Remember kids... always wear a helmet. (The almighty bikeradar helmet thread)

So when I got laid out cold for 15 minutes and spent a day in hospital all because 2 Japanese women stepped out in-front of me, while both nattering away, while at a RED man I might add - they were just endangering themselves.
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Stand up in the pedals and hit them with your shoulder. Nine times out of ten you won't even go down & you can scarper sharpish. Riding in the middle of the road at the same speed as the traffic also helps avoiding pedestrians. Whistling can attract peoples attention if you think they might step out.

Incidentally peds walked out into traffic without looking long before the advent of the mobile phone & peds routinely walk out on red lights whilst looking directly at cyclists in a game of 'dare'.