Hi, I’m a pedestrian.

You might remember me from such signs as “children walking hand in hand” or “old people crossing”.

You might also be familiar with the green lit figure that shows it’s safe to cross the road.

In general - and I’m only talking legality and common sense here, rather than anything else - the little green man means that it’s safe for pedestrians like me to cross the road.

Safe, that is, if you don’t count dodging or being bodychecked by the cyclists to whom the laws of this country apparently do not apply.

Charging through a red light? Sure! Riding at breakneck speed along the pavement? Whyever not!

Ignoring me although I’m walking across the road while the lights are red (for you) and green (for me) and charging into me at a speed fast enough to knock me to the ground and wind me, and yet rather than say

“Hey, sorry about that, I realise that I was riding through a red light when I shouldn’t have been, and that knocking you over probably really hurt. Here, let me help you to your feet”

you choose instead to say

“Get out of my fucking way, you stupid bitch!”

Which is nearly the same, but not quite.