THREE large red patches of paint have appeared on the road in Pershore at the traffic lights where Cherry Orchard intersects the High Street. On each patch a white bicycle has been painted to indicate a pause area for cyclists when the lights show red.

But this is surely wrong? Most of Pershore's cyclists are nowadays in the habit of riding on the High Street pavement, it seems; so the pavement is where the white cycles should appear?

This same infectious habit began understandably with well-supervised infants, but then spread to certain rollicking youngsters, from them to a moronic class of teenagers, and finally to so-called adults who should know better.

If cyclists have not got the nerve to ride on the busy road they should not have the other kind of nerve to ride on the pavements and put pedestrians at risk. They should dismount and push their machine or leave it at home.

Meantime, when some fragile pensioner resident in High Street blissfully steps out at their front door and is thumped into oblivion or hospital who picks up the blame or claim for compensation? The council for staying silent on the matter? The police for turning a blind eye, or never being about to do so? The cyclist for breaking the law? The pensioner for having the effrontery to sally forth?

One thing is fairly certain: the following Thursday there will be headlines in the Journal - Police To Slam Road-Shy Cyclists. Then in a few days things will return to normal.

MR A E SINFIELD, High Street, Pershore.

PS One rarely sees an elderly cyclist invading the pavement.