K-Man wrote:
I had my first encounter with a jerk with an automobile the other
day. I was riding on the main 4-lane road going through town, as far
to the right as I could without going into the gutter, when from
behind me I hear the belligerent shout of "Get off the road!" I look
back to see a college punk in a black SUV. The traffic was light, and
he had plenty of room to pass me. I just ignored him and biked on.

But the incident brought to mind a question. I'm a fairly new cyclist,
having gotten my bike for Christmas last year. I've learned all the
rules of riding on the road and sharing the road with cars, and I
follow those rules religiously. I've never had a problem with a
motorist until the above mentioned incident. I see lot of cyclists
riding on that same road, and I also see a lot of cyclists riding on
the sidewalks paralleling that road.

My question is, should I be riding on the road when sidewalks are
available? I prefer riding on the road, and the sidewalks, while not
crammed with pedestrians, are never free of them either. What are
ya'lls thoughts? TIA!

My thought? Don't let one idiot influence your safety/enjoyment of riding.
(Don't cower over by the gutter, either; you're entitiled to the right-side
portion of the lane, and sometimes the whole damned thing.)

A bicycle is a vehicle that belongs on the road (or a trail), NOT the
sidewalk.

Bill "cautious yet assertive" S.