IT seems as if there may have been a change in the law without my realising it, and I'm worried about the consequences.

Old and young, often with helmets (very sensible), now seem to ride their cycles on the pavement.

This must be a serious problem for car occupants getting out of their cars parked on the pavement. This is presumably a new law allowing for pavement parking, too, but strangely conflicting. A car occupant could get a nasty injury getting out of their pavement-parked car into the path of a pavement cyclist.

There could be serious damage to the car, too. Presumably the plan is to legislate that folk in wheelchairs go on the road. They can move quite fast and do have big wheels, after all.

Those pushing prams must be considered at less risk of damaging cars by going on the road. I saw a health promotion leaflet recently which was entitled Why Walk?. I must read it - perhaps it will give me some explanation, especially about where to walk.

Maybe a representative from North Yorkshire Police or City of York Council could explain the situation to me. I wouldn't want to fall foul of the law by riding my bike on the road.

Peter Burgess,

Whitby Drive,

York.

Updated: 09:47 Tuesday, May 23, 2006