A chara, - Mary Holland gives us all food for thought when she asks (Opinion, April 26th): "Who knows what rules apply to cyclists?" The reality is that cyclists feel largely ignored by traffic engineers, employers, gardai and what might be loosely called "the establishment".
On Kildare Street, Dublin, outside Leinster House, we see no cycle lanes, gardai looking on benignly as cyclists break red lights, and warning signs on railings forbidding the parking of bicycles. Is it any wonder that cyclists feel (wrongly) that "establishment rules" do not apply to them?
Similar feelings of mutual disrespect festered for years in Northern Ireland between nationalists and "the establishment" until the peace process brought about some degree of inclusiveness. Perhaps it is time to look afresh at the role of cycling in a more inclusive, sustainable society. Perhaps a Transportation Peace Process is too grand a title for such an initiative, but when one considers the carnage on our roads, the need to prevent loss of life is valid for all road users too. - Is mise,
Trevor Sargent TD, Green Party/Comhaontas Glas, Dail Eireann, Dublin 2.