+1 also for taking the lane.

Here where I live, it's against City Ordinance to ride on the sidewalk UNLESS:

a) the sidewalk is part of an established Bicycle Route and is marked as such, or

b) when within 250 ft. of your destination where you can DISMOUNT and walk the bicycle to your destination.

Here it's a ticket-able offense... a case in point:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...n-the-sidewalk