‘The fast-food delivery companies seem to turn a blind eye to the dreadful behaviour of their cyclists’

• I HAVE recently spoken to enforcement officers and asked why they are unable to deal with lawless cycling.

They just shrugged their shoulders and dodged out of the way!

There seems to be a deep-rooted prejudice in some of our councillors that cyclists are angels and that anybody who dares to use a motor vehicle should be vilified.

I agree that not every cyclist:

— ignores The Highway Code;

— ignores red lights and pedestrian crossings;

— takes no notice of one-way streets;

— rides recklessly on the pavements;

— refuses to use lights after dark but prefers dark clothing; and

— hurls self-righteous abuse at pedestrians and drivers.

But an awful lot do.

The fast-food delivery companies seem to turn a blind eye to the dreadful behaviour of their cyclists. They set tight schedules that encourage risk-taking, impatience, and abuse.

The cycle hire companies are happy to hire to people without the skill or knowledge to use them safely.

Hire bikes are parked thoughtlessly and neither this council nor hire companies seems able to deal with this. The companies have no interest in dealing with this.

Islington Council wants to encourage cycling for all, jumping onto bikes without the skill training or ability to use these stupid cycle systems.

I last tried my bicycle around Highbury Corner and it was the scariest experience in 60 years of cycling in London.

Could Cycling Islington, as a pressure group that seems to be adored, try to raise a campaign to improve the performance of cyclists?

HENRY SHEPHERD, N1