Great post, and I can equate that with my own realization as a straight, white, middle-class male in Toronto. I never understood why my wife, sister-in-law, or female friends would express varying amounts of concern with walking alone, at night or in daylight. To me, the chances of being randomly assaulted or attacked in public (especially in broad daylight) were extremely low. But to them there is always that chance, always that fear, and they would always have to stay on their guard. The closest situation that I would personally experience is when being trailed by a motorist in situations where I have to "take the lane" as a cyclist. On a few occasions I may be honked at or harassed, but even when I'm not the idea that a 2000 lb vehicle is cruising behind me by just a few metres can put me on edge. I know the chance is almost zero that someone is going to hit me from behind, but that does very little to shake the underlying fear. Still, not the same as being a woman living everyday in our society, but it's the closest I can come to figuratively walking in their shoes.