"Get on the f***ing path, you d***."

Not my words, but that of a passenger in a car as it passed me on a hill in the early hours of this morning. I was approaching a junction at the top of a hill on my bike on the way back from work. I wasn't going that fast as you might expect, but at that time of night I'm not going to delay people that much, as with less traffic it's easier to overtake.
I hate this attitude that cycles belong on the pavement, and as far as my memory of the Highway Code and road law is concerned, cycles aren't supposed to use pavements unless designated as a cycle lane, whether segregated or shared use. I consider that as a confident adult cyclist with a suitable bike (and lights etc.) you are safer on the road than on the pavements as you can see more and be seen easier because of your road position, less risk of coming across pedestrians, and in theory level surfaces. Also it gives a major advantage in terms of journey speed, as you don't have to slow down and give way at every side road, or slow for pedestrians or people coming out of houses and so on.