The key, no matter where you live, is to Ride Safe and Ride Smart.
Sure, the law says that cyclists are entitled to use the road (excepted most limited access highways, etc) and have equal rights of usage, including the entire lane, as any other wheeled vehicle. But that does not mean it's the smart place to ride all the time.
Same goes for bikepaths - sure, the idea is great. But as we've seen, everyone and his ignorant brother uses them to walk their dogs, walk their grandpa on his walker, etc, all of which pose risks for the cyclist.
So, while I prefer to ride the road often I do not. Sometimes it is safer on the road, sometimes it's safer on the path. Either way, we have to share the path/road with others. Which is the safest, which is the smartest? And if we commute, we often have no choice - we HAVE to ride the road.
Protect yourself by riding defensively, knowing full well that idiots are out there who are pissed off at anyone who is in front of him, cyclist or not. WATCH your back and WATCH what is ahead of you. You might have the right of way but that does NOT mean you will get it.
You can be dead right legally and still end up dead.
Ride Smart & Ride Safe. It's YOUR health and life and no one is going to look out for it better than you.