On my route home each day one section of road sometimes gets backed up for about .3-.5 of a mile.
I have three options and I'm just curious for some feedback. I probably split 50-50 between options 2 & 3.

First is to stay on the road with the cars and filter through between them and the curb.
I never do this because I have to go so slowly and despite the fact that I have decent skills I don't like that if I goof I could hit and scratch up a car something fierce. It's a narrow lane to begin with. I don't like it when they buzz me, so why do it to them?

Second option is a parallel street.
This is just a neighborhood street which parallels the main road. The upside is no traffic. The downside is that I generally take the lane when I do it and motorists that try to bypass traffic (usually the jams) aren't happy when they can't pass me. The motorists that use it are already too impatient to sit in traffic. The upside is that it's a nice road. Well a crumy riding surface, but through a nice neighborhood.

Third option is to ride the sidewalk.
The sidewalk almost never has anyone on it. When there is someone I slow down and exercise extreme caution and yield right of way to the pedestrians. I like this for a childish reason. Passing all the cars stuck in traffic makes me feel good. A kind of nah nah nah nah thing when they see that a bike can go faster than they can.


What would you do?