“If not, then each and every road (wider than 16 Amos), even your quiet upstate road has a status of Reshus haRabim.”
Yes, your point? From my understanding the Mishnah Berurah says a Baal Nefesh holds by this definition. The Kitzur definitely advocates for the stricter definition in line with the Rif, Rambam, and Rashba. I never really understood the 600K shittah (even though I rely on it). It’s always stated in books like, “in our times there are no reshus harabim” (books written before big cities like NYC). That just doesn’t really add up since it implies that in the past they DID have to worry about it, when back then it would have required more than half of klal Yisroel to casually walk down the road.
I don’t see what the Lakewood issue is. How would an eruv cause “mingling in the streets?” Without an eruv, people will mingle in the streets with empty pockets; with an eruv, they’ll mingle while carrying stuff. What difference would it make? Then again, I don’t even understand the problem with restaurants, so I really just don’t know anything.