YP Letters: '˜Lycra louts' are menace on the roads

I READ with interest Andrew Vine’s recent article on cycling and was very disappointed to see that he wrote only from the viewpoint of a cyclist. He did not consider what motorists have to put up, with the ‘Lycra louts’ who are out in force riding two or three abreast, and regularly giving motorists the two-finger salute for daring to share their roads with them.

I agree that there should be cycle lanes, and motorists and cyclists need to co-exist on a better footing, but the article implies cyclists are whiter than white and every problem the cyclists face is down the nasty motorist. This is ridiculously unfair. Cyclists should be taught how to ride properly as used to happen with the old Cycling Proficiency Test.

They should also wear some form of identification, so that riding dangerously or being abusive can be reported. Why shouldn’t cyclists pay a road fund licence and have a registration number for example?

Finally, he completely ignore the problems that cyclists cause the pedestrian. The rural police tell us that the number one problem reported by villages is no longer speeding cars and dogs fouling the pavements but ‘cyclists’.

From: Peter Hyde, Driffield.

I HEAR that fewer people are being caught using mobile phones when driving. This does not mean that fewer are doing it. It means, as we all know, that there are fewer police on patrol.

Our town used to have an inspector, two sergeants and five constables, now we have a constable who we never see. I travel to York quite frequently but rarely see a patrol car. what I do see are lots of speeders and drivers using their mobiles.

No, Theresa May, you have nothing to be proud of in your boast that you defeated the mighty Police Federation. Instead you should hang your head in shame.

Defying the ‘experts’

From: Anthony Hopkins, Guiseley.

FOLLOWING the election of Donald Trump as the next President of the United States of America (The Yorkshire Post, November 10), against all predictions, how wonderful that all the claimed political expert pollsters / pundits / academics are proved wrong yet again, as was also the case with the Brexit vote. Has the time now come for such persons to eat humble pie, admit they are incapable of making reliable predictions and throw away their crystal balls?

From: Dick Spreadbury, Liversedge.

BREXIT and the rise of Donald Trump has emboldened ordinary people to finally say we are sick of this, and want a change, no matter what, and no matter by who. Anything is better than the status quo.

Concern at stadium plan

From: Martyn Thomas, Save Tetley Field Campaign, Leeds.

THE announcement that Leeds Rhinos intend to delay the proposed development of Headingley stadium is extremely concerning.

There are three linked planning applications currently awaiting determination through the city’s planning process. These include the development of two pieces of green belt land and of Headingley stadium. As residents of the city of Leeds, we have always been supportive of the development of the stadium and are proud of the sporting heritage of our great city.

However we, and many residents, are concerned that the only way the stadium application can apparently be funded is by destroying critical green belt in the city forever.

Today we would ask, on behalf of the citizens of Leeds, for the same level of support to be extended to us by Leeds City Council that the developers of this scheme seem to be able to rely upon. We have now had this application hanging over our heads for over 12 months. We ask Leeds City Council to determine the application or insist that the applicants withdraw and reapply once the Site Allocation Process is completed in 2017.

Criminal slaughter

From: Stephen Kershaw, Sheffield.

THE article by Rishi Sunak MP (The Yorkshire Post, November 
7) is another attempt to defend an activity which is based 
on criminality – the destruction of protected birds of prey, 
such as hen harriers and red kites.

He suggests supporting the brood management scheme to help hen harriers but in England, where there should be 300 broods to manage, there were only three this year. You cannot manage what does not exist.

The burning of moorland, a useful tool in moderation, has intensified to increase the number of red grouse at the expense of the majority of other wildlife.

Mountain hares are slaughtered in their hundreds on Scottish grouse moors – they carry ticks which may get passed on to the red grouse so they must be “controlled”.

The list of negative effects of driven grouse shooting goes on.

Over 120,000 people signed the petition to Parliament which resulted in the recent debate to ban this activity which cannot exist without the law being flouted and the environment being damaged.

Greatest show on Earth

From: Janet Berry, Barfield, Hambleton.

SUNDAY evening gave us brilliant viewing on BBC1. Planet Earth II showed us amazing filming.

As if this was not enough, we had Poldark at his swashbuckling best. What a wonderful end to the series.

The only thing that cheered me up before it ended was 
the statement Poldark will be back. Can’t be soon enough for me!

We all moan at times about 
the BBC, but these two programmes show the Corporation at its very best.