Why cyclists seek sanctuary on the pavement

IT seems that cyclists who dare to ride on pavements are public enemy number one. Fair enough, pavements are for the pedestrian, although many have cars and wheelie bins carelessly parked over them.

On our tightly-packed little island where everyone is in a rush to be somewhere else, 
the highway is a dangerous 
place, not least for the cyclist, who is outnumbered and outmuscled by the motorist.

The cyclist has to run the gauntlet of life-threatening hazards like potholes, jutting kerbs and street furniture, 
but the primary danger is 
caused by the impatient, angry or distracted driver.

Twiddling with sat navs, applying make- up, adjusting hairdos, eating breakfast, yapping on mobile phones 
are all common practice, in fact, doing anything other than driving with due care and attention.

While not technically allowed, what’s so wrong if a cyclist uses a quiet stretch of pavement to remove him/herself from danger?

Most pavements are plenty wide enough for a courteous cyclist and a pedestrian to pass without incident.

Given that each cyclist roughly equates to one less motor car, they all deserve a medal.