traffic riding; scan ahead, use your brain, be assertive, be aware and be responsible.

To some it may sound a little too intense, but its really just plain old good fun and once you try it out chances are you will love it and you will soon get used to spotting the hazards and potentially dangerous situations even before the driver(s) in question know what sort of dumba** sh*t they are about to pull.

I lead brother and some of his friends from Union Station in the Loop (Chicago Central Business District) to a Critical Mass ride meet once (flame off please, they really wanted to go) less than a mile away during rush hour traffic and they proclaimed it was awesome and "like a video game!" (although one of the girls wasn't so keen on it and kept yelling "I feel like I'm going to die!")

Whatever you do eat a snack before you ride; getting into any traffic situation hungry and/or dehydrated is a bad news bears idea.