Letters: Posters ban like Christmas without the decorations

These posters are a colourful reminder to voters that an election is in the offing, and some voters who don't live in a political bubble do need to be reminded when polling day is approaching.

They add to the carnival atmosphere of all parties' campaigns and Green councillor Alison Johnstone is right to point out that areas where posters are already banned, often suffer a lower turnout as a result.

An election campaign without election posters would be like Christmas without Christmas decorations. I say 'Bah humbug' to both. Let's hope common sense prevails and that this popular tradition of our democracy survives to fight another campaign.

Gavin Fleming, Webster's Land, Grassmarket, Edinburgh

Breeze freeze is a blow for turbines

THE lucrative wind industry has been hit with yet another, dare I say it, "blow".

Meteorologists warn that changing weather patterns over the next 40 years could leave wind turbines becalmed, thus denting hopes that Scotland can rely on its wind turbines as a ready source of energy.

This "breeze freeze" calls into question the SNP policy of 100 per cent renewables by 2020.

We have already had a harsh winter with no wind and then gale force winds when turbines had to be shut down.

Thank goodness we had nuclear, gas and coal. We must never rely on renewables to provide all our energy needs.

Subsidised wind is neither cheap nor reliable and cannot be stored, so lots goes to waste as Denmark discovered.

Domestic and manufacturing energy bills are rising because of hidden wind-subsidies. Exporting companies, which need to compete, will move abroad. A spokesman for UK Age Concern said that another 250,000 people would fall into energy poverty this year.

In response to the "breeze freeze" report the Scottish Government has already uttered its much-used pro-renewables sound-bites.

Stand by for the cranking up of the Scottish Renewables propaganda machine professing their love affair with wind (and subsidies).

Clark Cross, Springfield Road, Linlithgow

Get on your bike and off pavement

I WAS heartened to read, as a person with both visual and hearing impairments, that the police are finally taking action against irresponsible cyclists who continue to flout the law with blatant disregard for pedestrians' safety (News, May 27).

The risk of incurring injury and trauma is thus greatly increased for those of us with any disability.

I appreciate that Lothian and Borders Police are always stretched, but if a dedicated beat squad could operate in each division, even for one shift, one day per month, the message may at last get through to cyclists that pavements are for pedestrians.

Anne Dignan, Westbank Street, Edinburgh

Monkey business is not amusing

WENT to a chimps' party on Sunday. Some of the naughty things were exposing themselves to the assembled crowd - other were standing on chairs and showing their hairy bottoms off, others were just running round the area nakedly showing off everything they have.

Did I say a chimps' tea party? Sorry, I meant to say the Roseburn area during and after the IRB World Cup rugby sevens.

I am no prude and like a laugh just like anyone else, but I can't be bothered with the kind of incessant, moronic behaviour on show over these two days - many of the more outrageous "funsters" were well into their 40s.

What really gets me is that if this had been football supporters the police would have been in right away charging those involved with indecent exposure and breach of the peace. Seems not to apply to the rugby crew, though.

Graeme Robertson, Belgrave Terrace, Edinburgh