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@Buffalo_Bill
I do understand that peds in the way can be a really big problem, indeed it tends to be the number *preceived *danger for London cyclists. But it cuts both ways - if you ask the average pedestrian what the number one danger is they will almost invariably mention cyclists on the pavement.
But when you look at the collision and injury stats, a totally different picture emerges. The number one danger to cyclist in London is lorries. Peds hardly figure. Likewise the number one danger to peds is not cyclists, probably more peds are killed by cars on the footway in ONE year than by collisions with cyclists in TWENTY years.
I think the problem is that London is very crowded, and the majority of the road is given over to motorised traffic, with soft vehicles forced into a competition for the marginal space - which is what leads to these conflicts.
What's the solution - well, as a cyclist, it's important to remember that pedestrians have an ABSOLUTE right to use the road - unless otherwise stated, and cyclists have a duty to anticipate that pedestrians may be about to step off the footway, and to try take avoiding action ahead of time. This is not a popular message, but any cursory reading of the Highway Code, or indeed even the most basic professional cycle-training will demonstrate this.