I AM an elderly pedestrian, and I do understand Mr Chris Gooderham's need to ride on the pavement. There is no room for cyclists on our busy congested roads.

However, when I was young it was an offence to ride on the pavements and also an offence to ride with no bell and no lights - in those days cycle lamps used calcium carbide and water - and mischievous school boys would drop some of the powder into the ink pots which were used to replenish the inkwells on the pupils desks! Creating an objectionable odour - teacher "stand the boy who put calcium carbide in the ink" - nobody stood - so all the boys were belted!!

Fortunately, today, cycle lamps are battery operated, but many cyclists seem to get away with riding with no lamps.

For safety's sake we should allow for cyclists to ride on the pavement, providing they consider pedestrians and use a bell when about to overtake. It can be very frightening when a cyclist shoots past without warning - enough to cause an elderly person to fall.

My older brother, a bit of a wit, who served in the Royal Flying Corps in the First World War used to say, when he saw my little friend Isabelle "Is a bell necessary on a bike?"

B HEMMING, Burford Road, Evesham.