Pedestrians and cyclists are being forced into the same space – and the result is confusion, conflict, and a design problem nobody wants to admit
Spend five minutes on a busy London high street – Kingsbury, for example – and you’ll see it play out in real time. A cyclist glides along what looks like a pavement. A pedestrian steps sideways without thinking. A sudden brake. A raised voice. Maybe worse. Fisticuffs at tea time. It’s not rare. It’s not isolated. It’s not even surprising. Because what we’re seeing isn’t bad behaviour. It’s bad design.