I ride from the hills outside Los Gatos to Moffett Field. My routes vary, sometimes I use major thoroughfares and sometimes neighborhood streets. I can also use about 8 miles of an unofficial dirt path next to some RR tracks, staying away from traffic which is nice. Because of the hours I work, one direction is always in darkness, so I have a couple light systems and a fair amount of reflective things to help me be seen. I also carry a compressed air boating horn, very useful for alerting inattentive drivers.
I have only been hit by a car once, and luckily it was a glancing blow that did not knock me down. I managed to grab hold of the car enough to steady myself and then veer off and come to a stop. So did the car and after I finished screaming at the driver I think she was a little shaken up, maybe even more than I was.