Grow up and slow down cyclists, you're not Mark Cavendish - Yorkshire Post Letters

FELLOW cyclists – ever wondered why so many other road users despise our very presence? No, I thought not: self-awareness is not your strong point.

Maybe it’s because some cyclists wake up sleeping residents with their shouting as they speed through quiet villages at 7am on a weekend morning. Maybe it’s because some ride 15 wide across the road, not allowing cars to pass.

Or speed along in a pack, heads down, hell-bent on shaving two minutes off a “PB” or impressing their mates, so they narrowly miss pedestrians and almost hit them or their dogs. Or sheep. All of whom have a perfect right to be there.

Now call me old fashioned, but I’ve always believed the roads are safer if everyone has respect for other road users.

I believe the best thing about cycling in Yorkshire is the scenery, always worthy of a stop to breathe it all in. How you can do that when you’re on a mission, under the illusion that you’re the next Mark Cavendish, is beyond me.

A reality check: you aren’t the next Mark Cavendish, you’re just a lycra-clad amateur with too much money to spend on over-priced toys and clothing.

So calm down, fellow cyclists, and grow up a bit.