• I FEEL I must take issue with Dr Greg Carson (Change the law, cycle safely, June 2). I always thought (rather misguidedly) that under British law a person was presumed innocent until proven to be guilty by his/her peers.

Although I do not drive at present, I have held a full, clean British driving licence since my mid-20s, and will be 70 in just over two months’ time.

I have no problem with cyclists using the road but I do feel cycle lanes help cyclists. After all, they are the ones who campaign to have them installed in the first place.

I like to think that most cyclists and drivers are responsible people. But I must point out that people when using the road – whether they be cyclists or motorists – do have choices.

If a road user chooses to ignore traffic lights, for instance, why should it then be automatically blamed on another road user, as Dr Carson proposes.

After all, it is the person who has chosen to ignore traffic lights or zebra crossings who has made that choice.

All too often I see cyclists riding on the pavement, ignoring traffic lights, crossings, going up one-way streets the wrong way and riding without lights at night.

They have made that choice to do so, so why should a driver be automatically held responsible for the person who decides to ignore the rules of the road?

Yes, I am as guilty as other people of crossing the road in traffic and not using crossings. I have a crossing outside where I live and several times a bus has pulled away from an adjacent bus stop and stopped to let me cross the road.

As I have stepped out from in front of the bus there has usually been a car ignoring the zig-zag lines and nearly knocking me over.

Any death on the road, by whatever cause, is one death too many. We must also remember that in England we do have a good road safety record compared to other countries in Europe.

One of the best ways of improving road safety would be to increase penalties for using a mobile phone, hand-held or hands-free, while driving to an instant 12-month ban on conviction. The existing penalty points and fine just aren’t working.

I’ve also seen cyclists yakking on their mobile while cycling. All road users need to be aware of each other.

I’ve actually seen road vehicles approaching traffic lights as they change to red and, although having space to safely stop, they have speeded up to go through the lights.

Please don’t think I am anti-cycling. I have driven and cycled on London’s roads in my time but, due to my age, would not feel safe on a cycle today.

Making a driver automatically liable for another person’s mishap, when it is not his fault, is not the way to go.

Very often I have seen motorcyclists and cyclists trying to squeeze between vehicles just to avoid waiting a few seconds. Surely it is better to be a little late in this world than to be too early in the next one, whatever and wherever that world is.

Safety on the road is the responsibility of us all, whether we be a cyclist, motorist, driver, bus/lorry/coach driver or pedestrian. We must all do our best to be aware of other road users.

I have no problem with little children on bikes using the pavement but there is no excuse for grown adults doing so.

JE KIRBY
Clissold Crescent, N16