Originally Posted by
merlinextraligh
The problem is you don't understand where the danger is coming from. The vast majority of collisions involving cars and bikes occur at intersections.
This.
When you ride on the sidewalk, every intersection, driveway, alley, and parking lot is dangerous because cars will not expect you. They'll turn right on you if they're going the same direction as you and left on you if they're going the opposite. Cars that are worried about catching that gap when pulling out of parking lots and driveways won't see or expect you. Cars not wanting to block traffic and that are looking at their final destination that are turning into these places will not expect or see you.
Unless you are willing to slow to a walking speed at every intersection, driveway, parking lot, etc, riding on the sidewalk is suicidal.
You are safest when you are where you can be seen and you are moving the way people expect you to move.
Look up some statistics. You won't find any that support the idea that you're generally safer on the sidewalk.