Cycle of irritation

I do not agree with any change to any law until cyclists abide by the Highway Code. Brenda Mitchell’s story was not the same as a motorist following a cyclist and the moves that cyclist makes.

For instance, a favourite move, as we approach red lights, is for a cyclist not to stay in line. He makes his way to the top of the queue, then lifts his cycle, crosses over the other side, puts his cycle down and off he goes, just as the green light shows for all other traffic to move.

He is then in the way of all traffic and holds it up. I have seen this more than once, and until the cyclists have licence plates to show identity, no law should be contemplated.

All traffic should be on the same level.

Brenda Mitchell calls them the more vulnerable. On an outing to Edinburgh a few months ago I even had a cyclist pass me cycling along the pavement on Princes Street (there was gridlock at the east end at that time).

He swerved to avoid two ladies walking arm in arm and never looked to check if anyone was behind him. Vulnerable? Who was vulnerable then? No, no. There is a long way to go before any law to make every bigger vehicle the one always in the wrong.

Jessie Kilgour

Gullane

East Lothian

I am really surprised that more motorists are not taking serious issue with this nonsense about being presumed at fault if they were in an accident with a cyclist. Whatever happened to natural justice and being innocent until proved guilty?

Any road death is tragic and unacceptable, but fault needs to be proved and not assumed. There are well documented cases of car accidents being faked in order to make false claims. It would only be a matter of time before this began to happen with cyclists.

We live at the foot of a very steep hill, there are no pavements, and, on a daily basis, people in the area, including children and the elderly, have to take evasive action to avoid being hit by speeding cyclists.

Polite requests to slow down are frequently met with foul and abusive language and occasionally threats of actual bodily harm.

If one of these irresponsible cyclists is in collision with a car, how outrageous it would be to presume that the driver was at fault.

Car drivers have to pass a test to establish their competence to use the roads and they can be identified by the number plates on their vehicles. It is surely time that the same conditions applied to cyclists.

Alistair McEwen

Cramond Brig Toll

Edinburgh