From Monday's edition:
Greenhorn cyclists
Sir: You report (5 August) that the number of cyclists in London has
risen sharply since the July bombs. This presents a challenge to smug
long-term commuting cyclists such as me. For years we have
self-righteously disparaged car drivers as "cagers" and those on foot as
"peds". What, then, to call the new influx of bikers - often incapable
of riding in a straight line, ignorant of how to use their gears, bereft
of road sense and clad in pointless plastic helmets which they seem to
believe render them sufficiently indestructible to ride through red
lights or against the traffic in one-way streets?
ROB MCIVOR
From today's:
Surviving a cycle crash
Sir: Do I detect a certain bravado in Rob McIvor's letter (8 August)?
Whilst I agree heeding traffic law is a must, it must also be in all
road users' interests for cyclists to wear properly designed helmets
(and also gloves and high-visibility clothing). To write them off as
"pointless" is dangerously irresponsible. From someone who had a nasty
fall from a bike and avoided a head injury because I had a piece of that
"plastic" on my head.
MARTIN NEVE
Letters are at:
http://comment.independent.co.uk/letters/
Colin