It's almost impossible to avoid certain busy roads, plain and simple. I think given the option, with everything else being equal, almost every road cyclist will choose a nice country road over a 3-lane congested cluster-$#%@. I say this not because it worries me riding such roads (I ride them all the time), but because it is simply more enjoyable. Personally, I not only ride for sport, I often take care of errands enroute - which tends to force me into congested areas. I probably save several hundred dollars a year using my bike instead of a car - never mind the health perks.

I'm always amazed how motorists sit in their mobile leather chairs, and constantly judge and/or bi*** & moan about cyclists. Guess what? If more people joined us on the busy roads, there would be less fat-a$$es in this country, wider bike lanes (that actually fit cyclists and allow normal traffic flow), and an appreciation for people that take motorized traffic off the road.