Sidewalks?

Here's an interesting question, one that I think Jon and I have argued about:

Is it OK for me to ride on the sidewalk on my way to work? The only convenient route is a four-lane state highway with heavy car traffic going 45 mph. Curbs? You betcha! No shoulder, no way. Because of a river that winds its way to campus, there are few roads to choose from that cross the river and head west. Basically, it's M-43 or another four-lane road with curbs and no shoulder.

I see that in Wisconsin (or at least Milwaukee), it's ILLEGAL for adults to ride on the sidewalk. So I would just boldly ride out into traffic and smile at the honks. Yikes.

It is true that riding on the sidewalk is dangerous due to cars cutting you off, and in winter the sidewalks are sometimes nearly impassible. But still. Compete with cars going 45? At night? Even with lots of lights?

I'd be perfectly willing to obey all traffic laws and stop at all traffic signals if I thought I would be accepted on M-43, but I know I wouldn't be. Would I? I should convene a traffic forum just to find out if I would be run off the road, cursed at, threatened, or otherwise made unhappy.

I don't know if Jon and I have argued about this. He lives in Wisconsin and probably very conscientiously follows the traffic laws. I don't disagree that I "should" ride in the street, and if there were a state law that required it (and if cars knew about it), I'd be happy to. I'd be even happier if the idiot county road commission would put in bike lanes when they do a major resurfacing, which they did about ten years ago. (But no bike lanes.)

For now, I'm going to ride on the sidewalk.