I used to use a moped to commute up Milwaukee Ave to Niles- I was surprised at how civil people were. I was about as slow as a bicycle and only remember getting blown by once in two years.

I'd still be terrified of using a bicycle in Chicago. I never realized how many people almost never look at the road while driving until I had such a good view into their cars (yes, cyclists and moped riders are watching you). The only thing that alerted people to my presence was the rattly 30-year-old two-stroke engine under my ass.