Originally Posted by
njkayaker
This isn't quite accurate, either. It's not so much that you are legally "supposed" to be in the "roadway". It's just that the law never limits your use of the roadway (that is, you never "supposed" (required) to be anywhere else).
It's completely fine to use the shoulder (assuming it's safe). Bicyclists do so all the time. The law (generally) doesn't ever require you to ride there.
In my case, there was no shoulder. It was a city street with narrow lanes. His implication was that I should be on the sidewalk, which is illegal where I was riding at the time.
I actually quite like riding on shoulders as long as they're anywhere near presentable.