I'm happy to RIDE on 40mph roads, just not to cross them twice in 300 metres when it's not necessary.
Mikey it's a different London Road.
Freewheeling at walking pace. There's ever-such-a-slight gradient there, so no need to pedal.
Ped deviated from his line to cross the full width of the pavement and tried to shove me into the road. Older gent, looked a bit like he hadn't quite fulfilled the promise and potential of his youth and was on the way to get the bus to some soul-destroying McJob in the crappy end of the service industry. Incoherently burbling about pavements and roads. I raised an arm to fend him off and clumped him on his shoulder. No closed fist, no full swing at him. I was pushed into the road into the oncoming traffic and had to manouevre pretty slippily to get out of the way.
Actually quite a nasty incident, especially given the ped's obvious aggression and willingness to provoke an unnecessary confrontation with a stranger.
Perhaps it's a good thing that I'm away on business next week.