Mary, I would prefer riding on the road, it's much smoother! In fact I own a nice Bianchi road bike but have not been on it in about 10 years, because I was nearly hit by a car while riding one day.

Now, 12 years ago, up in New Hampshire where I used to live and ride that nice Bianchi, I had some close calls due to narrow roads and two wide dump trucks but none of the yelling and bottle throwing and deliberate swerving at me, like I have had down here in Sebring. Southern Hospitality my butt! Rednecks hate bicyclists, pure and simple.

So I bought a mountain bike to ride down here after the near miss on the Bianchi, to soften the ride on the side walks and to jump over the curbs and go through the sand and grass if I need to get out of the way quickly. Because there are some roads I ride that have no sidewalks, I feel safer on the mountain bike when it comes to jumping the curb into the grass, and have not crashed...yet.

After one car came by last fall that swore and threw a bottle at me, I got his license plate number and when I got home I called the local police and gave them the info, never heard back. I also asked if I was right in riding on the road, or should I be on the sidewalk. He said I should ride on the road but realistically, I would get hurt or killed, so they don't enforce the -no bikes on the sidewalk- rule.

So there you go. We are supposed to ride on the road but the Police know we are safer on the sidewalks! I do prefer the road, but I also don't want to die or be hit by a bottle. I do ride on the road when I see dog-walkers or small kids on the sidewalk, or where there is no sidewalk. What we really need are Bike Lanes! But that costs money, so you know that's just not going to happen.