‘Badly behaved cyclists can be shamed into behaving better’ [Bojin (Detail) Wikimedia Commons]

• IT has been suggested that it would be appropriate for a separate road traffic police force to be created to stop the “thousands of reckless cyclists” (not my words, but those used by others) who misuse the public roads, pavements, and towpaths, and that such a force ought to be financed by the public.

I suggest, rather than asking the public to pay for yet another local government entity, that it would be more effective – and certainly cheaper – if members of the public, well-behaved cyclists included, of whom there are many, were to express their disapproval of the bad behaviour directly to the anti-social cyclists.

Public censure and opprobrium does have a role to play in ensuring civilised behaviour, as
(at least some of) the badly behaved can be shamed into behaving better.

MICHAEL EDENBOROUGH
Cloudesley Road, N1