I've stopped advising people to not ride bikes on sidewalks, especially opposite the direction of traffic, even in situations where it's legally permitted (for example, kids in my area are allowed to ride on sidewalks).
People get really worked up when you ask them to stop, really angry! Which I find so odd because if somebody comes up to me and says something is both illegal and unsafe, I check the laws, and put some critical thought into what the risks could be, and then typically comply if I'm convinced, or simply respond with "I have heard what you are asking, but it's not absolutely required, so I will continue to do so."
People get really worked up when you ask them to stop, really angry! Which I find so odd because if somebody comes up to me and says something is both illegal and unsafe, I check the laws, and put some critical thought into what the risks could be, and then typically comply if I'm convinced, or simply respond with "I have heard what you are asking, but it's not absolutely required, so I will continue to do so."