@matth411 it will settle by the end of the month. September is always a bad month commuting with rush hour traffic for me as well. All you can do is make yourself seen - bright front and rear lights and something brighter than normal for clothing (not my normal approach but sometimes you just have to make it obvious to drivers). They are all still adapting to the 'new' routine, back from holidays, trying to hold onto those memories and not get bogged down with work, as well as the dealing with kids routine... once it gets darker again, with lights on you will stand out much more clearly and have your space back.
My old commute was that bad that the police knew exactly who I was - if there had been an incident with no injuries, I would just say 'the cyclist at such and such a school' to all parties and carry on to work... After 7 years of cycling that route (one the corners, & 3 junctions were known black spots with the corner usually managing to kill at least 3 or 4 people each year through no fault of its own) the police pretty much knew exactly who I was. I would witness at least 5 incidents per commute (so 5 each way!) and it was getting to be too stressful (to the point where I would actually look away so as not to have to witness yet another incident)... If there were injuries involved I would stay for the police to arrive and then leave.
There is not point in getting stressed over it - I know you are probably thinking what does she know about it, how can I not get stressed/angry over it... well its not going to change the situation or make your commute any easier, all you can do is look back at each situation and work out if you took the best approach - so for a long line of cars that you can't get passed, what about the other side of the road - overtake them as a motorbike would? In certain circumstances this works just fine (and is one I will be using shortly on my 22 mile commute). Just watch for right hand signals, junctions etc and be VERY careful at these areas - only do it with no oncoming vehicles and pull back over when vehicles start to move again. As for going up the inside - I don't unless the vehicles are stationary and clearly not going to be moving - so red traffic lights only. I just wait like a car would otherwise and I have found that drivers cut me much more slack for that approach. Take each commute as a learning experience and evaluate who you could have responded differently to make the situation better/easier. It does not matter who is at fault here - it is your response to the situation that counts and just let go of the stress and agro.
As for your boss, when you have a cool head on you, go and talk to them rather than email, if you feel you can keep a cool head about it. Otherwise involve HR - that is what they are there for. Just point out that the time change is causing you safety issues with the roads and ask them to find out if there is a reason as to why it could not go back to what it was. If your company does not have a HR person (I know not all do) then email your boss again with a copy of your last email and cc in their boss and ask politely for a reply to your email. Use read receipts so you know when it has been opened. If that fails, then take it directly to their boss and escalate it, again keeping it polite and civil at all times.
