To some degree I have to agree with Tom here. You have the right to ride on busy arteries. You don't, however, have to exercise all of your rights all the time. It may be prudent not to.

You have the right to walk through any neighborhood you wish at night, but you don't.

In a more ideal world, you could do whatever you wanted without being afraid of hatred or negligence. Riding on a highway does not it into that universe.

I am not against people choosing routes however they see fit, but some are obviously better than others. If safety and self-preservation don't cross your mind, you're an idiot.

This is not to say that if there is no other viable route, you shouldn't be allowed on the highway. It's just to say that if you have another viable route, why would you take the highway? It's childish not to acknowledge that bikes have certain shortcomings when compared with cars.