Keep off the footpaths

Further to the large amount of correspondence both for and against provisions made for cyclists in and around Norwich, the other day I drove along Corie Road intending to turn right at The Avenues.

Before I reached the first cycle lane (perhaps someone out there can tell me why we have three – yes three – cycle lanes along The Avenues) my front bumber was hit by the front wheel of a bike speeding along the footpath towards The Ring Road. No one was injured and there was no resulting damage, luckily.

Cyclists please note that footpaths end when they meet a crossing road and the users of the footpaths wait there until it is safe to proceed: but also please note that footpaths are for pedestrians and not cyclists, but this particular idiot (he is not the only one, but he is the only one I have made contact with) was not satisfied with his choice of three cycle lanes, he had to use the footpath and told me in rude words of not many syllables that it was all my fault.

I have no problem with cyclists who are safe on the roads, or the specified cycle lanes and there are just as many idiotic drivers as there are cyclists, but bikes on pavements speeding close to shop doorways, bikes laid on the floor in shop doorways, bikes going the wrong way in one-way roads – you don't see many cars doing this.

I have lost count of the number of times I have been verbally abused for walking too slowly and thus impeding the progress of a cyclist on the footpaths in this part of the city.

I used to believe that the problem of bikes v everybody else at the Colman Road/Avenues junction was mainly down to the large volume of students going to and from the UEA: recently most of them have been away for the summer break but the problem was still there.

Am I being unreasonable to ask the cyclists to keep off the footpaths?