Don’t put cyclists first; the car is here to stay – Yorkshire Post Letters
I’VE done my share of cycling – to and from school and college with a satchel on my handlebars (The Yorkshire Post, June 13).
But feeding a family of four, plus pet food, meant that my weekly shop needed a car to transport everything home.
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Hide AdDonning my helmet and jumping on a bike wouldn’t cut the mustard.
When Oxford and Cambridge streets were pedestrianised it signalled the end for my mother visiting all her favourite shops. Even her disabled badge was no use.
Likewise, pedestrianising areas of Harrogate may make it look very pretty and “continental” with people drinking, but it’s the cars that bring in paying customers, and many of those paying customers are elderly.
This obsession with the rights of cyclists is getting out of hand.
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Hide AdDuring the lockdown, I have seen many cyclists take to the road. I would say all were cycling for leisure, not getting to work or school. Their needs shouldn’t be put before the needs of people spending money and keeping the town thriving.
Even Deliveroo uses cars now.
We must ignore these vocal cyclists – I’m sure they do not represent the majority of road users.
I am not a petroleum head but the car is here to stay, so accommodate it not banish it.
From: Hazel Maxwell, Harrogate.
IF the Government/Harrogate Borough Council are going to take cycling seriously and make plans to increase safe cycling, there are a number of things that have to considered and enforced.
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Hide AdCycle lanes must be cycle-only places: that is, it must be illegal for other vehicles to enter or for anyone to obstruct a cycle lane (even with just a car door).
How many times have we been cycling in a cycle lane, to then be forced out of the cycle lane in to the road, because there are cars parked in the cycle lane? That makes it unsafe.
How many times have we had to slam on our brakes because a car is suddenly swerving in to our cycle lane to get past a car in front of it, waiting to turn right? That makes it unsafe.
How many times have we had serious near misses with car doors as occupants open the door in to the cycle lane? That makes it unsafe.
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Hide AdCycle lanes have to be safe places to cycle if we want to increase cycling numbers, with all the advantages that brings for the individual person and for the community.
Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.
Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.
And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.
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Sincerely. Thank you.
James Mitchinson
Editor
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